Great art, as expected, and I laughed at satirizing Donald Trump as a female politician, but I just couldn't keep up with all the wacky characters and bizarre motivations and down-on-their-luck sad sacks. Too convoluted to keep my interest.

1 star. I didn't care for this at all. This is one of the worst manga plots I've ever read and I can't believe I read the whole thing. Review to come.

Due to being a high school teacher I am behind on writing reviews. Here is my initial thoughts.

A dedicated story by Urusawa that shows mystery and intrigue in a unique format for manga. Perhaps a better add to a library collection than the short story collections recently published.

My review for Booklist is here: https://www.booklistonline.com/Mujirushi-The-Sign-of-Dreams-Naoki-Urasawa/pid=9734898

The review was also cross-posted to Smithsonian BookDragon: http://smithsonianapa.org/bookdragon/mujirushi-the-sign-of-dreams-by-naoki-urasawa-translated-by-john-werry-in-booklist/

This was a good, political story. Beware that there are obvious illusions to Trump, so it may not fly in all library collections.

An absolutely beautiful reading experience as you will have come to expect from Urasawa at this point. Do not wait on this one, it will sell very easily to fans and can be given as some "high-brow" suggestions for people new to manga.

There is so much going on here that I can't begin to try and recap it, and I don't really like doing that anyway- I was never good at book reports. I'll just say a down-on-his-luck man and his daughter get sucked into a whirlwind of a story, filled with mystery, intrigue, and a whole lot of intricately plotted, seemingly loose ends that somehow get tied together by the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this story- what a wild ride! I heartily recommend this book!

#Mujirushi #NetGalley

I did not get a chance to read it before it got archived, but any Urasawa book is bound to be good. Definitely recommend it!

I always love a takedown of Trump and making his image a woman in this manga was divine. The story was odd, but in a way I thoroughly enjoyed. I will absolutely be passing this on to my coworker in charge of adult graphic novel collection development.

This was a strange mix of farce / seriousness, France / Japan, crime / love, absurdity / sentiment. And while I have no idea what it was about (the fact that nothing is as it seems and there is light and darkness and surprise in everything?), I really enjoyed the art and the well written characterizations. Even the stock and comedy characters had depth. I'll be reading more by Urasawa for sure, even if I'm puzzled during and after.

This was the first graphic novel that I have read. I have to say that I was confused and disappointed.

First of all, since this was a Japanese book, I had to read it on my iPad in reverse. It took a while to get used to reading the frames from left to right and to scroll the pages from left to right. When I would put the book down and pick it back up. It would never be in the right place and I'd have to scroll both ways to get to the right page and scroll in the proper direction. This is NOT a good book if using the kindle app.

Secondly, although the adorable girl on the cover plays a part in this story, she is by far the main focus of the book. I was hoping to read a story in which she played the main part. Instead this is a book which is predominated by an art thief who uses this child and her father in an attempt to steal a painting from the Louvre in Paris.

Thirdly, I have to say that I was immediately put off by the artistry of the portrayal of the president of the United States. This president is a villain and has covert dealings with "bad guys" The artist has portrayed Beverly Duncan, the president, in such a way that one can't help but think of Donald Trump on the first viewing. I hated the idea of American politics being brought into this book which should be for entertainment, not subtile indoctrination.

No, I would not recommend this story to anyone primarily due to the political nature of the drawings.

I may give another graphic novel a chance later, but this left a bad taste in my mouth for them.

'Mujirushi: The Sign of Dreams' by Naoki Urasawa is a manga about a little girl with a father who only seems to make bad decisions.

Kamoda is so eager to make money that he makes poor decisions. One decision costs him his wife. Another fill his warehouse full of rubber masks of the current US president. His daughter, Kasumi, wants things to be normal, but she and her dad get involved with an odd art enthusiast who has a plan to get them out of debt. Unfortunately, that plan involves a trip to France and a daring art theft.

This story has a lot going on, and I really didn't know where it was going, but it all came together nicely at the end. The odd character running the French Research Institute is a throwback to a manga character named Iyami. His character is hilariously over the top, though, so it's fitting. I did like the art and the story, though, so I'm glad I read this.

I received a review copy of this manga from VIZ Media and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.

