News of Transformations

Title: News of Transformations
Author: Natsujikei Miyazaki
First Published: December 22, 2011
Publisher: Kodansha
Pages: 223
Genre: Drama, Seinen
Format: Web
Source: Web
Rating:


Synopsis:

A collection of short stories which feature the mystery of human beings with a seemingly surreal yet pure literature-like style.

Get the Book: Amazon

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Review

News of Transformations is a bizarre collection of surreal stories that plays with genre. Each story explores some shockingly dark topics with a satirical edge and a little bit of whimsy.

Each story is good though there are a few standouts, most notably Akahoshi-kun, which I just found so funny and it’s stuck with me the longest. Others like Dan-kun’s Concerns and Adult Bomb – Summer’s Day were also excellent for their social commentary.

While a little offbeat, News of Transformations is a hidden gem and it was fun re-reading it after a few years. It’s a refreshing collection for those that enjoy weird stories with a little magical realism.

Individual Story Notes:

♥ Akahoshi-kun: A sweet short about puberty and the less comfortable and at times crude aspects of it. Even though it wasn’t my favorite story the first time I read it a few years ago, it’s the one story that has stuck with me thanks to the unexpectedly funny ending.

♥ Water Horizon JPG: This was a surprisingly harsh story that explores themes of grief, mental health, and familial duty. Despite the whimsical art and happy-go-lucky nature of of one of the characters, the implications are sad. I thought the themes are accurately conveyed in a short amount of pages, the ending felt too joyous and there wasn’t enough characterization for me to become invested.

♥ Lunch Break: A young man on the verge contemplates his life. It’s a bit silly, but I appreciated that it dared to explore themes of suicide and all the little things that make up a life.

♥ Dan-kun’s Concerns: Another story that explores themes of suicide, but far better than the previous one. The main character is in an abusive relationship and the idea of abusive partners haunting survivors long after the relationship has ended is a horrifying reality.

♥ Gun: The story was shockingly grim and contained perhaps the most severe child abuse out of all the stories.

♥ The Daughter’s Plan: A terminally ill girl reckons with her condition, her desire for normalcy, and her father’s intense anxiety about her impending death. This one was really sad and a solid exploration of the mental burden of caring for a sick family member.

♥ Adult Bomb – Summer’s Day: I think this may be an early manga example of a red pill incel. This manga was published not long after the term red pill was adopted by the manosphere. This short features a hate filled young man that turns his frustration with women outward. The ending was surprisingly delightful despite the subject matter and I appreciated the “we are our own worst enemies” messaging.

♥ The Car That Flew: A quirky and horrifying story about a man that believes he saw the loch ness monster and the woman he loves. Sometimes the paranoid ones are not as crazy as we think.

♥ Kamimura’s Exhilirating Abnormality: A cute and silly story to cap off the ending, and it was far more light hearted compared to the other stories.

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