Category: Historical

Manga of the Month: Arte

1 Comment

Arte (アルテ) by Kei Ohkubo

narutaki_icon_4040 The free online offerings of Comic Zenon are going strong. Each series has its own unique hook and look. Arte is a historical manga set in 16th century Europe about a noble woman who wants to become a professional painter. Kei Ohkubo’s deft line work and exquisite attention to detail bring the period setting to beautiful life.

Arte is determined to become a professional artist despite her family’s wishes. When she begins looking for a studio to apprentice at, all doors slam in her face until she meets disagreeable, but open-minded, Master Leo.

Arte starts off the series as a dreamer but quickly becomes embroiled in the realities of what it means to work as an artist. She faces losing her family, or worse to her, crawling back with her head bowed. The art world is not interested in her talent, seeing only her gender, which leads her to taking on impossible tasks just to gain a modicum of respect. Then there’s the physically hard work, long hours, and rigorous training of an apprentice which would be the same whether she was a girl or not.

Arte’s serendipitous meeting with Master Leo is sort of the last bit of dumb luck she is willing to accept. The series does a great job of depicting her strength and determination. Sometimes it comes at the detriment of her recognizing the kindness of others. But the kindness of men in a world where women have limited options is something Arte isn’t interested in; she knows she can’t grow or gain respect by relying on it.

I’m continually impressed by Arte and the subtle ways she and the series goes against the grain when it comes to her progress in the world. I do have a nagging fear that love will become a larger part of this story (mostly because Arte has been warned so vehemently against it if she wants to make her own path) but I have hopes that she will put it aside and focus on what she wants her life to be, just as she has so far in the story.

~ kate

Manga of the Month: Ad Astra – Scipio to Hannibal

Leave a comment

Ad Astra – Scipio to Hannibal
(アド・アストラ スキピオとハンニバル)
by Mihachi Kagano

hisui_icon_4040 I admit one of the main reasons that this is my manga of the month is because my last pick was Ad Astra Per Aspera. When ever I look for chapters of Hata’s new series I usually find Ad Astra – Scipio to Hannibal several times before I find what I am looking for. It has always been one of several historical manga that I have been meaning to start alongside Historie and Cesare. The main problem is that historical manga can be quite heavy so you can’t just casually jump into it like a fluffier shonen fighting or romantic shojo series. So while historical manga is often exciting and informative it usually takes some sort of little push to get me into a series in the genre. Even something that has high adventure like Vinland Saga can take a little jump-start. So my Hata love helped give me that extra coaxing into reading the series but I’m glad it did.

Continue reading →

Manga of the Month: Wolfsmund

Leave a comment

Wolfsmund (狼の口 ヴォルフスムント)
by Mitsuhisa Kuji
Wolfsmund

narutaki_icon_4040 Wolfsmund spins a tale from mid-17th century Europe centering around the St. Gotthard Pass (a fortress nicknamed Wolfsmund) in the Alps and the ensuing Swiss peasant rebellions. The story takes us from the whispered words of unrest through (so far) all-out assault on the odious fortress known as Wolfsmund.

There are many character threads being pulled in different directions by the master of the fortress, Wolfram, and the hope of the peasant cause, Walter, son of Wilhelm Tell. Walter runs as hot as Wolfram runs cold and that distinction becomes more and more pronounced with each passing death. But Wolfram emerges as the more interesting character of the story despite Walter’s role as would-be hero. Wolfram is established early on as a fascinating, but truly villainous, character and nothing about the series suggests a heroic happy-ending for the rest of the cast.

Wolfsmund is incredibly violent in a hundred different ways. In an odd twist, scenes of the fortress being attacked are actually less gruesome than many earlier, smaller, attempts to snuff out rebels. Not to mention the truly vile and disturbing methods of Wolfram himself.

In the hands of Mitsuhisa Kuji, Wolfsmund’s emerges as a brutal historical fantasy with razor-sharp art. From harrowing scenes of people climbing the mountains in an attempt to skirt the pass to Wolfram’s unnerving calm as he quietly questions travelers, the reputation of Wolfsmund as a place without mercy and a master who is beguiling in how frightening he is is executed to perfection.

~ kate