The Bottom Line
Over his 40-plus year career as a manga-ka, Osamu Tezuka constantly challenged himself take chances with his storytelling. While he is known for his manga series for kids like Astro Boy, Tezuka occasionally ventured into darker territory with stories for grown-ups like MW, a.k.a. Muu.
MW is a suspenseful story that mixes sex, politics, military cover-ups, genocide and murder in a heady, sometimes bizarre mix. It's dense with historical and political details, but Vertical serves it up in one hefty volume so readers can strap in and enjoy this creepy, yet compelling ride.
Pros
- Gripping, multi-layered story that mixes sex, politics and suspense in a heady concoction
- Beautiful line work and innovative panel designs show Tezuka's mastery of his craft
- Tezuka keeps the tone serious and suspenseful while resisting the urge to insert his usual in-jokes
- Michio Yuki is a satisfying, unpredictable villain who is both seductive and creepy
- Gorgeous hardcover presentation serves up the entire epic in one volume
Cons
- As story from the '70s, the politics, fashions, attitudes and art style can seem dated
- Densely-written scenes of backroom political maneuvering drag down the story's pace
- Numerous scenes of horrifying violence and graphic sex make this strictly adult fare
- Astro Boy's teacher Mr. Mustachio makes a bizarre cameo appearance
- The women of MW are mostly one-dimensional cannon-fodder for Michio's murder spree
Description
- Original Title: Muu (Japan)
- Author & Artist: Osamu Tezuka
- Publishers:
- Vertical Inc. (US)
- Shogakukan (Japan)
- ISBN: 978-1932234831
- Cover Price: $24.95 US / $32.00 CANADA
- Age Rating:
OT – Older Teens, Age 16+
for violence, mature themes and sexual content
More about content ratings. - Manga Genres:
- Seinen (Men's) Manga
- Adult Manga / Erotica
- Drama
- Gay / Lesbian
- Historical
- Mystery / Suspense
- US Publication Date: October 2007
Japan Publication Date: 1976 - 1978 - Book Description: 584 pages, black and white illustrations
- More Manga by Osamu Tezuka:
Guide Review - MW
Osamu Tezuka is best known for his fun, uplifting stories for kids, but he also delved into his darker side with tales for grown-ups. One such story is MW, a suspenseful series about an amoral, gender-bending killer, his Catholic priest lover/accomplice/enemy, and the cover-up of a deadly poison gas leak.
Originally serialized from 1976 to 1978, MW is definitely a product of its times, as it captures Japan's unease with America's military presence, the political unrest of the '60s, the sexual revolution of the '70s and the horrors of chemical weapons as used in the Vietnam War. Readers should be prepared for some dense reading as Tezuka crams in a lot of politics and history into this story. They should also be prepared for graphic sex (straight, gay and otherwise) and some grisly death scenes. This dark drama goes far astray from Astro Boy land.
Thankfully, Vertical published the series complete in one volume, so readers can experience MW's twisted twists in one uninterrupted ride. The story drags at times as Tezuka delves into politics, but picks up speed in the last chapters as Michio gets closer to fulfilling his plans for global genocide.
MW is a creepy, but compelling story. Michio is a seductive villain who captures both men and women in his web of depravity and deceit. Most disturbingly, Michio (and by extension, Tezuka) treats his female characters as co-dependent cannon fodder who are murdered and disposed of in horrifying ways.
The serious tone and subject matter of MW kept Tezuka from inserting his slapstick in-jokes, but he couldn't resist casting Astro Boy's Mr. Mustachio, who looks very out of place here as he meets a bloody fate.
While it's too dark and too bizarre to be my favorite Tezuka story, MW shows the hand of a creator who could deliver innovative panel compositions, masterful linework and rich, complex storytelling.
