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colophonphile's review against another edition
This year, 2011, marks the 80th anniversary of the publication of The Four Immigrants Manga, the story of Henry (born Yoshikata) Kimaya and his four young-ish fellow Japanese who come to America around 1904. Henry's dream is to pursue art, and this book -- truly ground-breaking for its time -- is a 52-chapter autobiography in which he experiences the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, and the start of prohibition, and a whole lot in between. The notion of an autobiographical comic, even one intended to be collected as a standalone volume, is nothing particularly special 100 years or so after Kiyama unceremoniously first stepped foot in America (he's confined for some time, as a new immigrant, and tries to convince himself that he's being looked after because Americans are so darn caring), but it was truly groundbreaking for its day. It's also pretty darn funny.
agarje1's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
As a work of fiction, this is just okay. The stories are occasionally humorous, but ultimately most are ridiculous, slap-stick, or some combination of the two.
Where this book's value really lies is in its portrait of the Japanese immigrant experience at the turn of the century in San Francisco. Over the span of a few decades, Kiyama's characters have some connection to nearly every major event that affects California's Japanese community. As a historical record, it is impressive in its attention to detail and just how particular it is to its specific community. As a work of art, it is quite innovative; it draws from both American and Japanese influences and was originally written as a bilingual text.
The characters did win me over by the end, and I found myself shaking my head at their persistent naivete but always rooting for them to succeed. This text is a valuable first-hand account of the early Japanese immigrant experience while also managing to be an entertaining read.
As a work of fiction, this is just okay. The stories are occasionally humorous, but ultimately most are ridiculous, slap-stick, or some combination of the two.
Where this book's value really lies is in its portrait of the Japanese immigrant experience at the turn of the century in San Francisco. Over the span of a few decades, Kiyama's characters have some connection to nearly every major event that affects California's Japanese community. As a historical record, it is impressive in its attention to detail and just how particular it is to its specific community. As a work of art, it is quite innovative; it draws from both American and Japanese influences and was originally written as a bilingual text.
The characters did win me over by the end, and I found myself shaking my head at their persistent naivete but always rooting for them to succeed. This text is a valuable first-hand account of the early Japanese immigrant experience while also managing to be an entertaining read.
grawp's review against another edition
5.0
HE VUELTO A ESTA RED SOCIAL
o algo así
Me lo acabé hace un par de meses y solo por su valor histórico ya vale mucho la pena
o algo así
Me lo acabé hace un par de meses y solo por su valor histórico ya vale mucho la pena
suggoiai's review
4.0
An interesting look at Japanese immigrant history in San Francisco from 1906-1926 as published in 1931. This English translation edition has educational endnotes on the history of the time as well as explanations of some of the original Japanese jokes. An introduction provides a general overview of the immigrant experience and about the original artist/author and an afterword covers his life afterward. There are a few bits that would not politically correct/polite now, but these are put in context in the end notes. They original is a fascinating view of the time, and the translation and framing is interesting and educational.
ederwin's review
3.0
An early example of semi-autobiographical long-form comic telling the story of Japanese immigrants trying to make a living in San Francisco between 1904 and 1924. It gives a first-hand account of events such as the 1906 earthquake, a visit by president Taft, the failure of the Golden Gate Bank, the Panama Pacific International Exposition, WWI, the Spanish Flu, the start of Prohibition, the Alien Land Act, etc. It is worth reading by anyone interested in early San Francisco or the Japanese-American immigrant experience.
Written in 52 2-page spreads, it was intended to be serialized over a years worth of weekly newspapers, but that never happened. While it was exhibited in 1927 and then independently published, it was largely forgotten until rediscovered, translated and published in 1988. Part of that neglect may be due to the fact that it was written with a combination of Japanese and broken English, and would be understood only by bilingual people.
Each 12-cel story ends with a gag. The humor in these is primarily in the form of Japanese puns, which don't work in English. But more serious themes are addressed as well.
This is probably not the first "Graphic Novel". Nor the first "Gekiga". Nor even the first comic to be made into a musical play (which happened for this book in 2017 in San Jose.) And being unknown, it probably had no influence on later works. But it certainly pre-dates [b:Blackmark|1535963|Blackmark|Gil Kane|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1184871274s/1535963.jpg|1528089] and [b:It Rhymes with Lust|607911|It Rhymes with Lust|Arnold Drake|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1403200061s/607911.jpg|594417] and [b:A Contract with God|861023|A Contract With God and Other Tenement Stories|Will Eisner|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328363057s/861023.jpg|250281] and so will be of interest to historians of comics. For the general comic-reading public, I recommend it only if you also have an interest in San Francisco history.
Written in 52 2-page spreads, it was intended to be serialized over a years worth of weekly newspapers, but that never happened. While it was exhibited in 1927 and then independently published, it was largely forgotten until rediscovered, translated and published in 1988. Part of that neglect may be due to the fact that it was written with a combination of Japanese and broken English, and would be understood only by bilingual people.
Each 12-cel story ends with a gag. The humor in these is primarily in the form of Japanese puns, which don't work in English. But more serious themes are addressed as well.
This is probably not the first "Graphic Novel". Nor the first "Gekiga". Nor even the first comic to be made into a musical play (which happened for this book in 2017 in San Jose.) And being unknown, it probably had no influence on later works. But it certainly pre-dates [b:Blackmark|1535963|Blackmark|Gil Kane|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1184871274s/1535963.jpg|1528089] and [b:It Rhymes with Lust|607911|It Rhymes with Lust|Arnold Drake|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1403200061s/607911.jpg|594417] and [b:A Contract with God|861023|A Contract With God and Other Tenement Stories|Will Eisner|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328363057s/861023.jpg|250281] and so will be of interest to historians of comics. For the general comic-reading public, I recommend it only if you also have an interest in San Francisco history.
atharvg's review
3.0
3.5 Stars
As a work of fiction, this is just okay. The stories are occasionally humorous, but ultimately most are ridiculous, slap-stick, or some combination of the two.
Where this book's value really lies is in its portrait of the Japanese immigrant experience at the turn of the century in San Francisco. Over the span of a few decades, Kiyama's characters have some connection to nearly every major event that affects California's Japanese community. As a historical record, it is impressive in its attention to detail and just how particular it is to its specific community. As a work of art, it is quite innovative; it draws from both American and Japanese influences and was originally written as a bilingual text.
The characters did win me over by the end, and I found myself shaking my head at their persistent naivete but always rooting for them to succeed. This text is a valuable first-hand account of the early Japanese immigrant experience while also managing to be an entertaining read.
As a work of fiction, this is just okay. The stories are occasionally humorous, but ultimately most are ridiculous, slap-stick, or some combination of the two.
Where this book's value really lies is in its portrait of the Japanese immigrant experience at the turn of the century in San Francisco. Over the span of a few decades, Kiyama's characters have some connection to nearly every major event that affects California's Japanese community. As a historical record, it is impressive in its attention to detail and just how particular it is to its specific community. As a work of art, it is quite innovative; it draws from both American and Japanese influences and was originally written as a bilingual text.
The characters did win me over by the end, and I found myself shaking my head at their persistent naivete but always rooting for them to succeed. This text is a valuable first-hand account of the early Japanese immigrant experience while also managing to be an entertaining read.
pelks's review
5.0
Read this book if you are interested in early 20th century Japanese-American relations, or if you are interested in the history of diary comics. Fascinating and lovingly translated.
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