G….. (OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS 6) – Katsuhiro Otomo

Katsuhiro Otomo created two mid-length series between 1979 and 1980 when he was 25-26 years old, and this collection includes seven short stories and a series of two-page spread short manga.

The titular work, “G…..,” which depicts the battles of former German military mercenaries involved in a civil war in a small African country, had never been published as a single volume before. However, all four episodes (about 80 pages, unfinished) are finally included in this “phantom work.” The depictions of ground battles and fighter jets in the story are breathtaking, showcasing the artistic skill and directorial prowess that would later be seen in “Kibun wa mō Sensō” and “AKIRA.”

Additionally, the collection includes all four episodes of the mid-length series “When the Saints Go Marching In,” which portrays the commotion and miracles sparked by the visit of a famous old jazz band to Japan. It also includes the complete series of fairy tale parodies “Ōtomo Katsuhiro no Eiyō Manten!” which was serialized in two-page spreads in the music magazine “rockin’on.”

The other included short stories are two from “Sayonara Nippon” (1981/Futabasha), one from “Hansel and Gretel” (1981/Sony Magazines), two from “Her Memories…” (1990/Kodansha), and two from “SOS Dai-Tokyo Exploration Party” (1996/Kodansha).

The short story “DON QUIJOTE,” which had its panels swapped left to right and was altered to read from the right in its initial single-volume inclusion, has been restored to its original left-to-right format, read from the left end of the volume. Additionally, all short stories that were originally in color when first published in magazines have been reproduced in their original colors.

* “OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS” Volume 6