While ostensibly a commentary on the American military presence in Japan, Tezuka's MW is a somewhat silly thriller. However, it refreshes with its unromantic focus on the sociopathic Yuki Michio. Serving as the primary influence for the notorious Johan in "Monster," Yuki is a deeply troubled yet seemingly emotionless killer and manipulator. He appears to have only one genuine human connection—with Father Garai, a Catholic priest who struggles futilely to resist his forbidden bond with this protagonist/antagonist. The candid portrayals of homosexuality (and sex in general) are invigorating, offering character development without feeling excessive.
What struck me as wonderful about MW was its absence of preachy morality. Characters simply are who they are, free from tiresome monologues. Garai, the closest figure to a "hero" in the manga, deceives himself while seeking solace in a God that seems indifferent. Yuki can appear charming and kind for pages at a time, only to abruptly remind you of his true nature. Is there a deeper purpose behind his crimes? Though not entirely unexpected, his journey remains intriguing.
As an interesting character study, I find the story itself less compelling. The schemes and dramatic events often feel contrived and unrealistic compared to the more meticulously plotted mysteries in "Monster."
The artwork is undeniably delightful, with the stunning hatching on cityscapes being my favorite aspect. Despite its age, the style effectively serves its purpose.
I would recommend this work primarily to those interested in the origins of "Monster." I purchased this manga for that reason and found it thoroughly enjoyable.
MW by Osamu Tezuka
Long-Winded Review #5 [Immoral Edition]
Series Overview:
Tezuka's 1976 manga MW follows the story of Yuki, a sadistic criminal mastermind, and Father Garai, a Japanese Catholic priest. They are the sole survivors of a poison gas leak that wiped out an entire island's population. Their relationship is complex. While hiding during the MW gas incident, a young Garai (not yet ordained) took advantage of Yuki, who appeared gentle and feminine at the time. Afterward, Yuki suffered brain damage from slight exposure to the MW gas, causing him to lose all sense of morality and begin committing heinous crimes. Overcome with guilt over both the MW incident and his actions, Garai became a priest to atone for his sins and attempt to redeem Yuki. As adults, despite Father Garai's resistance, Yuki constantly seduces and exploits him, using his good nature and guilt. Throughout the story, Yuki carries out a series of seemingly unrelated crimes toward a specific goal, while Garai tries to restrain or stop him. This creates a fascinating dynamic as they oscillate between being lovers, adversaries, and collaborators, often simultaneously, while unraveling the MW conspiracy.
Writing:
Tezuka's writing in MW is more accessible than in Ayako, his only other work I've read. Ayako featured a story that developed across many fronts and spanned decades. In contrast, MW has a linear narrative centered on its two main characters. Like Ayako, Tezuka addresses significant historical issues of the time, focusing here on American military bases in Japan and the fear of weapons of mass destruction.
The manga also casually features many homosexual and bisexual characters, with Yuki frequently cross-dressing to commit crimes or seduce people of various genders. Father Garai himself exhibits attraction to both men and women despite his priesthood. This feels progressive even by today's standards. There isn't much commentary on these elements; they're simply present. Similarly, depictions of sex—both heterosexual and homosexual—are handled matter-of-factly. At the time, especially in Japan, sex was a contentious topic in sequential art or otherwise. In comparison, female characters are largely portrayed as victims, killed or exploited (though male characters fare little better). Still, compared to Western comics and media of the '70s, Tezuka remains ahead of his time regarding social issues and writing conventions.
The primary appeal lies in observing the dynamic between Yuki and Garai and witnessing Yuki's schemes unfold cleverly and intriguingly while Garai grapples with his faith and values. While there are clichés and contrivances, the plot generally develops satisfyingly within just 26 chapters, avoiding reliance on heavy text common in works of that era.
Art:
The artwork in MW is excellent, showing a slight but noticeable improvement over Ayako, released about four years earlier. Tezuka's style is straightforward, characterized by clean line work and minimal shading used only when necessary. Occasionally, it can feel cartoonish or even cheesy, typical of the period, but this rarely undermines the story's serious tone. His skill shines particularly in detailed cityscapes and natural landscapes. I was especially impressed by his varied depictions of Yuki, who effortlessly transitions from a suave businessman to a convincing woman in disguise, or from a burly street tough to an effeminate sensual figure. Yuki is a brilliantly designed character whose appearance suits nearly any disguise without altering his body type or facial features—a testament to Tezuka's mastery.
