who has heard of MW or WM?

[Fauna]

The dude who owns the shop is a wise man. But yeah, it looks like I guessed right, the two books are quite... there.

I have a very ****** up mind myself from the amount of crap I've seen, but even I don't think I would be able to handle both books. Even then, the sexual content is very unappealing to me personally. Although the guy getting shot in the head does sound interesting. =P

I'm actually wondering if Vertical sent out a notice telling stores, "You seriously need to ask for ages on this book. We're not even kidding" or something like that.

I liked MW in the end, but with Ayako, I like it like a cool classmate I'm pretty sure was in jail once. You want to be near them, but not for long amounts of time, or you're going to see something disturbing.

Speaking of which, I had to cover the headshot with my hand because I honestly couldn't stand to have it in near me while I finished reading the adjacent page. It's seriously the most graphic, detailed thing in the book, amidst all the incest and the murder, and I wonder if Tezuka just threw it in because he knew the rating couldn't get any higher at that point, or to see what thing in the book freaked people out the most.

Although, to be fair, when the incest scene started, I made the best reaction noise ever in the living room.

Astronomical Girl, when you return, check my post on the previous page or click here to see my detailed rating guide.

[Dr. Jerk]

Yeah you're probably right. I can't really stand heavy amounts of gore (even though I do see it from time to time) in some comics, that's probably what turned me off from Dororo (cover design) and Black Jack.

But yeah, it's clear to me that Tezuka really wanted Ayako to be ****** up, which I also find to be somewhat funny, but yeah...

[The Tawashi Bus Hat]

MW and Ayako, much like Ode to Kirihito and Apollo's Song, are pretty friggin' intense, both psychologically and graphically. As cute and innocent as Astro Boy was, that's how messed up these are. (Not in a bad way, mind you. Very powerful themes. That man could write!!!)

Would not recommend them for the squeamish. At all. xD Tezuka makes Stephen King and John Steinbeck look like the couple from Bewitched.

[Xenops]

The dude who owns the shop is a wise man. But yeah, it looks like I guessed right, the two books are quite... there. I have a very ****** up mind myself from the amount of crap I've seen, but even I don't think I would be able to handle both books. Even then, the sexual content is very unappealing to me personally. Although the guy getting shot in the head does sound interesting. =P

Yay for gore! One of the biggest treats for me is the anatomical detail in Black Jack, because I'm a pre-med student and I can identify stuff.

Apollo's Song wasn't too bad as far as adult stuff is concerned, we see that kind of stuff on TV all the time. Ode to Kirihito was messed up though, and it disturbed me at age 23. I suspect that I'll read MW at some point because Urasawa's Monster alludes to it, but I have no interest in Ayako. The latter sounds like Tezuka's attempt to create the most depressing comic ever.

[jeffbert]

I too, have both books. I will state that MW is very intense, & contains content that is not only mature, but disturbing. Likewise with Ayako, but with different types of distubing content.

Fauna, & others: I prefer you refrain from even mentioning the specific content of either book, at least here on the public forum.

[Fauna]

I too, have both books. I will state that MW is very intense, & contains content that is not only mature, but disturbing. Likewise with Ayako, but with different types of distubing content.

Fauna, & others: I prefer you refrain from even mentioning the specific content of either book, at least here on the public forum.

Well, I thought it was better to list all the bad things so that AG would know exactly what she was getting into. I mean, I did just type a bunch of objectionable things, the very words themselves, but it's stuff like this that prevents kids from getting messed up. (Once, I actually saved my mother from watching Pan's Labyrinth with my then-seven year old sister.)

Astronomical: I know you don't go back through posts, but let me just say...why don't you get Apollo's Song or Swallowing The Earth instead? I really enjoyed STE, if that's any help.

[Astronomical girl]

@for everyone who posted below,
I understand that that the books themselves are mature for my age but i am not bothered by the content after watching War movies and other gory things on TV and being exsposed to it so far reading about those things isn't very impacting.I like to read them and examine the nature of Tezuka's mature style.I look at this kind of style similar to the original
Brothers Grimm stories (the ones that were gory and meant to teach kids) i look at what is he trying to explain in these stories becuase we see through out his manga things that are problems in reality.but thank you for such consideration (i know you guys mean well but i like to see for myself)

I know this sounds either disbelieving or you are thinking i'm over confidant or i am ignoring things entirely.perhaps. but I am not bother by these thing its a fact of life,i am raised being told straight forward i think that some things are told when you are older and should be told as it is, not sugarcoated. better said then being half lied.life is not pretty and whether or not we accept tha its a matter of personal opinion

(for Fauna i've read the past posts and i also read your advice and i will take that into consideration and i will also look for those manga's as well )

[Dr. Jerk]

You should also be aware that these manga's are quite heavy on the psychological side, and not just the content itself. What you may have seen in other things, will probably be nowhere near the psychological aspects that these manga's have.

Heck, even some things in Astro Boy and Tezuka's other kid-friendly works have things that I sometimes find to be depressing. I can only imagine what his more serious works would be like.

[AprilSeven]

I was in a Barnes and Noble looking for volume 8 of Pluto when I saw (not sure which it was) MW or WM... very thick, and I'd never heard/seen the name before, but noticed it was by Osamu Tezuka. Took a few minutes to thumb through the beginning and was really intrigued at the quality of illos and writing. I obviously never hit any of the "extreme" content, but sure am glad I didn't buy it based on what I skimmed, 'cause I would have been really upset!

I'm one of those people who CAN NOT read/watch gory/horror/perverted things. It creeps me out and "sticks" to me somehow. I'm not for censoring, but my mind/soul just doesn't "go there" and even if it's extraordinary literature, I'd rather look elsewhere.

I also have a strong dislike of most "amusement park rides" that feature fright elements. Nope - not for me (wimp, I know). So THANK YOU for the fair warning!!

[jeffbert]

Well, I thought it was better to list all the bad things so that AG would know exactly what she was getting into. I mean, I did just type a bunch of objectionable things, the very words themselves, but it's stuff like this that prevents kids from getting messed up.

I agree; my main intent was to prevent any further discussion of those things. One of the other mods also sees things your way.