Sunday, July 6, 2008

MARCH COMES IN LIKE A LION This is going to be a post mostly intended for people who know or are learning Japanese. I am not exaggerating when I say that Japanese manga are more than just comics. Most of them are very serious. Now take this one, The Lion of March or more poetically March Comes in Like a Lion, ３月のライオン、which is one of my favourites, and which I use to learn Japanese. It looks so cosy and sweet, with children and animals, but right from the start it tackles existential problems of the young. It is usual to depict persons much younger than they would appear in reality, so don't focus too much on them being kids. It's about life and the struggle to fit into society and find one's niche. It is going to become a hit and lots of websites are popping up commenting on it. The action is taking place in a real suburb of Tokyo. This is the official site where you can download a map of the area. And there is already a Google Earth presentation (click on the link under the satellite view) of the places the heroes frequent. Several fans, like this one, are collecting photos of all the sites. More. Then also the Japanese chess game shogi has an important part in it (the difference with our chess is that in shogi you can use the pieces you captured). And some people are commenting on the game that is being played in the manga. If you are intrigued, you can download the first chapter here (click on 'pdf' under the cover image). I am sure it will soon appear on DVD as well, when the series is complete. I am eagerly looking forward to the next instalment. 12:19:24 PM

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