Tezuka's paneling style is dense, typically featuring six to eight panels per page. This enables meticulous pacing, allowing him to show moment-to-moment actions and reactions more extensively than modern manga might. Despite the numerous panels, he uses sparse text, opting instead to convey meaning through characters' expressions, body language, and reactions. His adherence to "show, don't tell" is refreshing, especially compared to Western comics of the time. For these reasons, I consider Tezuka a masterful sequential artist, and his accessible style makes this a smooth read.
A word of caution: if violence, sex, emotional and sexual abuse, torture, manipulation, and other despicable acts disturb you, avoid this book. It's a story about a man embodying pure evil, after all.
Conclusion:
Overall, this was a highly enjoyable manga. Though not flawless—it suffers from some clichés, contrivances, and predictable twists—the plot remains engaging, the pacing excellent, the art impressive, and the main characters outstanding. I highly recommend this if you're interested in '70s manga.
Perhaps the ultimate sequel to The Exorcist, .REC, or any of Stephen King's classics.
Perhaps the ultimate prequel to Death Note.
The hallmark of a true heavyweight manga is its ability to leave the reader breathless before they finish it. For MW to achieve this before hitting its 3rd volume speaks volumes about how exceptional Tezuka truly was.
Don't get me wrong; depending on the movie, book, synopsis, or genre you associate with this work prior to reading the first panel will determine how highly or lowly you consider this manga. However, considering how MW matches up to the aforementioned titles, it's safe to say that even modern-day manga readers will find something shocking once they complete this series.
Shock is the key word here.
I think it's hard to find someone who doesn't know Osamu Tezuka's name, but I was one of those people. Most of my knowledge about Tezuka comes from Paul Gravett's *Manga: 60 Years of Japanese Comics*. The rest came from the more childish Astro Boy strongly associated with him, and even then, it could be said that I've learned more about Astro Boy because of the GBA game *Astro Boy: The Omega Factor*, where I had a first glimpse of Tezuka's ability to portray mature themes through the secret ending, as I never followed any other Astro Boy anime/manga/merchandise.
Whether otakus consider this sacrilege or not, the reality is that Tezuka's art doesn't appeal to me very much, and the fact that he is often highly praised gave me the impression that he was more of a "sweet" Hayao Miyazaki-style mature theme writer rather than the more vicious gekiga artists. (Where I assumed Black Jack was the most mature-themed manga he ever made)
This is why it took spotting an omnibus of MW for me to consider acquiring this manga, and at the time, it was mostly so that I could say to myself that I checked out the "classics." (The fact that I never knew Tezuka wrote a horror manga also helped, and the other fact that I couldn't afford many manga series and this being only 3 volumes cemented my decision)
It is safe to say that from the way I'm writing this review, I've been humbled, but let me better contextualize my humility.
There are always top names in any storytelling genre, but they aren't always cut out the way they are hyped. For every *Citizen Kane* that may be "great" if the modern audience isn't bored by the premise, there will always be certain over-hyped entities that don't "wow" a person either because they don't age well, they're too mainstream, they're just flashy, they're just lengthy... blah blah blah other reasons. Nonetheless, whether you approach them from lack of hype or due to the hype, they're at best "ok to great" but rarely shockingly "...wow," including the aforementioned *Citizen Kane*.
This was how I viewed many of Kubrick's movies, King's books, Miyazaki's animes... I just didn't really feel "impacted" by many of their works even if I tried to come at them with lowered expectations. I'm not saying their works are "bad" - just not something I would rate highly.
MW is an exception to that because, in the context of many of the above series, it managed to exceed my expectations beyond what I consider the genre of thrillers or horrors in general can reach.
The closest analogy to any modern mainstream manga series that I can think of remains *Death Note*. However, what separates this manga from that series (despite its structure being perfectly good enough to serve as a recommendation for *Death Note*) is the lack of... "rule of cool." Obviously, there are still elements of exaggeration here and there, and there's no convenient book-murdering tool, but the prime reason why this feels more down-to-earth is the absence of "invincible bishounens."
