Content Warning: Death, Child Death, Attempted Suicide, Hospitals, Professor/Student Relationship, Bullying, Neglect, Dementia, Selective Mutism, Mental Illness, Vomiting, Everyday Ableism, Fatphobia, Disordered Eating.
Synopsis
Mothers collects 15 years of independent works by writer and artist Kusahara Umi. These twelve short stories, available in English for the first time, focus on the complex relationships between people. From the emotional difficulty of caring for a relative with dementia, to the way in which one kind word can save a life, the whole span of human experience is contained in these pages.
The Good
This is a collection of the most mature and emotionally resonant stories I have read in a while. The short format allows for a delicious smorgasbord of emotions. Kusahara isn’t afraid to tackle difficult topics; dementia, attempted suicide, and survivor’s guilt are handled with absolute delicacy and sensitivity. They also use a wide range of storytelling techniques, from the metaphorical to the literal, to convey their message.
As an artist, Kusahara is willing to embrace space and let a single image speak for itself. Some of the best scenes feature no dialogue or action, just a person sitting with themselves and really feeling their feelings. It lets the reader sit in their own emotions and reflect on their own stories. I for one was moved to tears by the personal relevance of “Wolf of the Woods” and “Rapunzel Today.”
Each comic demonstrates Kusahara working to perfect a different skill. “My Little Bird” features complex and creative panelling. “Dragonfly Sora” combines a simplified manga style with detailed realism. It makes for a fascinating look into how an artist grows, while ensuring each individual comic has its own visual identity.
Mothers is expertly compiled by the team at Glacier Bay Books. The stories flow together via their emotional beats. They allow breathing space for when you need it to recover from something particularly resonant. Yet stories with similar plots and themes are kept apart, so the reading experience never feels repetitive.
The Bad
Due to the nature of anthologies, the quality of each story does vary. It can be disappointing to go from a story that connects with you on an emotional level to one that feels like something you’ve already read.
The art varies throughout, as should be expected from 15 years worth of work. But in the story “Night of the last train,” I thought the swap between the two parts felt jarring. One is in the usual fully finalised style, whilst the second is in pencil only, looking like a hand-in draft rather than a complete work. The sudden change made me think that the two stories weren’t connected, or that one was a dream sequence or alternate universe. While I eventually figured out that it was just a change in art style, I thought it made the story feel unfinished and rushed.
There were also a couple of stories where the character designs were so similar that I assumed they were connected. The male lead in “Beaujolais Nouvaeu” looks almost identical to the school friend in “A Good Day for Tiramisu.” I was disappointed when I realized these stories were not connected, and I would not see closure to that earlier story.
Whilst some of the stories in here have tight and well woven endings, others lack a definitive conclusion. Some of the characters also feel strangely blank. It’s the nature of a short story to only focus on one element, and I think Kusahara is right to focus on the emotion over plot. But it doesn’t change the fact that it is the feelings that stay with you after each story and not the characters themselves. This is an ongoing issue with the short story format.
The Verdict
Mothers is a beautiful collection of emotionally poignant stories, the sort of book you turn to in times of personal trouble. Kusahara has a talent for capturing the complex web of human relationships and emotions in a short span of pages. While there is some repetition of theme and character design, the way the book has been collated helps negate that.
Kusahara’s artwork style changes throughout the book as they grow as an artist. While the change in style can be jarring, it serves as a fascinating diary documenting a life devoted to the craft.
These kinds of quiet, emotive stories are not for everyone. There’s not a lot of plot or development to be found here. Instead, these stand alone one shots are for contemplating meaning rather than entertainment or education. That’s not a bad thing, and is yet another example of how Glacier Bay Books are dedicated to providing manga that is outside usual market demands. But that doesn’t mean it’s the sort of book everyone will want to read.
This book is the perfect source for emotional catharsis and understanding. But if you’re not looking to sit and examine your interpersonal relationships, especially with your female family members… maybe give this one a miss.
Mothers is available directly from Glacier Bay Books.
If you liked Mothers you may also like…
- Love on the Other Side: A Nagabe Short Story Collection
- A Drunken Dream and other Stories
- Our Torsos Align: Human X Monster Love
Credits
Story and Art: Kusahara Umi
Translation: Jocelyne Allen
Lettering: Tim Sun
Editing: emuh ruh
Book and Cover Design: emuh ruh
Cover Illustration: Kusahara Umi
Publisher: Glacier Bay Books
Thank you to Glacier Bay Books for providing a review copy. Receiving this copy did not affect the reviewer’s opinions as expressed here.
Article edited by: Adam Wescott
The Good
- Entrancing artwork
- Complicated themes
- Emotionally poignant
The Bad
- Quality of stories vary
- Character design can be too similar
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