Guardian of Fukushima
By: Fabien Grolleau
Release Date: February 18, 2021 (original French); January 15, 2023 (English Edition)
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Rating:

If you haven’t delved into French graphic novels and manga-styled graphic works, consider this your formal invitation to give them a try. Guardian of Fukushima by Fabien Grolleau is a French graphic novel done in the style of a manga. This nonfiction work explores the life of Naoto, a real person from Fukushima who survived the tsunami and Fukushima nuclear plant leak in 2015.

The story opens mere minutes before the 2015 tsunami hits Fukushima, Japan. Life is quickly upended. Families are trapped, then flee when it becomes clear the nuclear plant is no longer secure. Yet, amid the natural disaster and its aftermath, a single man remains on his family farm after learning he’d need to leave his beloved dog behind. And, now alone in this once-bustling metropolis, takes up the duty of finding every creature—whether pet, farm animal, or zoo animal—and caring for them on his farm.

Flashbacks are prolific throughout the tale. They are never more than two or three pages in length, and each enhances the tale being told. Most often, these are Japanese folktales and myths used as allegory or else being told by older characters to children in the tale. Flashback sections are quite easy to tell apart from the rest of the manga, sporting a hand-drawn quality with rougher edges and spots of bright white where the pencil didn’t press hard enough to paper. Panels are outlined with wavy and ever so slightly jagged lines, making it seem as if these stories from ancient days were cut out and pasted from some older tale and dreamy, hazy memories from long ago.

These folktales serve a dual purpose. First, they calm Naoto’s nephew in scary moments and explain what’s happening in a way someone so young can understand in a way that won’t add to his fear and worry. Later, the myths and folktales parallel Naoto’s own journey, putting everything he’s going through in another perspective for readers. These culminate in a very beautiful spread where Naoto visits a now-empty shrine. While there, characters from myths and traditional folktales fill the space around him, begging him to save them. This scene is very powerful. However, the scene will also loose much of its raw power for readers who aren’t familiar with these folktales.

The art in this manga is quite wonderful, and rather unlike much of what manga fans would call traditional manga-style artwork. This is particularly apparent in the way the artist renders faces, choosing to style his characters in the style famed Edo-period artis THIS OTHER GUY. This deliberate choice enhances the tale, once again drawing on traditional Japanese art and storytelling to tell this true tale.

Love, hope, and the sheer humanity of Naoto truly shines through the page. Despite physical danger and immense health hazards, Naoto is dedicated to saving every single animal left behind in the contaminated zone, no matter the cost. At the same time, he can’t save every single pet, farm, and zoo animal. Some have already died. Others were euthanized by officials. This push and pull provides tension in the narrative, but most of all, Naoto’s hope and compassion shine through.

While this volume may feel fictional, it is a biography. And, as such, there is plenty of interesting and useful backmatter here. Interviews, articles, and more are available at the end of the volume, providing additional information about the disaster, aftermath, and what Naoto himself is doing today.

For those manga readers who may be worried about the editing quality of this volume, being a Tokyopop title, never fear! Stu Levy himself edited this, meaning much care was put into this title. No odd editing oversights here!

In all, I’d highly recommend picking up a copy of Guardian of Fukushima by The story is engaging, and supported with wonderful additions at the end of the book. It’s also a perfect way for manga readers to dip their toes into the world of nonfiction.