Author: Urasawa Naoki(20th Century Boys, Pluto)
Genre: Mystery, Drama, Thriller, Psychological, Mind-Games, Seinen
Story:
1949. Half-Japanese, Half-American comic book writer, Kevin Yamagata, in USA spends days trying to think up an ending to his comic book , "Billy Bat", featuring an anthropomorphic bat detective involved in a complicate case of murder, betrayal and conspiracies. Kevin is not satisfied with the ending and redraws it again and again.
However, a misunderstanding, between the police, paranoid landlord and memories of war all combine together into a strange revelation for Kevin - he may have plagiarized the character he is using and idea from a japanese mangaka.
Having taught by his father to never steal other person's belongings, Kevin hurries of to the post-hiroshima Japan, where he soon finds himself getting drowned by strange coincidences, horrific dreams and conspiracies.
Soon he finds himself in situation not unlike the character of his comic book did. Unable to escape from strange things around him all Kevin can do is dig deeper towards the origin of his character and its ties to the dark secrets of the world history.... And the more he learns, the more surreal and obscure the secret of "Billy Bat" becomes...
Which did you see? Black or White one?
"but which one is which?
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Any thoughts? Started this a few days ago. The start was...strange, but in a sense as plot unravelled I felt as if I am reading a manga version of something like twin peaks or a more mindfuck-y Pluto. Certainly something worth reading for those who want to take a break from usual commercial stuff.