Don't get me wrong; there's a hard-to-beat antagonist/protagonist/anti-hero here, but call it preachiness or some other flaw, the layers of the scenes are very society-connected rather than combat or institution competing. Think of it as more *Tintin* than Shonen.
If this were its only qualities, I would assume many would just claim this is textbook Tezuka, but it's really when you consider it from a horror or thriller manga perspective that you may start to appreciate why this book is a 10. (and not a 10 because it's a masterpiece but a 10 because it's outstanding)
Here's another classic I feel is overrated: *The Exorcist*.
Again, don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those people who feel that *The Exorcism of Emily Rose* is way better just because the technology got better and is able to produce scarier effects. Not aging well is but a part of why I consider *The Exorcist* overrated. The main reason, though, was that the height of its "horror" was less due to how the film was made and more due to how people feared "the devil" during those periods when it was first shown.
This is why I feel MW is an ultimate sequel. (Setting aside both the dates they were released since I never check those)
This manga didn't just become a worthy associate of that film—it managed to bring that dread back, even if you're a modern reader who may not believe in Christianity or demonic possession.
...and in many ways, it brought that back while having events that span the length of a King novel.
...and having the premise and staying around the premise of the original .REC (not the poorer sequel)
No shaky cam, though, but lots of dread.
That said, this manga is still a Tezuka manga, and whether you consider that a pro or a con, the bottom line here is that you're not getting several of these:
-the hot-blooded eruption of shonen (or cold-blooded if you're thinking of *Death Note*'s Yagami Light)
-the willow mystery of shojo
-the boyish feel of seinen (despite the tag)
-the depths of mysteries in thrillers
-nor the psychological nor disgusting bits of horror
...yet many of those elements are still packaged into this series, and the combination of it all is what makes it a 10. It would be like enjoying a *Golgo 13* except dealing with demonic possession. (Don't let the premise of a schizophrenic monster fool you—unless you're one of those who fear Hannibal Lecter because you think he mimics a serial killer semi-accurately, especially the Hopkins version—this is as close to a down-to-earth semi-realistic demonic possession portrayal you can get from a horror manga)
P.S. Sci-fi fans (those who are less into spaceships but monsters) will also be pleasantly surprised by this manga. I haven't read any quality sci-fi books or manga that deals with this subject matter, so let's just say this is like the *Outer Limits* TV show (the classic as far as consequences go with mixes of the more modern version as far as the horror goes).
MW is a psychological thriller manga that arguably presents one of the most despicable villains of all time. This manga clearly demonstrates that you don't need excessive blood and gore to craft an excellent suspense story. The most unsettling message conveyed by MW is that the battle against evil is fated to be a Pyrrhic victory. Nevertheless, the sole option we have is to keep fighting, no matter the cost. We simply have no alternative. Let's admit it, Osamu Tezuka was a genius! He successfully encapsulated the truly demented nature of Yuki Michio, a character so malevolent that he makes Johan Liebert seem like an angel in comparison. I would likely recommend this manga to anyone who genuinely enjoys classic horror. There's much more to discuss, but you should experience it for yourself. It's a classic that will not only appeal to thriller enthusiasts but also to anyone who values intricately woven narratives with significant depth. On the other hand, the artwork is one of the drawbacks of this manga. Some characters appear Asian while others look Western. Moreover, the twist ending is rather predictable. <p>
I truly have to commend Tezuka's skill in tackling such a vast array of subjects. Not many would dare to attempt a graphic retelling of the Buddha's life, a Nazi spy thriller, samurai tales, and a queer crime romance. It's clear why he was such a pioneer, not only in his early works like ASTRO BOY but also during his gekiga era.
MW is a bit of a mixed bag. The premise is intriguing. The Catholic clergy provides a rich backdrop for storytelling, and the queer criminal element remains fresh even today. However, it hasn't aged particularly well. The female characters are one-dimensional stereotypes, and Yuki, the aforementioned queer criminal, comes across as a caricature. Thankfully, our protagonist, Garai, is more engaging, with some deep internal conflicts as he grapples with his vows, Yuki, his past, and his sexuality. It might have been a stronger piece if Yuki weren't so cartoonishly evil and the narrative had focused more on Garai's efforts to reform him.
