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Asadora!

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Not to be confused with Asadora.

Asadora!
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Asa
連続漫画小説 あさドラ！
(Renzoku Manga Shōsetsu Asadora!)
Genre
Manga
Written byNaoki Urasawa
Published byShogakukan
English publisher
MagazineWeekly Big Comic Spirits
DemographicSeinen
Original runOctober 6, 2018 – present
Volumes6 (List of volumes)

Asadora! (Japanese: 連続漫画小説 あさドラ！, Hepburn: Renzoku Manga Shōsetsu Asadora!, lit. "Serial Manga Novel Asadora!") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits since October 2018, with its chapters published in six tankōbon volumes as of December 2021. It has been licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media.

Asadora! tells the story of Asa Asada's life, starting in post-war Japan, and spanning into the then-present year 2020, when a large monster rampages through Tokyo. The story begins in 1959 when Asa looks for a doctor for her mother in labor, only for her to run into a burglar and held for ransom. When Typhoon Vera hits Japan, Asa and her kidnapper must work together to survive.

Plot

In 1959, just moments before Typhoon Vera makes landfall at the Port of Nagoya, 12-year-old Asa Asada frantically seeks help from a local obstetrician to help deliver her mother's twelfth child. When she witnesses Kasuga attempting a burglary during the storm, Asa is mistaken as a member of the doctor's family, and is taken hostage. When Kasuga realizes his mistake, he regrets his actions and explains his history of hard luck after returning from World War II as bomber pilot. He protects Asa from the storm's damage, and the pair work together to distribute food to flood victims by flying a stolen airplane.

As they search the area for Asa's home, they see a large monster's footprint in the debris. Kasuga and Asa locate two of her siblings stranded on a rooftop with the obstetrician, who is holding a newborn child. Asa saves them from the monster, but discovers that Kasuga is wounded. He guides Asa as she flies the plane back to land, and Asa confesses her wish to keep the airplane. Asa attempts to blackmail the plane's owner, who is secretly using the aircraft to smuggle drugs. When the plane's owner is apprehended by the police, he signs over the plane to her before going into police custody.

Five years later, Asa is now 17 years old and operating an aircraft company with Kasuga. Kasuga is visited by Colonel Shissoji, a former military commander, who shows him a recent photo of the same monster they encountered years earlier. Attempting to research the monster on her own, Asa meets young scholar Keiichi Nakaido at the National Museum of Nature and Science, who has photo evidence of the monster among the disorganized research left by his mentor, Shinnosuke Yodogawa. Colonel Shissoji gives Asa and Kasuga a secret mission to protect the opening ceremonies of the 1964 Olympic Games by converting their aircraft into a makeshift fighter plane. Meanwhile, Asa is pressured by her school friend Yoneko to accompany her to Tokyo for a singing audition, keeping it secret from their close friend Miyako. Restaurant owner Kinuyo, now acting as the remaining Asada children's adoptive mother, defends them against local bullies when the youngest child, Koshichi, claims to remember seeing the monster even though he was less than a day old during the typhoon.

Meanwhile, the monster emerges in Sagami Bay, one day before the start of the Olympics. Colonel Shissoji collects Asa from school to bring her to the airfield in preparation to face the monster. Kasuga is unreachable after chasing a newspaper photographer away from the airfield, which results in an accident. Asa decides to fly the mission herself, but Nakaido insists on accompanying her so he can study the monster up close. Yoneko skips school to meet a talent agent but is secretly followed by Miyako.

Characters

Asa Asada
12-year-old (later, 17-year-old) student in Nagoya, the next-to-youngest of 12 children. She becomes a professional pilot.
Kasuga
A World War II veteran pilot who turns to burglary and kidnapping; later aids Asa in her flight training.
Kinuyo
A local restaurant owner who cares for Asa and her remaining siblings after Typhoon Vera.
Shotaro Hayata
A friend of Asa; a young man who dreams of racing in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Keiichi Nakaido
An out-of work biological researcher who searches for evidence of a monster in the notes of his mentor, Shinnosuke Yodogawa.
Colonel Shissoji
A former military commander and associate of Kasuga. He recruits Kasuga and Asa to track a mysterious monster.
Yoneko and Miyako
Asa's school friends who dream of becoming pop singers.
Shinroku, Hazuki, and Koshichi Asada
The surviving children of the Asada family following Typhoon Vera.

