(all in one)
614 pages
Tekkon Kinkreet is kind of a mind trip and in the best possible way. I wasn't sure if I was experiencing some sort of fever dream the whole time, or what. But I loved every page.
In Treasure Town, the streets are ruled by two orphaned kids called Kuro (Black) and Shiro (White). They are known as the Cats of Treasure Town. White is stuck in a state of arrested development (it's unclear as to why) while Black has completely given up on childhood. He takes care of them both all while going through an existential crisis, himself. These two are a force to be reckoned with when the Yakuza attempt to take back the city.
What I loved about this manga were the nuanced characters. Black and White weren't the only ones in focus. There's a detective who comes back to town and ends up helping the boys against a common enemy. He has his own chapters. He has his own feelings and becomes a real person rather than just a background character. The other gang members in the town, the main bad guy, the old man that the Cats call "grandpa"... Everyone has a part to play and each part creates this perfect tale of growing up, altruism, and surrealism.
The art work was also insanity. The pages were filled with warped cityscapes and enlarged facial features. The story is a lot of fun but the art really lends itself to the dreamlike visions that White experiences throughout the manga. It's even more noticeable in the anime. The film was done by Michael Arias and Hiroaki Ando of Studio 4°C in 2007. The animation is just FANTASTIC. It brings the book to life in such a powerful way. But where it succeeded in animation style, it kind of lacked in themes and storytelling. I know, I know. "The book is ALWAYS better than the movie". But this kind of disappointed me because I had heard so many great things about the film.
Either way, if you're looking to read a wacky tripfest of a book and getting your emotions all turned up, read Tekkon Kinkreet!
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