More than MESSAGE TO ADOLF, this story is steeped in the early gekiga style. Tezuka never really adapted his art to better align with the tone of his later stories, so his characters retain the cartoonish look of figures like Dr. Tenma from ASTRO BOY. In MESSAGE TO ADOLF, this approach lent Hitler's depiction a certain vibrancy, but during the grittier scenes, it just doesn't work. MW is similar. There are occasional panels where he attempts something more realistic, like when Garai is haunted by memories of his first encounter with Yuki, but overall, it looks a bit too Disney-esque. Nagai's DEVILMAN does a better job of blending these two art styles. If MW were given a modern update in the style of Urasawa's PLUTO, it could make for an exceptional anime or manga.
In the end, it's a decent read. Tezuka remains a technical genius. His page compositions are excellent, and his storytelling is strong. The issue lies in the villain here being so comically evil that it detracts from the depth of the narrative. As it stands, it's hard to overlook the dissonance between style and subject matter. Not one of the master's standout works.
Popular Reviews
What struck me as wonderful about MW was its absence of preachy morality. Characters simply are who they are, free from tiresome monologues. Garai, the closest figure to a "hero" in the manga, deceives himself while seeking solace in a God that seems indifferent. Yuki can appear charming and kind for pages at a time, only to abruptly remind you of his true nature. Is there a deeper purpose behind his crimes? Though not entirely unexpected, his journey remains intriguing.
As an interesting character study, I find the story itself less compelling. The schemes and dramatic events often feel contrived and unrealistic compared to the more meticulously plotted mysteries in "Monster."
The artwork is undeniably delightful, with the stunning hatching on cityscapes being my favorite aspect. Despite its age, the style effectively serves its purpose.
I would recommend this work primarily to those interested in the origins of "Monster." I purchased this manga for that reason and found it thoroughly enjoyable.
Long-Winded Review #5 [Immoral Edition]
Series Overview:
Tezuka's 1976 manga MW follows the story of Yuki, a sadistic criminal mastermind, and Father Garai, a Japanese Catholic priest. They are the sole survivors of a poison gas leak that wiped out an entire island's population. Their relationship is complex. While hiding during the MW gas incident, a young Garai (not yet ordained) took advantage of Yuki, who appeared gentle and feminine at the time. Afterward, Yuki suffered brain damage from slight exposure to the MW gas, causing him to lose all sense of morality and begin committing heinous crimes. Overcome with guilt over both the MW incident and his actions, Garai became a priest to atone for his sins and attempt to redeem Yuki. As adults, despite Father Garai's resistance, Yuki constantly seduces and exploits him, using his good nature and guilt. Throughout the story, Yuki carries out a series of seemingly unrelated crimes toward a specific goal, while Garai tries to restrain or stop him. This creates a fascinating dynamic as they oscillate between being lovers, adversaries, and collaborators, often simultaneously, while unraveling the MW conspiracy.
Writing:
Tezuka's writing in MW is more accessible than in Ayako, his only other work I've read. Ayako featured a story that developed across many fronts and spanned decades. In contrast, MW has a linear narrative centered on its two main characters. Like Ayako, Tezuka addresses significant historical issues of the time, focusing here on American military bases in Japan and the fear of weapons of mass destruction.
The manga also casually features many homosexual and bisexual characters, with Yuki frequently cross-dressing to commit crimes or seduce people of various genders. Father Garai himself exhibits attraction to both men and women despite his priesthood. This feels progressive even by today's standards. There isn't much commentary on these elements; they're simply present. Similarly, depictions of sex—both heterosexual and homosexual—are handled matter-of-factly. At the time, especially in Japan, sex was a contentious topic in sequential art or otherwise. In comparison, female characters are largely portrayed as victims, killed or exploited (though male characters fare little better). Still, compared to Western comics and media of the '70s, Tezuka remains ahead of his time regarding social issues and writing conventions.
The primary appeal lies in observing the dynamic between Yuki and Garai and witnessing Yuki's schemes unfold cleverly and intriguingly while Garai grapples with his faith and values. While there are clichés and contrivances, the plot generally develops satisfyingly within just 26 chapters, avoiding reliance on heavy text common in works of that era.