Background

Naoki Urasawa had the initial idea for Asadora! after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[2] Wanting a hero that would give readers hope, the author said the main character naturally became a woman because when he draws males the story tends to get dark and depressing. Wanting this character to confront a "certain crisis" at the 1964 Summer Olympics via airplane, she had to be 17-years-old at that point to get a pilot's license. Additionally, while researching Urasawa stumbled upon the 1959 Isewan Typhoon, during which time the girl would be 12, and decided it would be "nice" to begin the story with a 12-year-old girl. This also made Nagoya the setting for the manga.[2] Yuki Takanami, editor of the French version of the series for Kana, stated that its title is a reference to NHK's Renzoku Terebi Shōsetsu television dramas, which are colloquially known as "asadora" and often follow the life of a female protagonist from childhood to adulthood.[3]

The sense of fulfillment Urasawa felt after doing all the backgrounds, inking, erasing, and screentones on the short story "It's a Beautiful Day" led to him doing a lot of the background work on Asadora! by himself, in addition to the main character illustration.[4]

Publication

Asadora! is written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. The manga began in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits on October 6, 2018.[5][6] Asadora! is Urasawa's first work published digitally and his first work in the magazine since 21st Century Boys, serialized in 2007.[7] The series' first arc finished in January 2019, and it went on hiatus until May of the same year.[8][9] The series went on hiatus again in August 2019 and resumed publication in October of the same year.[10] Shogakukan has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on March 29, 2019.[11] As of December 28, 2021, six volumes have been published.[12]

In North America, Viz Media announced the English release of the manga in July 2020.[13] The first volume was published on January 19, 2021.[14] The manga has also been licensed in France by Kana[15] and in Italy by Panini Comics.[16]

Volume list

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 March 29, 2019[11]978-4-09-860278-0January 19, 2021[14]978-1-9747-1746-0
  • 01. "The Girl Who Ran Past" (駆け抜ける少女, Kakenukeru Shōjo)
  • 02. "Two in the Storm" (嵐の中のふたり, Arashi no Naka no Futari)
  • 03. "Hero of the Skies" (空の勇者, Sora no Yūsha)
  • 04. "Shelter from the Storm" (嵐からの隠れ場所, Arashi kara no Kakure Basho)
  • 05. "The Flood" (高潮, Takashio)
  • 06. "Diner Kinuyo" (めし処 きぬよ, Meshidokoro Kinuyo)
  • 07. "The Chosen One" (選ばれた子, Erabareta Ko)
  • 08. "Claw Marks" (ツメアト, Tsumeato)
2 September 30, 2019[17]978-4-09-860433-3April 20, 2021[18]978-1-9747-2010-1
  • 09. "That Thing" (アレ…, Are...)
  • 10. "Close Encounter" (遭遇, Sōgū)
  • 11. "At the Controls" (操縦桿, Sōjūkan)
  • 12. "Truly Flying" (本物の飛行機乗り, Honmono no Hikōki-nori)
  • 13. "Birthday" (誕生の日, Tanjō no Hi)
  • 14. "That Airplane" (あの飛行機, Ano Hikōki)
  • 15. "Age 17" (17歳, Jūnanasai)
  • 16. "Don't Turn Around" (ふりむかないで, Furimukanaide)
3 February 28, 2020[19]978-4-09-860587-3July 20, 2021[20]978-1-9747-2011-8
  • 17. "A Slight Possibility" (ほんの少しの可能性, Honnosukoshi no Kanōsei)
  • 18. "Five Rings" (五つの輪, Itsutsu no Wa)
  • 19. "Things You Can't Say" (絶対に言えないこと, Zettai ni Ienai Koto)
  • 20. "The Search Begins" (探しモノ, Sagashi Mono)
  • 21. "Letters" (手紙, Tegami)
  • 22. "Just a Fighter Plane" (ただの戦闘機, Tada no Sentōki)
  • 23. "Kinuyo's Wrath" (きぬよ、怒鳴り込む, Kinuyo, Donarikomu)
4 August 28, 2020[21]978-4-09-860738-9October 19, 2021[22]978-1-9747-2296-9
  • 24. "The Day It Appears" (出現の日, Shutsugen no Hi)
  • 25. "Communication Breakdown" (コミュニケーション・ブレイクダイウン, Komyunikēshon Bureikudaiun)
  • 26. "Garbage" (ゴミ, Gomi)
  • 27. "A Big Sister's Job" (お姉ちゃんの役割, Onē-chan no Yakuwari)
  • 28. "The Accident" (アクシデント, Akushidento)
  • 29. "Ignition!" (イグニッション！, Igunisshon!)
  • 30. "Close Encounter" (遭遇, Sōgū)
5 April 30, 2021[23]978-4-09-861078-5April 19, 2022[24]978-1-9747-2790-2
  • 31. Kessen no Toki (決戦の時)
  • 32. "Lock On!"
  • 33. Kaisetsu (解説)
  • 34. Hassha! (発射！)
  • 35. Tōka! (投下！)
  • 36. Makkurayami (真っ暗闇)
  • 37. Hontō no Hikōshi (本当の飛行士)
6 December 28, 2021[12]978-4-09-861231-4November 15, 2022[25]978-1-9747-3445-0
  • 38. Sen-kyūhyaku-rokujū-yon-nen Jūgatsu Jūnichi, Seiten'nari (1964年10月10日、晴天なり)
  • 39. Toranjisuta Rajio (トランジスタラジオ)
  • 40. Kapuseru (カプセル)
  • 41. Purattohōmu nite (プラットホームにて)
  • 42. Wakamono-tachi (若者たち)
  • 43. Gōhō no Hi (号砲の日)
  • 44. Fushō Buttai (不詳物体)

