For most of this year, my mind has been so enamored with reading mangas, that it feels like I've lost touch with reality. A normal day ends with me getting off the phone with my girlfriend, Rachel, at 1am and reading till sun rise on my iPad. Not once faltering to sleep. I wake up and read in the bathroom for several hours, so as to cramp the holy hell out of my legs and thighs. In my pastime, I read on the floor at the airport, near baggage claim, allowing complete stranger to gaze at my elated face; while commenting to their friends and family about my good looks (hubba hubba, wink wink). And in the after noon, I sit in my car at a local gas station, mindlessly reading until its time to pick up Rachel from work. And thus the cycle of perpetual motion continues.
Mind you, I'm not inferring some under lying problem about my obsession. I just wanted to elaborate on my passion for the medium, and in turn, you will take what I have to say, in this post, as some really legit shit... so here I go:
Synopsis: The story is loosely based on the life of Robert Johnson(RJ), a famous African American blue musician in the rascally divided, 1920-1930 era Mississippi. RJ, a good for nothing degenerate, who rejects the idea of getting a job to support his pregnant wife and unborn child, sells his soul to the Devil for the chance to play the blues. And in typical monkey paw fashion, inheritance misfortune for his selfish act. Losing six month of his life, during which his wife and child dies. RJ, becoming a vagabond, leaves home with his mysterious friend Ike(hint hint, nudge nudge), while he's put through mental and physical trials along the way.
(Psst! This was the trials I was referring to!)
I only found myself reading this manga because of Hiramoto's current series, Kangoku Gakuen. Which has impressed me with its art, lowbrow humor, and excessive sexual pandering to male readers (Kind of strange that Kangoku Gakuen is not licensed here in the states yet). But with that said, Me and the Devil Blues, is a far-cry for most of Akira Hiramoto notable works(the basic ecchi/comedy trope). Sticking with a motif as serious as cancer. 1920-1930 America is accurately illustrated. Addressing issues like prohibition and unbridled racism that widely dominated this era in the deep south.
The narrative and the art for the story is pretty decent for the first few chapter, but the quality really picks up after the protagonist decides to hit the road. And the story is shown from the perspective of RJ and.. eh.. another character (I rather not ruin the historical in accuracy for you) that appears later on.
(said the man with no soul)
But By far, the most impressive thing about this manga is... The black protagonist. Yeah, I said it! A black guy! Mmhmm...
With modern day manga, being around 80 or 90 years old, black character are few and far between. And in most respects, their played off as a minor antagonists, without character development and relaying heavily on stereotypes.
Common examples:
- Young street tough ready to fight or sexually assault.
- Exchange student, who is the secret weapon for an opposing sports team. (sports manga trope)
- Culturally oblivious Rapper
- Flamboyantly homosexual, muscle bound black guy.
(not to mention, that black women are almost not existent)
Usually, blacks are treated as things. Put in a story as a "challenge" or "brick wall" for the main character to over come. Not like an enemy with logic to motivate them... Their just there. Not that all mangas with black characters are like this, just most of them are.
Any who, Me and the Devil Blues ain't that bad. Check it out.
**The scanlators responsible for translating Me and the Devil Blues, hasn't done so in two or three years... so you only get 3 volumes worth of story.