I so wanted to love this book. The art was great, but the story fell flat. I feel like this could easily have been made into a series, and it would have been soooo good. I was actually way into this story - it was weird and kinda creepy, in a good way. But it was all so succinct and short-lived - this title needed at least another 4 volumes to do the story justice (and maybe not be concise to the point of being confusing).

Kasumi's father, Kamoda is always looking for easy money. He is incredibly gullible and his schemes never work the way he hopes. After another failed attempt that leaves him with debt owed to the government and no business left to run, his wife leaves him and his daughter. Just when Kamoda is ready to give up, he receives a sign that leads him to The Director. Kasumi does not trust The Director but despite her warnings, her dad buys into the scheme which leads the two to Paris, France. In an attempt to pull off an impossible heist, Kasumi and Kamoda enlist the help of two kind strangers.

The beginning of the story was hard to follow with so much going on. However, it quickly became clear what was happening and that Kamoda was truly as gullible as he seemed. His relationship with Kasumi was comical and sad. Their interaction with other characters was comical and they both presented opposite perspectives. There is a lot of mystery woven into the plot which keeps readers entertained and interested. The Beverly Duncan character was a light-hearted satirical quip at Donald Trump and his continued schemes. Experiencing France and the Louvre through the perspective of two characters who can't speak the language was entertaining. The art was reflective of the moods and emotions, transitioning from color to black and white. I would eagerly recommend this to readers interested in humor and adventure.

I'm always here for a heist, so this intrigued me immediately. That being said, this was unexpected in a lot of ways. Based on the subject and the art style, I thought it might be a little bleak, but it's actually a really hopeful and tender exploration of dreams deferred and the lengths people will go to for family or even the memory of family. The characters are really well sketched both literally and figuratively, having totally understandable motivations even as they're thrust into this bizarre situation. I also found the subplot with the US presidential candidate pretty hilarious, and loved how it all tied together in the end. I'm really excited to check out more work by Naoki Urasawa.

Recommended for anyone who wants a hard luck story with a twist and a little magical realism.

I can't say as I'm especially fond of this one. It's an interesting idea, I suppose but I don't know that I fully grasped everything that was going on, all of the context and its meaning. I certainly understood the ideas of desperation and manipulation. But I never fully grasped all of the elements. I kept expecting to get more information about the director, but that never happened. He remains a mystery. I can see what the plot is aiming for and how on the whole it actually works. I might have liked it better as an anime, so we'd get more facial expression and body posture changes for context.

I received the ARC copy of the book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say upfront that the reading experience for me was odd, as the format of the PDF wasn't right. It wouldn't work properly in any of my devices, (phone, tablet, laptop) it wouldn't download with kindle, so I used Digital editions as I normally would with any graphic novel or manga, it still didn't work properly, every time I try to change the page it would go to a random place in the book, or it wouldn't swipe at all, so I had to "manually" go to the main menu and click "go to page __" so it took me a while to get really into the book and also to finish it.

*Please read the blurb before hand as I'm only giving my opinions here.

Besides that, I enjoy the book. Good whole rounded characters, and a very interesting plot line with twists and turns and quite a bit of political satire directly taken from the USA 2016 elections, which makes this book very entertaining and fast paced.
I really love when a set of characters with not obvious connection, somehow get intertwine with each other creating a story that is well written implacably sketched (sometimes coloured) and masterly knit together bringing everything into place right in the last pages.

I'd recommend this book to anybody who is just starting reading manga as it's a short story, usually manga takes many volumes, this one is only 2 or just one according to the edition you are interested in. It's also good as a "palate cleanser" as a book to read in between books.
If you really are into manga I think you might find this one a little underwhelming. But it's not bad, just a very short ride.

Those who follow the work of Naoki Urasawa will know that in the past his series have involved crossing paths with the work of other artists. For example, his series Pluto is based on Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy. This single-volume work also sees him working with another well known creation.

Mujirushi follows Takashi Kamoda, the owner of a factory that makes resin goods, who is struggling to make money. He thus avoids paying his taxes, and asks his wife what he should do with the money they save. She says they should take a cruise. However, Kamoda is caught and is subsequently punished for non-payment. His wife meanwhile wins a luxury cruise from a street lottery and goes away on her own, leaving Kamoda to look after their daughter Kasumi alone.

