A Brief Discussion on Anti War Cartoonists and Criticism of Horiko Kenpei (1)

At the beginning of the rise of manga, Osamu Tezuka emphasized in his book that “controlling or restricting works is a terrifying thing, because it is a suppression of speech; however, when drawing manga works, there must also be rules that must be followed, which are basic human rights. No matter how severe or significant the problem may be, it can be solved through manga techniques, but human rights cannot be solved no matter what.” In this book, he also put forward three principles that are revered by later generations as the “Tezuka Principle”: “1. Do not joke about the victims of war or disaster. 2. Do not show contempt for certain specific professions. 3. Do not joke about the nation, the people, or the masses. The above three points are yours. There are three principles that must be followed regardless of the occasion or the type of work created. Whether you are a professional manga artist, an amateur artist, or a newcomer to manga, you must abide by it. If there is a manga that violates these three principles, whether it is people around the manga artist or readers, I hope someone can stand up and remind them not to do so. ”Not only Osamu Tezuka, but also many manga artists promote this “humanistic spirit”
Mr. Araki Hiruhiko also mentioned in “Araki Hiruhiko’s Comic Art” that there should be no conflicts with reality, and comics are their own universe. He also reflects his emphasis on racial equality in ‘JOJO’.
The same goes for Mr. Kintaro Kagura, who is known as the “curiosity manga artist”. He expressed his reflection and criticism of Japanese militarism in his 1999 single volume “Hui け! Great East Asia Co Prosperity”, and depicted his consistent style of criticism and critique of the so-called “Greater East Asia Co Prosperity”. (Hmm… Anyway, the style is a bit quirky and may not be easy to accept)
Anti war manga artist Keiji Nakazawa, who has personally experienced atomic bomb attacks, has been reported by domestic media multiple times. His family members all passed away under the attack of the atomic bomb. Carrying anger and sadness, he created the anti war manga “Barefoot Boy” in 1973, depicting the tragic scene on Long Island after the atomic bomb attack. He showed his anger and disgust towards war. (He himself was worried that Japanese people would forget history in the future, so he drew ‘Barefoot Boy’)
Not only Keiji Nakazawa, but also screenwriter Shidai Kawano has created many works centered around Hiroshima. His representative work “In the Corner of the World” reveals the despair of life during the war between the lines. It is also filled with resentment towards war. (It seems that these screenwriters have comics…)
I believe everyone is familiar with the name Hayao Miyazaki, but they don’t know that he, who opposes war, is called a traitor by right-wing extremists. His debut production ‘The Girl in the Alps’ depicts a peaceful scene. There are also works such as “Valley of the Wind” between humans and nature (worms?), “City of the Sky” between calmness and friendship (love?), and so on.
There is also Tetsuya Chiba, known as the ‘manga master’, who experienced Japan’s defeat. At the age of 6, he was able to return only after receiving assistance from a local resident in Shenyang. And as a returning anti war activist, he participated in the post-war manga industry, and in 2015, he reflected his criticism of the Abe government and his longing for peace. Until now, with graying hair and countless strands of snow, he still contributes to the Chinese and Japanese manga industry.
The author of “National Burning” published in 2004, Hiroshi Honmiya. He depicted in his works the various atrocities and acts of aggression committed by the Japanese army in China. And he denied it, which is why he has been heavily attacked and criticized by right-wing elements. (You may be familiar with his other work, “Worker Kintaro”)
Cartoonists are accustomed to the title of “home” because of their comic content. Being able to value the past is the essence of the comic industry, the ‘golden spirit’ of the comic industry, and the conscience of the comic industry.
Now let’s take another look at Horiko Kenpei’s actions. In the latest volume of ‘My Hero Academy’, a doctor’s name is called Shiga Maruta. Just looking at these may not reveal anything, but searching online reveals that Shiga is the name of a bacterial creator. And Marutai is the nickname given by Unit 731 to Chinese victims. Moreover, in this highly anticipated event, he only changed his name and did not make any substantial apology!
I used to quite like this manga, thinking that some of the characters were portrayed quite well, but when this happened, I felt really anxious and sad, and also had anger in my heart. And this kind of mentality is really not worthy of depicting heroic stories.
And what is a hero? Tang Dufu’s poem “The Prime Minister of Shu” goes: “Before setting out victorious, one dies first, leaving the hero in tears.” This refers to a person who possesses exceptional courage and martial prowess. The poem “True Loyalty and Bravery” by Yang Xiuqing from Taiping Tianguo: “The uprising broke through millions of barriers, until the most heroic person in Tianjing.” This refers to people with heroic qualities. Dong Biwu’s poem “Handan Martyrs Tower”: “Blood stained the battlefield turns into a rainbow, sacrificing oneself for the country is a hero.” This refers to a selfless and selfless person who does not hesitate to face difficulties and is admirable.
If this person’s characters are like this, how dare they call them heroes? How dare they draw heroes?
Filled with indignation and sadness. It’s better to read the comics of our predecessors to dispel any dissatisfaction.
(Disclaimer, some information comes from the internet, please point out any errors)