Seinen Billy Bat by Urasawa Naoki

[R4n]

I just marathoned chapter 35-46. Now i got reminded why i love Urasawa Naoki and Billy Bat so much.
I have some things to say about Chuck Culkin...

Spoiler: chapter 45-46

I think it is pretty obvious that the 'fake Chuck Culkin' is modeled after Walt Disney. The physical and circumstantial similarities can't be more obvious. I wonder if it is meant as a mere satire, or does Urasawa-sensei genuinely does not like Disney?
'Chuck Culkin' is thought to be ripping off Billy Bat from Kenji Yamagata, the true artist, who is a Japanese. I remember an incident in which a lot of mangakas were rallying for a protest against Walt Disney's Lion King, which have a lot of similarity to Osamu Tezuka's Kimba the White Lion. There are rumours that Lion King is a rip off from the original Kimba. Hmm...

The similarities do not end there. After reading chapter 46, i find another parallel between the 'fake Chuck Culkin' and Walt Disney. I think the relationship between the real Chuck Culkin and the fake one has a lot of similarities with Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks working relationship. For those who do not know, Ub Iwerks is the original creator of Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Rabbit. But since Walt Disney owns the copyright for the character Mickey Mouse, and become 'the face' of Mickey, many people does not know about this. In fact, many people give undeserved credits to Walt Disney instead...
Don't you think it is the similar with fake Culkin exploiting the real Culkin's talents? Of course, since the revelation is young, there might be another aspect of the Culkin's relationship. But i still find the potential satire interesting.
I have similar woes regarding Carl Barks and Walt Disney, but i will leave that for another time because it is kinda unrelated.

 

[molokidan]

Interesting points there R4n.

I'm sure Urasawa is definitely playing with those parallels you mentioned, especially with the Oswald the rabbit bit. I honestly didn't even know there was a character until I read the chapters and did a little research. That's where I learned about Ub Iwerks, as I didn't even know about him before. Looking at that wikipedia photo is kinda creepy when you think of the manga...but I think that's exactly what Urasawa is after.

I'm not sure if Urasawa "hates" Disney though. But who knows, this story still feels like it's just begun...

 

[Akiyama]

Finished an entire years worth of BB in a few days and it was great. I couldn't help but think that Diane is pregnant with Barack Obama. I know it doesn't even make sense with the roles of black and white being reversed. He was born in Hawaii and I doubt that's where they are going. Urasawa is focusing on Kenned right now so I thought of different presidents he might introduce. It's on extremely long stretch that's not going to happen but I await what Urasawa plans to do.

 

[PaperMaster-Yosh]

I wonder if the cab driver that picked up Diane will appear sooner or later since he was talking to the Billy Bat accessory hanging from the rear-view mirror.

 

[zidane]

Chapter 47's out

http://mangastream.com/read/billy_bat/28951854/1

Edit: 48 and 49 are both up too now, so we're all caught up. 50 should be landing soon, we hope to release it the week it comes out from now on.

 

[Josef]

So what is the release date for chapter 50? Now that we are caught up we will have it the same week as it comes out in Japan with a few days after the actual release right?

 

[Magnus]

Chapter 50 is out :

http://mangastream.com/read/billy_bat/29126644/1

Spoiler

Just what in the world is happening ? Billy Bat coming to Oswald, is it only some sort of hallucination ? I haven't read this whole manga, did a similar scene happen before ?
And the cliffhanger is, like, a Huge one.

 

[Josef]

Oh goodie a new chapter.

Ok so here is what I think:

Spoiler

Well for one I think the Bat is just toying with Oswald the reference he said about the world ending is probably something Urasawa took from all the recent talk about the Maya and 2012.

I think that Kevin can not tell the story anymore since he already drew everything, we just have to wait and see who the sacrifice will be to save Kennedy .

 

[Teeba]

(new Billy Bat fan over here) I think there is an incredible mind-screw going on with the series. You have a Walt Disney parallel, Oswald being both Disney's first creation AND the name of Kennedy's assassin, and it's so refreshing that modern history can be retold as being part of this mega conspiracy. xD

Spoiler

I hope Ken doesn't die, I quite like him as a protagonist. Though I do think Oswald is going to fulfill his role, he seemed to give in easily.

What I'm most curious about is how literal we are supposed to believe the bat has been around for. If he's been around since the time of Jesus, then....could he be older? (if taken at face value).

