Okay, everyone, I'm feeling much better and am close to 100%. I'll be back to something resembling a regular schedule, as work permits. Right now, I'd like to continue with our series on Hayao Miyazaki's comics (manga) with this landmark series fromn 1969-70, People of the Desert (Sabaku no Tami). This is, in fact, Miyazaki's first manga to appear in print.
During this time, Miyazaki is working at Toei Doga as one of their top animators and idea men. Led by Isao Takahata, the animators had finally finished the long and grueling production of Horus, Prince of the Sun, the landmark anime that was very much a statement film by the Toei union. The serious and adult themes would continue to inspire the young Miyazaki on his first original manga serial in 1969, Sabaku no Tami.
You can see the evolution of the Miyazaki style to comics during this series. The early episodes are in traditional Japanese comics tradition, with a few pictures illustrating a lot of text. Over time, the panels would increase, and the pictures would crowd out the words, and eventually, we find ourselves with the frenetic, densely packed pages that uniquely define Miyazaki as a comics artist in Japan. Most manga, after all, is defined by a very sparse, zen design, with a few wide, open panels on each page. Miyazaki does the exact opposite; he packs in as much as he possibly can into every page. No doubt this made him a bit of a pariah for a very long time, and apart from Nausicaa, his comics continue to be seen as "lesser works" compared to his movies at Studio Ghibli. But I believe these printed works are as vital to the artist's vision as his animated films, and they need to be rediscovered as such.
Thanks to the many dedicated fan-translators out there, we are discovering more and more of Hayao Miyazaki's comics, and this in turn expands our understanding of the man and his work. This series in particular, People of the Desert, forges a vital link between his early years (Horus), and his later masterpieces (Conan, Nausicaa). This gives us a chance to look in on the mind of Miyazaki when he was young (he was 28 years old when this comic began), and learn how his style grew and evolved over time.
Without further ado, here's Hayao Miyazkaki's 1969-70 manga, People of the Desert (Sabaku no Tami), in 26 Chapters:
3 comments:
This was very interesting to read. I could easily see the elements later used in Nausicaä and Future Boy Conan.
Aside from the obvious name of Pejitei and Tem seemingly being early version of Asbel, I'd say that Tem was more like early Nausicaä, atleast because of his fathers death and going on a journey to help the people of the land. His way of grieving for the dead also reminded me of Nausicaä. Kughil also seemed to be prototype of Yupa, especially when both died in the end for the greater good of people.
Whole Soqutian/Kittarls set up felt a bit like Dorok/Torumekian set up in Nausicaä too.
However the elements later used in Future Boy Conan felt even more interesting. The girl, Sasan, was like an early version of Lana, not only because of the similar outlook, but also because of her search for his brother in Pejitei, as that reminded me of Lana searching her grandfather in Industria.
Pejitei seemed to resemble Industria in other ways too.
When Tem left Pejitei traveling through the desert in search for the help for people in Pejitei/Industria reminded me of Conan going over similar desert to reach High Harbor (Though Conan left with Lana, when Sasan was left in the Pejitei). Pejitei and Kucchin also felt like Industria and High Harbor.
There was some things in Tem too that was later used in Conan. Conan's grandfather died in the beginning of the series, Just like Tem's and Nausicaäs father (in the movie). The way Tem treated Sasan and carried her when Sasan was dead, seemed to be exactly what Conan tend to do in multiple occasions (though Lana didn't die). Tem also said he wanted to live his life along happily with Sasan, which was something Conan and Lana managed to do.
Phew, that took a while, don't know why i wrote all that. I feel like huge Miyazaki geek now.
This has Hayao Miyazaki Written all over it. These are pages i never thought could exist in the 21st century. This reminds me of Princess mononoke at least the protagonist does ^^
Thank you for sharing.
That was an a pretty decent read.
I enjoyed every bit. It has Future boy Conan written all over it. Still, there's nothing like some good old fashion story telling. Something that most of today's managa/anime fail to do.
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