Read the full review at Anime UK News: https://animeuknews.net/2020/07/mujirushi-the-sign-of-dreams-review/

Mujirushi offers a completely different angle to the struggles of life. Well, at least the first part. Those that follow are completely out of this world, but entertaining to read. We don’t really take joy in the misfortunes of others, but there are those like Kamoda’s that make us sympathize while being intrigued. We have no idea what is going on in his mind, but he definitely has some weird ideas. Most of which, we don’t approve, but we do find entertaining. All in all, Mujirushi is a great and interesting read.

Few mangaka are as acclaimed as Naoki Urasawa. He masterfully crafts stories filled with mystery and suspense that captivate readers at every turn. As you’d expect, Viz Media’s newest Urasawa title, Mujirushi, is no exception. While it’s only a single volume story, there’s still plenty to rave about.

Kamoda owns a small manufacturing company, but after a series of unfortunate events, he is left in crippling debt and his wife abandons him and his daughter Kasumi. On their last legs, Kamoda and Kasumi encounter an eccentric man named the Director, who claims they can solve all their problems by going to France with one job: make a painting from the Louvre disappear and leave a stone with a mysterious mark.

The immediate draw of Mujirushi is Kamoda’s desperation. Kamoda’s world has crumbled before his eyes, and it has taken away his will to live. That said, the manga makes it clear that Kamoda’s poverty is a result of his bad choices. He committed tax fraud to go on a luxury cruise, and when that failed, he attempted to make his money back by investing in political merchandise. Kamoda seeks an easy solution to his problems, but he only hurts himself further in his search. The Director’s proposal preys upon the greediness that led Kamoda to his predicament, and he can’t resist its allure.

Kamoda’s dangerous habits are contrasted by his daughter Kasumi’s caution. Kasumi serves as the conscience of the story, pointing out her father’s bad choices and urging him to live a better life. Even when confronting the Director, Kasumi doesn’t hesitate from pointing out his flawed rhetoric, even if it creates hostility. Kasumi reflects the reader’s frustrations over the story’s events, making her an easily relatable character.

Mujirushi’s supporting cast is small but has several standout figures. The most prominent of them is the Director of the French Enlightenment Institute. The Director is a visually amusing character, as Urasawa depicts him as Iyami from Mr. Osomatsu, referencing both characters’ obsession with France. That said, the Director is more than just a familiar face, and it’s hard to decipher which of his claims are fiction or reality. It turns the Director into a fascinating manipulator, controlling others from the shadows to hide his own secrets. Michel is another interesting character that Kamoda and Kasumi encounter when they reach France. Michel has a connection to the marked stone in Kamoda’s possession, but he also agrees with Kasumi that Kamoda shouldn’t commit a crime. This positions him as a neutral figure within the narrative, sharing a common interest with Kamoda while acknowledging Kasumi’s concerns.

What’s most impressive about Mujirushi is Urasawa’s handling of the story. Despite the manga’s short length, it manages to carry a number of plot threads without overwhelming the reader. Urasawa plants a number of scenes that may seem like singular references or gags at first glance, but as the story progresses, they all play a role in the eventual conclusion. It’s clear that a lot of planning went into ensuring that Mujirushi is cohesive, and it proves Urasawa’s skills are not limited to long-form storytelling. Mujirushi has the substance you’d expect from Urasawa in a bite sized package.

Urasawa has an art style that is immediately identifiable, and that brings a lot of charm to his series. The characters have a wide range of expressions, and each of their designs feels varied. The environments also have their unique qualities, with the buildings and streets of Japan having a distinct contrast to the rustic architecture of France. Urasawa’s depiction of the Louvre is especially impressive, emphasizing the awe of the museum and its famous works. This conveys the difficulty of Kamoda’s mission and creates a suspenseful tone. Urasawa is a fantastic artist, and it makes his stories a pleasure to read.

Mujirushi is another reminder of Urasawa’s immense talent, providing readers plenty of excitement and intrigue. Its meticulous plotting and compelling cast of characters makes the story a worthy investment for fans of Urasawa’s work. France may be far away, but as the Director would say: Et alors?