What I find really cool is how the series first started off taking place in Japan, but there really isn't a fixed setting for it. It jumps all over the place, and it makes everyone much more interesting than a lot of other manga which tends to be Japan-centric.

 

[repme]

read raw 51

 

[Josef]

Wohooooooo, so we get raws now as well?

Ok:

Spoiler

I knew that Kevin was supposed to be the one to take a hit for Kennedy, buy maybe it would be the other way around, Kevin is going to shoot and Oswald will save Kennedy, but oh well maybe Urasawa will stick to what is historically correct.

Btw is anyone else reading this, I feel the series does not get much discussion.

 

[Akiyama]

I don't know what to say most of the time. I sit back and enjoy the ride because I don't know what Urasawa will do next. The last page on chapter 50 made me laugh. It is a serious moment but I couldn't help myself because Yamagata's face does a 360 in a split second.

 

[Josef]

I don't know what to say most of the time. I sit back and enjoy the ride because I don't know what Urasawa will do next. The last page on chapter 50 made me laugh. It is a serious moment but I couldn't help myself because Yamagata's face does a 360 in a split second.

I agree with you there, it is very hard to comment on some of Urasawa's works except for how great they are. But I felt like the series did not get enough attention because I know his previous works have many fans.

Also about your idea in a previous post, I would put it in a spoiler I guess, for those who have not caught up.

So:

Spoiler

But it is not historically accurate is she is pregnant with Obama, the years sort of fit, but if Urasawa stays historically accurate Obama's mother was American and his father was an African I think, here it is the other way around, but who know..

 

[R4n]

I agree with Akiyama. I prefer to enjoy the ride, though sometimes i wish this thread has more activity. It is the only BB thread i read

For the sake of saying something, i want to point out that there is a Nostradamus reference in chapter 50. I love how Urasawa-sensei put historical and pop culture references into his works and mix it together. It is interesting.

 

[Josef]

I agree with Akiyama. I prefer to enjoy the ride, though sometimes i wish this thread has more activity. It is the only BB thread i read

For the sake of saying something, i want to point out that there is a Nostradamus reference in chapter 50. I love how Urasawa-sensei put historical and pop culture references into his works and mix it together. It is interesting.

Well having an active thread indicates to me that there are people who read good seinen manga out there, and that Billy Bat overall has support. It is interest that will allow it to be scanned, and plus we get it weekly now, it is regular releases from now on.

I just want to see the seinen section active is all. Like I have said in the MH seinen hangout thread.

 

[Akiyama]

Billy Bat on the cover of Morning #14

 

[PaperMaster-Yosh]

Billy Bat 52 is out.

I wonder if the cab driver that picked up Diane will appear sooner or later since he was talking to the Billy Bat accessory hanging from the rear-view mirror.

Spoiler

I knew he'd be back. So the cab driver is the father of the new protagonist, Jackie. I wonder if her father can see the bat too since he was taking directions from Billy Bat car ornament.

 

[Akiyama]

I didn't catch it the first time but the cola is most likely from Diane and her husband's cola company. I forgot the name of the company and his name, haha. I love to see everything intertwine and come together like this.

 

[R4n]

Before i read Billy Bat i don't even know that the WTC architect is a Japanese-American! I am pretty impressed with the way Urasawa-sensei mix pop culture and historical elements in Billy Bat. I could have made a book only from listing all of the references x__X

I also don't realize Jackie's father is the cab driver that drive Diane. Thanks for mentioning it.

 

[jojoSB]

I just want to pop in and let you all know that there's another soul out there
admiring this piece of work!

I start picking this up around ch.47 or so, it's the chapter that's showing Kevin's
assistance leaving him to join up with 'Disney,' so it's a betrayal right there.

This manga is so good to read, the timelines going differently and jointing at
unexpected spots are sooo interesting lol.
Really thx for mangastream and their works, along with the Astroboy Pluto from
the author's last work. Back when Pluto was being released I was really upset that
I didn't read carefully on the originaly astroboy when I could have gotten the chance.
I just don't know how the original Pluto arc played out and how different it is from the
new one.

As for this chapter, the last page, which is usually the twist that Billybat offers on every
single chapter, you see Jackie is standing on a bat shadow.
That, I know, happened before as well on Kevin, it's after ch.20 or so, when he was
running across a street. I pointed this out because this 'glimpse' of a shadow can
be used to explain the 'marking' that of which can be used to cast on to the moon
surface. (it's like, that's not necessary a marking of a bat, but a mere shadow).

I wish there's a compilation of all the historical figures that appeared in this manga.
^ ^