Art:
The artwork in MW is excellent, showing a slight but noticeable improvement over Ayako, released about four years earlier. Tezuka's style is straightforward, characterized by clean line work and minimal shading used only when necessary. Occasionally, it can feel cartoonish or even cheesy, typical of the period, but this rarely undermines the story's serious tone. His skill shines particularly in detailed cityscapes and natural landscapes. I was especially impressed by his varied depictions of Yuki, who effortlessly transitions from a suave businessman to a convincing woman in disguise, or from a burly street tough to an effeminate sensual figure. Yuki is a brilliantly designed character whose appearance suits nearly any disguise without altering his body type or facial features—a testament to Tezuka's mastery.
Tezuka's paneling style is dense, typically featuring six to eight panels per page. This enables meticulous pacing, allowing him to show moment-to-moment actions and reactions more extensively than modern manga might. Despite the numerous panels, he uses sparse text, opting instead to convey meaning through characters' expressions, body language, and reactions. His adherence to "show, don't tell" is refreshing, especially compared to Western comics of the time. For these reasons, I consider Tezuka a masterful sequential artist, and his accessible style makes this a smooth read.
A word of caution: if violence, sex, emotional and sexual abuse, torture, manipulation, and other despicable acts disturb you, avoid this book. It's a story about a man embodying pure evil, after all.
Conclusion:
Overall, this was a highly enjoyable manga. Though not flawless—it suffers from some clichés, contrivances, and predictable twists—the plot remains engaging, the pacing excellent, the art impressive, and the main characters outstanding. I highly recommend this if you're interested in '70s manga.
Final score: 9/10
Perhaps the ultimate prequel to Death Note.
The hallmark of a true heavyweight manga is its ability to leave the reader breathless before they finish it. For MW to achieve this before hitting its 3rd volume speaks volumes about how exceptional Tezuka truly was.
Don't get me wrong; depending on the movie, book, synopsis, or genre you associate with this work prior to reading the first panel will determine how highly or lowly you consider this manga. However, considering how MW matches up to the aforementioned titles, it's safe to say that even modern-day manga readers will find something shocking once they complete this series.
Shock is the key word here.
I think it's hard to find someone who doesn't know Osamu Tezuka's name, but I was one of those people. Most of my knowledge about Tezuka comes from Paul Gravett's *Manga: 60 Years of Japanese Comics*. The rest came from the more childish Astro Boy strongly associated with him, and even then, it could be said that I've learned more about Astro Boy because of the GBA game *Astro Boy: The Omega Factor*, where I had a first glimpse of Tezuka's ability to portray mature themes through the secret ending, as I never followed any other Astro Boy anime/manga/merchandise.
Whether otakus consider this sacrilege or not, the reality is that Tezuka's art doesn't appeal to me very much, and the fact that he is often highly praised gave me the impression that he was more of a "sweet" Hayao Miyazaki-style mature theme writer rather than the more vicious gekiga artists. (Where I assumed Black Jack was the most mature-themed manga he ever made)
This is why it took spotting an omnibus of MW for me to consider acquiring this manga, and at the time, it was mostly so that I could say to myself that I checked out the "classics." (The fact that I never knew Tezuka wrote a horror manga also helped, and the other fact that I couldn't afford many manga series and this being only 3 volumes cemented my decision)
It is safe to say that from the way I'm writing this review, I've been humbled, but let me better contextualize my humility.
There are always top names in any storytelling genre, but they aren't always cut out the way they are hyped. For every *Citizen Kane* that may be "great" if the modern audience isn't bored by the premise, there will always be certain over-hyped entities that don't "wow" a person either because they don't age well, they're too mainstream, they're just flashy, they're just lengthy... blah blah blah other reasons. Nonetheless, whether you approach them from lack of hype or due to the hype, they're at best "ok to great" but rarely shockingly "...wow," including the aforementioned *Citizen Kane*.
This was how I viewed many of Kubrick's movies, King's books, Miyazaki's animes... I just didn't really feel "impacted" by many of their works even if I tried to come at them with lowered expectations. I'm not saying their works are "bad" - just not something I would rate highly.
MW is an exception to that because, in the context of many of the above series, it managed to exceed my expectations beyond what I consider the genre of thrillers or horrors in general can reach.
