Dan Mazur's Comics Etc.

Continuing to post excerpts from the 1950s shojo manga “Hoshizora ni uta e ba (If you Sing to the Starry Sky), by Masai Akiyosha.  Read the story (abridged) at http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2017/07/10/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-masai-akiyosha/

“Hoshizora ni uta e ba,” by Akiyosha Masai

“Hoshizora ni uta e ba” by Akiosha Masai, page 83.   Excerpts from this book are posted at http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2016/11/28/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-masai-akiyosha/

 "Hoshizora ni uta e ba," by Masai Akyiyosha. Page 82.  Excerpts from this book are posted at http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2016/11/28/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-masai-akiyosha/

"Hoshizora ni uta e ba,"  1950s shojo manga by Akiyosha Masai.  Page 78-79.  Excerpts from this book are posted at http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2016/11/28/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-masai-akiyosha/

First page of the second movement of the story. Process revealed at: http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2017/01/27/lunatic-chapter-2-the-process/

“Hoshizora ni uta e ba,” by Masai Akiyosha, page 57.  See my “abridged” version of the 1950s shoujo manga – along with verbose commentary by me – at http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2016/11/28/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-masai-akiyosha/

“Hoshizora ni uta e ba,” by Masai Akiyosha, page 56.  See my “abridged” version of the 1950s shoujo manga -- along with verbose commentary by me -- at http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2016/11/28/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-masai-akiyosha/

"Hoshizora ni uta e ba," 1950s shojo manga by Akiyosha Masai, continued: ages 55-54: another full color 2-page spread!! A few pages later, having returned home for a brief conversation with mom, Satsuki sets out on her own again, and who should she run into… but the Bad Man who stole her suitcase at the train station! He’s looking as menacing as ever, too, and Satsuki is taken aback. The composition mirrors the last 2-page spread (p. 43-42). A lot of wood in this image… again with the torn-off flyer detail… and I see that what I took for an awning in the last page (lowe right corner, here) appears instead to be some sort of bin, for trash, ashes, firewood?

(Previous excerpts and my non-Japanese-reading interpretations can be perused at http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2016/11/28/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-masai-akiyosha/

"Hoshizora ni uta e ba," by Akiyoshi Masai, page 49, with lots of commentary by yours truly this time.

Following page 48, which took place in the subjective realm of Satsuki's conscience, Akiyoshi returns to reality and really goes to town with the backgrounds. Having successfully wrestled with her demons, she plots the next steps in her mission to save her mother. In panel one, Satsuki is the only animate being in view, against a drab and unpromising backdrop of walls and fences. She looks serious, but determined, coming off her victorious struggle with temptation. Nice details: the wood pattern of the wall behind her is broken up with what appear to some corners of torn-down posters. What is that object in the lower right, under the awning, that resembles a giant tea-pot? Also, the judicious use of white in a mostly screened-over panel: the white of the house on the far left balancing the white of Satsuki and the word balloon.

Panel 2 has a lot going on: again, Satsuki framed in the center (though closer in this time). She looks more optimistic and has entered a more lively part of town, passing a movie theater (playing "Hot Guns!"), and there is another pedestrian in the background as well. This panel visually sums up Satsuki's journey and challenges: "behind" her to the right (keeping with the R-L manga direction), all is tranquil, domestic: trees, a home, the bright moon starry sky; ahead of her, the excitement and danger of the cinema, complete with the villain on the poster aiming his gun at her!

Panel 3 is reassuring: the moon, a mute witness in the previous panel, now expresses a cheery outlook. Satsuki appears to have paused, and gazes upward, looking entirely hopeful. In panel 4, she marches forward, positioned on the right side of the frame, with the future ahead. The regularity of the architecture, foreground and back, adds to the impression of a confident cadence to her stride; the encouraging moon, however, has been replaced by the characterless round object (sign? mirror) on the pole, which leans in slightly left-to-right, offering some foreshadowing resistance to Satsuki's progress.

That's all for now, and don't forget you can catch up on all the posts from this story at http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2016/11/28/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-masai-akiyosha/

"Hoshizora ni uta e ba," by Masai Akiyosha, Page 48: Satsuki struggles with a moral dilemma, tempted by what seems to be the "devil" of her conscience. What is it he wants her to do? Something involving paper fluttering about. Satsuki then acts as her own "angel" in the final panel... looks like "angel" is going to win? Anyone who can read Japanese and tell us what is going on here? I like the little anger-puffs Sastuki/conscience is giving off in the last panel, and that nice abstract emotion-shape framing real Satsuki -- Akiyosha has used that before (see page 31). How would you describe that shape, and its effect?

See all the posts from my abridged version of this 50s shojo manga at:  http://www.danmazurcomics.com/2016/11/28/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-masai-akiyosha/

More "Hoshizora ni uta e ba" by Akiyosha Masai. Pages 43-42, a full-color double-page spread! Satsuki, having left the doctor's, ponders her situation (any kanji readers who can tell us what she's actually thinking/saying to herself, most appreciated).

A sweet, if not spectacular spread. I find the architectural background kind of interesting: that light-blue, wedge-shaped housing development on the left, with more traditional-looking roofs on the right; telephone poles against the evening sky (though Akiyosha has chosen not to draw the wires): and a lone TV aerial on the right. As I understand it, TV was just becoming widespread in Japan as the economy improved in the late '50s/early '60s, so that's a nice period detail. And of course, those cute little stars!

The other pages I've posted from the comic can be seen here:http://www.danmazurcomics.com/…/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-m…/

Page 40 of "Hoshizora ni uta e ba, (If You Sing to the Starry Sky)" by Masai Akiyosha, accompanied by my Japanese-illiterate guesswork as to what is going on.

Satsuki is calling on a distinguished doctor to ask him to help her mother. She even has the money that the nice detective gave to her (as she recalls in panel 1). But the doctor says no! Why? I'm not sure... not enough money, perhaps? Satsuki leaves, downhearted.

The doctor is drawn in a sympathetic way (despite an oddly shaped cranium), but I guess he's not kind enough to reduce his fee for Satsuki (any Japanese readers who want to help clarify -- appreciated as always)! My favorite panel is #3, where the doc's hand, in extreme foreground, delivers/embodies the "no."

You can see all the pages from my "Cliff Notes" version of this 50s shojo manga (with a couple extra pages not posted elsewhere) here: http://www.danmazurcomics.com/…/hoshizora-ne-uta-e-ba-by-m…/

After a bit of a hiatus, we return to "Hoshizora ni uta e ba (If You Sing to the Starry Sky)," a 1950s shojo manga by Akiyosha Masai, complete with my non-Japanese-reading guess as to what is going on. Jumping ahead to page 37: The ink color has changed from purple to green... nice! Worried about her mother's health, Satsuki takes a walk, then gets an idea... I'm pretty sure she's going to consult a distinguished doctor, and on this page she is arriving at his house in this nice 3-tier layout of full-width panels. The nurse answers the door, then informs the doctor he has a visitor. I really like space that this layout gives Akiyosha for background and architecture. As always, actual translations always welcome!   (All the pages I’ve posted are collected in one convenient blog post here)