Seinen Bakune Young by Matsunaga Toyokazu

[Josef]

Bakune Young

By: Matsunaga Toyokazu
Genre: Action, Comedy, Mature, Psychological, Seinen
Serialized In: Young Sunday

Spoiler: Info from Mangaupdates

It started with a brutal beating at a pachinko parlor, and now Bakune Young-maniac, moron or mastermind -- has taken Japan's biggest crime boss as a hostage as Step One of his plan to rule the world! Soon, yakuza, police, hapless detectives and Bakune's former gym teacher collide as Bakune holes up with his hostage in Osaka Castle, and the manly men of the Japanese mob vow to do anything to rescue their boss! Can Russian-roulette-playing police chief Sorigami salvage the situation with his highly trained army of human robots? Will Johnson Membodeath, the ninja, stop the madness by killing everyone in sight? Savage satire of the action-violence manga genre!

Another amazing masterpiece from the master himself, I seriously can not get enough of this man, after concluding Ryuuguuden and currently reading Paperakyu his manga just speak to me, give this one a try and see how he blends the genres which normally other magnaka would have trouble combining. Brilliant master of lost twists and comedy/drama moments. Amazing! Most of all I think his mangas are timeless which can be said for great literary works that have surpassed the test of time. Enjoy!

 

[barbapapa]

You know it! I recently purchased the books on eBay, just had to have them really.
Did you notice the black guard on the freighter reading Papera-Q in volume 3?

 

[Josef]

Indeed, it even has the design for what would become the character. Page reference. Bakune Young is a bit more graphic but the action is better than in his other manga I really like it. The drama was more present in the others though. But the imaginary is there and the story develops interestingly enough. I do see why most would be confused that read Ryuguden first about this story. But it all ends up good.

 

[barbapapa]

His later works are much more narrated via visuals only, compared to Bakune Young which is just utter madness from beginning to end (The paneling is also one of the best things). You just need to be able to clamp on, and don't let go.
But what they all share in common is that feeling of desolation. One of my favorite moments is when the police chief shoots himself in the head, after growing increasingly more desperate at trying to come through on his promise to solve the Bakune Young situation. The contrast this depicts with earlier scenes of him standing amidst a group of yakuza storming Osaka Castle, with this huge crazy Dragonball Z-like forcefield around him... It just constantly keeps you engaged.

The second part of volume 3, how it all plays out and wraps up, is also one of my absolute favorites.

 

[Josef]

No matter how much he tires to point out nudity, I think Matsunaga still does not want to make that a whole part of his series. Like in the final volume. The others have references and allusions but it is done in a more comedic way. Bakune Young is just crazy! Haha indeed. Paneling was a key factor for me. Liking this manga has to do with the action brought closer to the reader.

I really like the police theme in most of his manga do you know if this is on common and he is doing it knowingly?

 

[barbapapa]

Can't say, seems like something he'd be doing unconsciously. He does seem to be a total anarchist.

 

[Josef]

He does seem like he operating in a total free will state. Though many things seemed well planned and foreshadowed and what is most importantly connected! I really need to reread his work like I do others to catch the detail and the beauty of it! So far policemen have appeared in the three manga that I read. I should certainly re-read everything and try to fit the pieces together.

---------- Post added October 21, 2011 at 02:39 PM ---------- Previous post was October 16, 2011 at 01:53 PM ----------

I never did understand the police chief, he is weird and pretty much was rooting for him in the beginning but he did not live up to the hype. His action do not live up to his words. What could he do by being dead. I though he was an add on for comedy, but still he seemed like a strong guy that would stand good in a fight.

 

[barbapapa]

Re: [FEATURED] Bakune Young by Matsunaga Toyokazu

Well he's definitely a hilarious character, but also a very tragic one. Having a proud man like himself eat his words, and ultimately commit suicide simply adds to the anarchy (and consequently a feeling of helplessness) that's been created by Bakune's coup.

 

[Josef]

Re: [FEATURED] Bakune Young by Matsunaga Toyokazu

In the manga it seems Matsunaga repeated the scene with him and the press as if he would actually win against Bakune in one day. At the end of volume one Matsunaga foreshadowed his death though. That "HUH HUH HUH" going through his head, I thought he might die then but really was shocked that he killed himself so early in volume two. In the end even he was not in charge of everything, as much as his death was absurd, him not doing anything was even more absurd.

 

[barbapapa]

Re: [FEATURED] Bakune Young by Matsunaga Toyokazu

Like I've said before, there are zero certainties in a Matsunaga manga. It's a big part of why they're so fun to read. xD
Mind you, it never feels out of place to me. Exactly because he's created a universe where literally anything can happen, without any real boundaries or patterns. In that sense there is only "out of place" with him.

 

[Josef]

Re: [FEATURED] Bakune Young by Matsunaga Toyokazu

The whole story set up and the places he takes us, I mean one moment we are in a plane, then we are in a castle, then we are under the sea. The man can draw anything, I loved the fight with Renge and shark! Absolutely lovely scenes, I loved Shiroyama's death and the Don's death, so unexpected as to who killed them! I loved the way he described the Americans as the world police. I love how the younger task force guy got killed even though he tried so hard, sadly he did not follow orders. I mean when you look at this and you see how the story is set up, it feels like following a bunch of stories that all have an unexpected end.

 

[barbapapa]

Re: [FEATURED] Bakune Young by Matsunaga Toyokazu

And it takes a genius to weave those all together.

 

[Josef]

Re: [FEATURED] Bakune Young by Matsunaga Toyokazu

But the biggest twist was Bakune taking over the body of Purima. Genius! He still leaves some questions unanswered in some of his sub-plots, but like I said he ties it in good in the end. Truly taking it down to the basic human question.

 

[barbapapa]

Re: [FEATURED] Bakune Young by Matsunaga Toyokazu

Yeah I really like it when manga leaves you thinking afterwards; not about something specific, but more of a haunting feeling that you can't get out of your head.
I love how the third volume almost resets what you thought this series was about, with Bakune reduced to a plant and Renge taking over the role of antagonist. Just a huge, unexpected shift of perspective. And when Bakune, in Purima's body, wants to stop Renge's plans; but then suddenly has to reasses everything because the young yakuza guy (iirc) makes him question his actions... Like I said, nothing turns out the way you expect it. It's a 3-dimensional kind of anarchy; inside the book, but also on the conventions of storytelling in general.

 

[Josef]

Re: [FEATURED] Bakune Young by Matsunaga Toyokazu

Originally my thought about the ending involved the police chief and Bakune in a one on one battle. I kind of suspected Purima would be important but the twist with Bakune in his body was really unexpected. Renge's actions were weird all in all, she did not accomplish what she wanted, I mean she did but of course at the cost of Purima's life, which makes the whole thing pointless. The young yakuza guy, Shiro/Shino? What was he called? Was really unexpectedly put into the story, in the end his role was one of the greatest.

I also think an unanswered question was the one about the first division guys and the whole thing with the old people, we never really saw them again, the ninja was the last one that was absent yet his story ended and was resolved, but those guys did not get a resolve.