The closest analogy to any modern mainstream manga series that I can think of remains *Death Note*. However, what separates this manga from that series (despite its structure being perfectly good enough to serve as a recommendation for *Death Note*) is the lack of... "rule of cool." Obviously, there are still elements of exaggeration here and there, and there's no convenient book-murdering tool, but the prime reason why this feels more down-to-earth is the absence of "invincible bishounens."
Don't get me wrong; there's a hard-to-beat antagonist/protagonist/anti-hero here, but call it preachiness or some other flaw, the layers of the scenes are very society-connected rather than combat or institution competing. Think of it as more *Tintin* than Shonen.
If this were its only qualities, I would assume many would just claim this is textbook Tezuka, but it's really when you consider it from a horror or thriller manga perspective that you may start to appreciate why this book is a 10. (and not a 10 because it's a masterpiece but a 10 because it's outstanding)
Here's another classic I feel is overrated: *The Exorcist*.
Again, don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those people who feel that *The Exorcism of Emily Rose* is way better just because the technology got better and is able to produce scarier effects. Not aging well is but a part of why I consider *The Exorcist* overrated. The main reason, though, was that the height of its "horror" was less due to how the film was made and more due to how people feared "the devil" during those periods when it was first shown.
This is why I feel MW is an ultimate sequel. (Setting aside both the dates they were released since I never check those)
This manga didn't just become a worthy associate of that film—it managed to bring that dread back, even if you're a modern reader who may not believe in Christianity or demonic possession.
...and in many ways, it brought that back while having events that span the length of a King novel.
...and having the premise and staying around the premise of the original .REC (not the poorer sequel)
No shaky cam, though, but lots of dread.
That said, this manga is still a Tezuka manga, and whether you consider that a pro or a con, the bottom line here is that you're not getting several of these:
-the hot-blooded eruption of shonen (or cold-blooded if you're thinking of *Death Note*'s Yagami Light)
-the willow mystery of shojo
-the boyish feel of seinen (despite the tag)
-the depths of mysteries in thrillers
-nor the psychological nor disgusting bits of horror
...yet many of those elements are still packaged into this series, and the combination of it all is what makes it a 10. It would be like enjoying a *Golgo 13* except dealing with demonic possession. (Don't let the premise of a schizophrenic monster fool you—unless you're one of those who fear Hannibal Lecter because you think he mimics a serial killer semi-accurately, especially the Hopkins version—this is as close to a down-to-earth semi-realistic demonic possession portrayal you can get from a horror manga)
P.S. Sci-fi fans (those who are less into spaceships but monsters) will also be pleasantly surprised by this manga. I haven't read any quality sci-fi books or manga that deals with this subject matter, so let's just say this is like the *Outer Limits* TV show (the classic as far as consequences go with mixes of the more modern version as far as the horror goes).
MW is a bit of a mixed bag. The premise is intriguing. The Catholic clergy provides a rich backdrop for storytelling, and the queer criminal element remains fresh even today. However, it hasn't aged particularly well. The female characters are one-dimensional stereotypes, and Yuki, the aforementioned queer criminal, comes across as a caricature. Thankfully, our protagonist, Garai, is more engaging, with some deep internal conflicts as he grapples with his vows, Yuki, his past, and his sexuality. It might have been a stronger piece if Yuki weren't so cartoonishly evil and the narrative had focused more on Garai's efforts to reform him.
More than MESSAGE TO ADOLF, this story is steeped in the early gekiga style. Tezuka never really adapted his art to better align with the tone of his later stories, so his characters retain the cartoonish look of figures like Dr. Tenma from ASTRO BOY. In MESSAGE TO ADOLF, this approach lent Hitler's depiction a certain vibrancy, but during the grittier scenes, it just doesn't work. MW is similar. There are occasional panels where he attempts something more realistic, like when Garai is haunted by memories of his first encounter with Yuki, but overall, it looks a bit too Disney-esque. Nagai's DEVILMAN does a better job of blending these two art styles. If MW were given a modern update in the style of Urasawa's PLUTO, it could make for an exceptional anime or manga.
In the end, it's a decent read. Tezuka remains a technical genius. His page compositions are excellent, and his storytelling is strong. The issue lies in the villain here being so comically evil that it detracts from the depth of the narrative. As it stands, it's hard to overlook the dissonance between style and subject matter. Not one of the master's standout works.