Recently I finished reading my first manga and I fell in love with it! It's called Blue Giant, and it's written and illustrated by Shinichi Ishizuka. Here is the review I wrote for the Instagram account Graphic Librarians:
Somebody call a doctor, I caught a manga flu! This year I discovered a passion for listening to instrumental jazz music, which speaks straight to my soul, but now I can’t stop reading a jazz-themed manga, "Blue Giant" by Shinichi Ishizuka! It’s the second manga that I've read, and it’s perfect and addicting, just like a massive jazz saxophone solo that restarts all the atoms in your brain and makes you ready to live life to the fullest!
The "Blue Giant" story follows Dai Miyamoto, a high schooler who becomes passionate about jazz and dreams of becoming the world's greatest saxophone player. And what a passion it is! He is totally immersed in his instrument, playing it on the riverbank, and it becomes an integral part of him. The saxophone drives the narrative and produces beautiful melodies that follow Dai’s life, his personal growth, various family dynamics, friendships, and love relationships.
Music connects all these themes into a beautiful composition, and I love reading about the power of music, how it enables Dai to express his emotions, taking step after step in the game of life. Dai is an interesting character, young but determined, hardworking, and grounded. The story made me feel peaceful and inspired, optimistic. Dai reminded me of my own musical life story, and some of his emotions almost feel identical to mine. It feels like he is my lost Japanese twin brother! :D
Yeah, you can see that I love this manga, but I cannot finish this emotional burst without mentioning the artwork! The author deliciously expressed the state of flow that Dai feels while playing the saxophone – the energy, the sweat, the darkness, the tears! He managed to visually represent the music – the body movements, Dai’s facial expressions, and that of the public, it’s remarkable.
This story of passion and perseverance reminded me of the transformative power of music and the importance of following our dreams, so I cannot stop until I read all the volumes of this fantastic manga. What are you waiting for? Go to your local library and immerse yourself in the world of jazz.