Disability is a condition that oppresses more on a social than physical level: the difficulties related to the disease are to be found above all in comparison with others, who very often do not understand the imposing burden that one carries around. Willpower alone seems to be the means by which not only to face difficulties, but above all to demonstrate to others that you are strong and capable of leading a life without regrets. Joseé, the Tiger and the Pisces it is a story of dreams and courage. The manga, brought to Italy by J-POP, is based on the anime film of the same name (here you can find our review) which has aroused many appreciations: drawn by Nao Emoto, is based on the novel by Seiko Tanabe, common basis for both transpositions.
- Original title: Josee to Tora to Sakana-tachi
- English title: Joseé, the Tiger and the Pisces
- Japanese release: 2020
- Italian release: September 22, 2021
- Number of volumes: 2 (complete)
- Publishing house: J-POP Manga
- Type: slice of life, sentimental, dramatic
- Drawings: Nao Emoto
- History: Seiko Tanabe
- Format: 12.5 x 18
- Number of pages: 212 pages
We reviewed Joseé, the Tiger and the Fishes through a press volume provided to us by J-POP Manga.
The story focuses on Kimiko, a young girl in her twenties confined to a wheelchair from birth due to a particular form of motor disability, with an unfriendly and introverted attitude. Passionate about the French writer Sagan, she calls herself Joseé, name of the protagonist of one of his novels. She lives alone with her grandmother, who rarely takes her out for a walk for fear that someone might mock or harm her. His life takes a different turn when he meets Tsuneo, a young university student with a passion for diving who dreams of going to study in Mexico. The two begin to develop a first working relationship, as Tsuneo becomes Joseé’s caregiver, and later a friendship. The girl, accustomed to the restricted environment of her home, begins to know the world, experiencing things she could never have known without Tsuneo and learning that not all those who live outside her bubble are “beastsFerocious.
The hope behind the black clouds of life
The story of Joseé, the Tiger and the Pisces it’s a hymn to hope, the desire to break down every stereotype towards disability and the strength that resides in each of us, regardless of our potential and abilities. The narrative wants to be as linear as possible, to reveal the intrinsic metaphor of the story and make it as clear as possible.
Through some graphic and narrative hints we are immediately shown how the figure of the disabled person is in some way frowned upon in a country like Japan: despite the fact that we are trying to break down architectural barriers and build buildings and vehicles capable of facilitating entry and movement of people with disabilities, prejudices are still many. Dictated above all by fear and carelessness, the disabled person is seen as another subject and therefore ignored most of the time, in some cases even discriminated against.
It must be said that the history of Joseé, the Tiger and the Pisces it may seem trivial on the line of the many anime and manga adaptations focusing on illness, disability and the accompanying drama, configuring them as one-way narratives full of clichés. From this point of view, however, it must be said that this manga reverses the focus point from a certain topical moment of the narration by imposing a different vision both of the protagonists, but above all of what they think about disability and the possibilities that can be had in the life.
Joseé she is apparently a fragile, delicate and taciturn girl, who loves Sagan’s books and loves drawing. Except that Kimiko – this is her real name – is a disabled girl, confined to a wheelchair from birth, who does not seem to have much hope for the future, spending her entire days locked in the house. Everything changes with the meeting / clash with Tsuneo, a young university student with a passion for the sea and fish: thanks to his patience and the feeling that slowly matures, the two will enrich each other and discover that the world is not only inhabited. from “ravenous tigers”.
Buy Joseé, the Tiger and the Pisces following this link at the special price of € 13.11 (instead of € 13.80). Support Akiba Gamers by purchasing on Amazon through this box!
The linearity of the story may perhaps make it seem Joseé, the Tiger and the Pisces obvious and boring traits, but fundamentally it is a slice of life with a dramatic background, so it is important to note that there are topical moments that make the whole story emblematic and emphatic. We must therefore not judge the whole story as a single package, but grasp those implicit metaphors contained in the dialogues and in a few pregnant cartoons.
