In today’s world, almost all of us are spurred on by competitiveness and the need to realize ourselves quickly, however causing us not a little mental fatigue, especially if we get in the way of social or unforeseen problems that risk ruining our plans and causing us strong stress: it is from this idea that the story of Amoebaeseries of 4 volumes, written and illustrated by Motor Maseauthor primarily known for Ikigami And Democracyand who decides here to use horror elements to criticize some aspects of modern society, to which we are all accustomed.
- Original title: 粘菌人間ヒトモジ (Nenkin Ningen Hitomoji)
- Italian title: Amoebae
- Japanese release: 2017-2021
- Italian release: March 30, 2023
- Number of volumes: 4 (complete)
- Publishing house: Sandwiches Comics
- Type: Drama, Horror
- Drawings: Motor Mase
- History: Motor Mase
- Format: 13 x 18cm
- Number of pages: 250 (by volume)
We reviewed Amoebe through the press volume provided to us free of charge by Panini Comics.
“The body melts, but the heart doesn’t”
A mysterious disease strikes the inhabitants of Japan: if you accumulate too much stress, you risk becoming human amoebas, with the body melting away and only the head and heart remaining intact. When one is in this state, only two solutions remain: if the subject calms down he will become human again, if instead he accumulates even more stress, he will end up transforming himself into a fruitful body which will cause his death and cause spores to be dispersed, infecting people in the vicinity.
To combat this new disease, teams of psychologists and doctors are created to deal with human amoebas in various cities in Japan: we will follow the events of Tamaru, Miwa and Iwai, coordinators for human amoebaswho will have to trace the main source of stress that caused people to transform into amoebas, in a fight against time to calm them down and avoid the subjects’ death.
The narrative is structured to tell the individual stories of various characters who turn into amoebas and the consequent intervention of Tamaru and colleagues, to help patients and reset their stress values. Precisely through these stories, the author manages to analyze and deepen current social issues: a divorced father who fears the distance with his daughter, a victim of bullying and members of religious sects, are just some of the cases that are treated, all involving people from different family conditions and social backgrounds, allowing for a pleasant variation in thematicsdespite the limited time of only 4 volumes.
You can feel close even at working conditions of Tamaru and her colleagues, forced to adapt to the few measures offered by the government and intent on studying the nature of this strange disease, of which they share only a little more knowledge than the reader. Furthermore, the stories of the various characters are actually connected to each other more than it seems, developing within the main plot that wants to shed light on the mystery of the amoebas, and which will give definitive answers on the ending.
“It is the heart that decides our life”
Motoro Mase takes its cue from really existing organismsi Physarum polycephaluma unicellular slime studied for its unusual intelligence compared to other organisms and capable of making changes based on environmental conditions.
Just like the organism in nature, human amoebas will also undergo mutationscreating even more questions for both the reader and the protagonists, who will have to cope with these new behaviors. Intriguing is the way the author describes how human amoebas work: from the evolution of the host’s body, the life cycle of the amoeba, or how the relationship between the human and the amoeboid part works, these and other small details are addressed and reported in a scientific and meticulous way, making us perceive this disease as if it were perfectly plausible and realistic.
The disease of human amoebasdespite leading to mutations of a classic body-horror, indeed has a clear social sub-text: the main evil, as well as the triggering cause of transformation, is always found in the stress deriving from individual dramas, and it is mainly the people around them who influence the mental health of the victims. Usually it is never a single problem that causes this phenomenon, but the constant accumulation of numerous concerns of various kinds, to which even the addition of a small unexpected event may be enough to trigger the transformation; to make this condition worse, there is the fact that the victims are not always able to express their thoughts to their loved ones, and if they do they do not receive the hoped-for help, leaving them to themselves.
The one represented in Amoebas is a disease of the world, in which the whole community plays a fundamental role in determining the survival or otherwise of the individual. In fact, in many of the cases dealt with, it will be precisely mutual aid and the strengthening of human relationships that will play a very important role, thus emphasizing the value of society as a whole and of what the individual alone is fragile and fallible, destined to collapse if there is no one to help it.
Speaking of the technical side, the Italian edition of the manga was well edited by Panini Comics, with a very good paper quality for a higher than average price: the pages have no transparency of any kind or smudges, with an excellent layout that does not cut any table. The author’s style presents realistic designs, both for the characters and for the environments, making the reader identify with what is the reality of the metropolis, but without sacrificing more elaborate and impactful scenes and close-ups. You can buy Amoebae both in single volumes and in slipcases; the quality-price ratio is quite valid given the care of the printing, also considering that these are slightly larger than average volumes.
The complete box set Amoebaethe new comic series by Motor Masethe author of Ikigami And Democracy.
Between biotechnological horror and social criticism, we are told of a strange mutation: in Japan some people subjected to severe stress turn into human amoebas.
For what reason? But above all, can anything be done to heal them?
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Who do we recommend Amoebas to?
Surely, Amoebae it is a more than good work if you are looking for a socially engaged manga, but which does not go on an excessively long seriality, allowing you to enjoy a great read in a day or two. The manga focuses on the more psychological aspect, therefore don’t expect to find particularly gory scenes, although the premise of the mutation may suggest that we are faced with a more explicit horror in this sense. You can also take the opportunity to approach Motoro Mase in a more complete way as an author, and therefore deepen his storytelling style with also the readings of the aforementioned Democracy And Ikigamihighly appreciated by many readers.
- Interesting characterization of the analyzed characters
- Short but memorable read
- Very effective and current social criticism
- A bit too hasty ending
Amoebae
How stress can make an individual break down
In its 4 volumes alone, Amoebae manages to analyze various aspects of Japanese society with a critical eye, through very different characters and dynamics, each gripped by common problems, whether work or family, and with easily understandable situations. The characters have a characterization that is well developed in the chapters dedicated to them, also managing to add information and mysteries related to the phenomenon of amoebas in general, guaranteeing the reader a great desire to continue reading thanks to the continuous revelations, well distributed throughout the history. It is a work, as they say in these cases, short but intense, peppered with interesting food for thought and social criticisms that have the intention of questioning the rules and our rhythms of life, which we often automatically follow even at the cost of losing our identity.
#Amoebas #Review