The first English translation of Mizuki's best-loved work
NonNonBa is the definitive work by acclaimed Gekiga-ka Shigeru
Mizuki, a poetic memoir detailing his interest in yokai (spirit
monsters). Mizuki's childhood experiences with yokai influenced the
course of his life and oeuvre; he is now known as the forefather of
yokai manga. His spring 2011 book, Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths,
was featured on PRI's The World, where Marco Werman scored a coveted
interview with one of the most famous visual artists working in Japan
today.
Within the pages of NonNonBa, Mizuki explores the legacy left him by
his childhood explorations of the spirit world, explorations encouraged
by his grandmother, a grumpy old woman named NonNonBa. NonNonBa is a
touching work about childhood and growing up, as well as a fascinating
portrayal of Japan in a moment of transition. NonNonBa was the first
manga to win the Angoulême Prize for Best Album. Much like its namesake,
NonNonBa is at once funny and nostalgic, grounded in a sociohistorical
context and floating in the world of the supernatural.
Translated from the Japanese by Jocelyne Allen.