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tildahlia's review against another edition
4.0
This story is somewhat light on plot and the main male character is infuriating in his self-absorption and emotional unavailability, but the drawings are just so striking and beautiful I couldn’t help but whip through it. There were frames that just made me gasp in their beauty and originality.
strrygo's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
special littl journey, use of space is literally making me feel like it's all pouring out of the page, ♡−♡
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Infidelity
kidzikcan's review against another edition
4.0
This was another very intriguingly strange read for me this month. I wasn't familiar with Seiichi Hayashi's work and I'm blown away by how unique this is for a manga. I read this again almost immediately after I completed it and looked up more context about it.
I find it kind of funny this story is referred to a romance when it feels more about the fracturing of a relationship. The art is very abstract and detailed at times, it's not always clear what's happening but that's part of the charm for me. I understand there's a lot of context lost upon a Western audience but I'm really glad to have the chance to experience this story.
I do wish I had the chance to read it in it's original right to left format but honestly didn't find the flip to be too jarring as I've experience reading other "Westernized" manga.
I find it kind of funny this story is referred to a romance when it feels more about the fracturing of a relationship. The art is very abstract and detailed at times, it's not always clear what's happening but that's part of the charm for me. I understand there's a lot of context lost upon a Western audience but I'm really glad to have the chance to experience this story.
I do wish I had the chance to read it in it's original right to left format but honestly didn't find the flip to be too jarring as I've experience reading other "Westernized" manga.
jekutree's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic, surreal and experimental, Red Colored Elegy explores the relationship between Ichiro and Sachiko. It’s a beautifully hypnotic read that doesn’t quite reveal its hand without some picking at it. A rewarding read if you’d like to dive in on its loose plot and a visually exciting one as well. Seiichi Hayashi experiments beautifully with rhythm and paneling to create a really mesmerizing flow to the book.
I can’t wait to reread this again very soon, I imagine it’ll get that 5 star rating someday. For now, it acts as the most experimental and hypnotic Gekiga I’ve read thus far.
I can’t wait to reread this again very soon, I imagine it’ll get that 5 star rating someday. For now, it acts as the most experimental and hypnotic Gekiga I’ve read thus far.
kricketa's review against another edition
2.0
i was so confused during the first read that as soon as i finished i went right back to the beginning and started over. it helped a little bit, but i don't know enough about japan in the 1970s for this to have meant anything to me.
nobody3am's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zorpblorp's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
anya_reading's review against another edition
2.0
I have never seen a New Wave movie, so maybe that's part of why I didn't understand this comic. So much angst and drama between two people, who have as much to recommend their characters to the reader as Tom and Daisy from The Great Gatsby. I think I probably enjoyed the artsy cuts the most.
This comic was very difficult for me to understand - at some points, I debated whether I was not reading the panels in the correct order, as characters seemed to jump from emotion to emotion and the dialogue did not make sense (I was reading left-to-right). The artistic choice to not even add text to some speech bubbles further confused me.
By the time I got to the essays at the back, I realized I was in over my head. I just couldn't get into this comic, and was honestly disappointed.
This comic was very difficult for me to understand - at some points, I debated whether I was not reading the panels in the correct order, as characters seemed to jump from emotion to emotion and the dialogue did not make sense (I was reading left-to-right). The artistic choice to not even add text to some speech bubbles further confused me.
By the time I got to the essays at the back, I realized I was in over my head. I just couldn't get into this comic, and was honestly disappointed.
stefanvalenti's review against another edition
2.0
I can see why someone would really like this book, but personally it wasn’t for me. The art is really great in places though, and the sequential storytelling is pretty inventive, so that earns it an extra star. I’d probably give it a 2.5 out of 5 if that were an option.
alsopato's review against another edition
the french influence & negative space is really memorable. great.