Reception

Asadora! won Best Series at the 2021 Lucca Comics Awards in Italy.[26] It was also nominated for 2021's Young Adults Best Comic Award at the 48th Angoulême International Comics Festival in France and for Best Manga at the Harvey Awards in the United States.[27][28] Due to depicting the Isewan Typhoon, Asadora! was used as part of an exhibit at the Nagoya City Minato Disaster Prevention Center.[2]

After reading the first volume, South Korean film director Bong Joon-ho wrote that "Asa's wise expression and dignified demeanor already gives me hope and strong expectations", and called Urasawa "the greatest storyteller of our time". He likened the experience of reading Asadora! to that of being able to go back and read 20th Century Boys for the first time again.[29]

Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network gave the first volume an A− grade. She wrote: "This is a very solid work. Asa is the kind of spitfire heroine that's easy to get behind."[30] Reuben Baron of Comic Book Resources said, "As a piece of historical fiction, Asadora! is so convincing that it's almost a surprise once the science fiction elements pop up again in the last two pages of the book."[31]

References

  1. ^ a b "The Official Website for Asadora!". Viz Media. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c 浦沢直樹に聞く〈前編〉　やっと子供の頃の漫画の描き方に戻れた. xTREND (in Japanese). Nikkei Business. April 30, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  3. ^ "Asadora!: ce qu'il faut savoir sur la nouvelle série de Naoki Urasawa, le créateur de 20th Century Boys" (in French). BFM TV. January 31, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  4. ^ Urasawa, Naoki (2020). Sneeze: Naoki Urasawa Story Collection. Viz Media. p. 192. ISBN 978-1-9747-1748-4.
  5. ^ Ressler, Karen (September 14, 2018). "Naoki Urasawa Launches New Manga in Big Comic Spirits". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  6. ^ 浦沢直樹の新連載「連続漫画小説 あさドラ！」スピリッツで始動. Natalie (in Japanese). October 6, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  7. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 6, 2018). "Naoki Urasawa's New Manga Asadora! Has Digital Version for 1st Time". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  8. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 27, 2019). "Naoki Urasawa's Asadora! Manga Ends 1st Arc, Goes on Hiatus". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  9. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 17, 2019). "Naoki Urasawa's Asadora! Manga Returns in May (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  10. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (August 30, 2019). "Naoki Urasawa's Asadora! Manga Goes on Hiatus". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  11. ^ a b あさドラ！ １ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  12. ^ a b あさドラ！ ６ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  13. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (July 3, 2020). "Viz Media Licenses Dr. Stone Reboot: Byakuya, Asadora!, Beast Complex, Call of the Night Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Asadora!, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  15. ^ "Asadora, le nouveau chef-d'œuvre signé Naoki Urasawa !" (in French). Kana. December 5, 2019. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  16. ^ "Lucca 2019: Gli annunci Planet Manga". AnimeClick (in Italian). November 3, 2019. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  17. ^ あさドラ！ ２ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  18. ^ "Asadora!, Vol. 2". Viz Media. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  19. ^ あさドラ！ ３ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  20. ^ "Asadora!, Vol. 3". Viz Media. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  21. ^ あさドラ！ ４ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  22. ^ "Asadora!, Vol. 4". Viz Media. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  23. ^ あさドラ！ ５ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on May 4, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  24. ^ "Asadora!, Vol. 5". Viz Media. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  25. ^ "Asadora!, Vol. 6". Viz Media. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  26. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (November 1, 2021). "Naoki Urasawa's Asadora! Manga Wins Lucca Comics Award for Best Series". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  27. ^ "Découvrez les 8 mangas sélectionnés au Festival d'Angoulême". Crunchyroll (in French). November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  28. ^ Hazra, Adriana (July 18, 2021). "Harvey Awards Nominate Chainsaw Man, Remina, 3 More Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  29. ^ 『あさドラ！』単行本第5集特設ページ　ポン･ジュノ監督コメント全文掲載 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. August 30, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  30. ^ Silverman, Rebecca (January 19, 2021). "Asadora! GN 1 - Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  31. ^ Baron, Reuben (January 19, 2021). "REVIEW: Asadora! Vol. 1 Depicts a Vibrant Past… and an Already-Dated Future?". CBR. Retrieved January 20, 2021.

Further reading

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