Such a gimmick is also capable of convey the way in which we very often behave in the face of disability, projecting what could be seen as a mirror of an everyday reality that all societies have in common. In front of a person in difficulty, do we use standardized behaviors dictated by true love or do we let ourselves be carried away by sterile pity?
The relationship that develops slowly between the two protagonists is conventionally framed towards the final resolution, so from this point of view this could be seen as a recurring cliché in other stories not too distant from this one. The best part is in fact found in the awareness assumed by the main characters towards life through the experience they make of different moods. It is only through the awareness of fragility that one can fully understand the other and mature.
A dazzling aesthetic universe
On an aesthetic level, the manga of Joseé, the Tiger and the Pisces it’s a small masterpiece. Very soft stretch, which makes each board extremely fluid and sinuous, almost palpable. Joseé’s hair conveys the idea of softness, the underwater landscapes are made with an obsessive attention to detail and making every little element graphically tangible, including air bubbles.
The composition of the tables is structured so as not to leave too much space for the dialogue balloons, allowing you to have an almost exclusive vision of the beautiful drawings that fill entire pages in many cases. In this way, not only can you appreciate the dazzling landscapes seen by Joseé and that with their breadth can represent the wonder with which the protagonist sees the world for the first time, but also the expressions of the protagonists themselves, ranging from joy to sadness. without compromise.
The splash pages are certainly the most graphically beautiful ones and those that make the ultimate sense of the narrative more, which wants to be an open window compared to what a disabled person can see in his physical limitation. It is only thanks to the meeting with Tsuneo that Joseé’s world gradually expands to expand exponentially and therefore also graphically.
The second part graphically seems to trace the point of view of Tsuneo, afflicted by his medical condition and who therefore presents himself as a fragmentation of the tables, representing his apathy, disconnection with reality and confusion about what appeared to be a certain and unambiguous future. This condition, however, is an expedient to bring him even closer to Joseé, who realizes the suffering and limitation due to his temporary disability.
Some narrative pretexts seem to be, after all, taken for granted, banal and perhaps slightly forced, but they all converge towards that idea of transcendence proper to history. The secondary characters are also very stereotyped, representing more forgettable specks than real figures, useful only in some cases to help the protagonists in some steps to continue the story.
The edition of J-POP consists of two volumes, enclosed in a prestigious box, but which can also be purchased separately. The two tankobons have the same care that the publishing house reserves for its standard editions, with pages of a fairly thick weight capable of being resistant and at the same time not letting the ink of the underlying plates shine through. The dust jacket then hides the cover of the volume that presents the sketches of the illustrations of the cover, but with a pen stroke on porous paper that give it the effect of hand drawing, and not of printing.
To whom do we recommend Joseé, the Tiger and the Pisces?
Those who have seen the anime film will also appreciate the manga transposition, which, for better or worse, faithfully traces the whole story seen on the big screen. A great way to relive the same emotions, and to be able to see the protagonists on paper, beautifully designed by Nao Emoto. Those who have not seen the anime can discover this story through the manga, a pleasant read for those who love dramatic and sentimental stories that tear a few tears even from the toughest.
- Delicate story at times dramatic
- Detailed and very expressive designs
- Moments of simple but incisive pathos
- Clichés recurring in stories of this type
- Stereotyped secondary characters
- Narrative perhaps at times too linear
Joseé the Tiger and the Pisces
If you don’t give up, dreams come true
Joseé, the Tiger and the Pisces is an emotional light story, which shows in a delicate and tearful way the question of disability and the way it is perceived on a social level. It is also a story of willpower, courage and dreams, which focuses on the possibility we give ourselves to be able to find the strength to achieve what we consider important in life. The drawings of this manga (which we remember being the paper transposition of the anime film of the same name based on the novel by Seiko Tanabe) are very delicate, almost ethereal, showing particular attention to every detail capable of transposing the sensations and settings of the film onto paper. . A very suggestive story, at times perhaps light and obvious, but which intends to convey a metaphor of life: despite one’s limitations, every obstacle can be circumvented with willpower.