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Blue Spring: Taiyo Matsumoto's Short Story Collection
Blue Spring: Taiyo Matsumoto's Short Story Collection
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Taiyo Matsumoto's "Bad Boy" Book!
"No matter how much passion burns, no matter how much blood boils, youth... is ultimately blue."
"Blue Spring" is a collection of short manga stories published by Taiyo Matsumoto in 1993 (when he was 26 years old). It's a single volume that has never been published in Taiwan. This book contains seven short stories, created between 1990 and 1993, deeply depicting the suppressed restlessness of Japanese high school boys regarding life and the future, and deeply tainted by the shadow of "death" – "death" makes "life" shine. Its unique and captivating style can be described as Matsumoto's cruel tale of youth.
According to critic Shohei Nakajo, "'Blue Spring' collects all of Taiyo Matsumoto's short stories from his debut in Shogakukan's manga magazine 'Spirits' until the completion of 'Ping Pong.' It is an indispensable book for understanding 'early Taiyo.'"
The first story, "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands," was Taiyo Matsumoto's debut work for Shogakukan and also showcases a fundamental aspect of him as a manga artist: his focus on "death." Director Toshiaki Toyoda adapted this work into a live-action film in 2002, starring Ryuhei Matsuda and Eita, among others. It was screened at the Taipei Film Festival, possessing a similarly unique atmosphere, depicting delinquent high school boys who enjoy dangerous games. It is considered by many to be a classic masterpiece commemorating lost youth.
"Revolver" is a rare collaborative work by Taiyo Matsumoto, with the script written by Garon Tsuchiya, the original author of the film "Oldboy" and a hard-boiled manga writer. The two admired each other's boxing-themed works, and this collaboration was realized through the mediation of editor Yasuki Hori. This manga also unusually features naked female bodies in an erotic setting drawn by Taiyo. This work was adapted into the live-action film "Revolver: Blue Spring" by director Takeshi Watanabe in 2003, starring Hiroshi Tamaki and Mirai Moriyama.
"Summer Pop!" was originally published in a mahjong manga magazine, where Taiyo Matsumoto cleverly used flashbacks and fantasies to portray high school baseball players whose Koshien dreams were shattered. "Mr. Suzuki" depicts the encounter between Suzuki and Kimura – yes, it's the gangster boss Suzuki (Nezumi) and his henchman Kimura who later appear in Taiyo Matsumoto's masterpiece "Tekkonkinkreet"! "Peace" features two Bosozoku high school students as protagonists. Despite a touch of humor, it is also Taiyo Matsumoto's darkest work. "The Family Restaurant is Our Heaven!" is full of fun, with protagonists being a group of sluggish, good-for-nothing high school boys, and even features Peko and Jimi Hendrix?! The last story, "We're Done For," is an action-packed plot! A series of nonsensical events exudes a unique sense of humor.
"Blue Spring" does not contain a story titled "Blue Spring"; instead, the author chose this name as the collective title for the seven short stories. This book is not just a collection of Taiyo Matsumoto's short manga from the early 1990s; readers can also witness the essence of an original manga artist within it.
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"No matter how much passion burns, no matter how much blood boils, youth... is ultimately blue."
"Blue Spring" is a collection of short manga stories published by Taiyo Matsumoto in 1993 (when he was 26 years old). It's a single volume that has never been published in Taiwan. This book contains seven short stories, created between 1990 and 1993, deeply depicting the suppressed restlessness of Japanese high school boys regarding life and the future, and deeply tainted by the shadow of "death" – "death" makes "life" shine. Its unique and captivating style can be described as Matsumoto's cruel tale of youth.
According to critic Shohei Nakajo, "'Blue Spring' collects all of Taiyo Matsumoto's short stories from his debut in Shogakukan's manga magazine 'Spirits' until the completion of 'Ping Pong.' It is an indispensable book for understanding 'early Taiyo.'"
The first story, "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands," was Taiyo Matsumoto's debut work for Shogakukan and also showcases a fundamental aspect of him as a manga artist: his focus on "death." Director Toshiaki Toyoda adapted this work into a live-action film in 2002, starring Ryuhei Matsuda and Eita, among others. It was screened at the Taipei Film Festival, possessing a similarly unique atmosphere, depicting delinquent high school boys who enjoy dangerous games. It is considered by many to be a classic masterpiece commemorating lost youth.
"Revolver" is a rare collaborative work by Taiyo Matsumoto, with the script written by Garon Tsuchiya, the original author of the film "Oldboy" and a hard-boiled manga writer. The two admired each other's boxing-themed works, and this collaboration was realized through the mediation of editor Yasuki Hori. This manga also unusually features naked female bodies in an erotic setting drawn by Taiyo. This work was adapted into the live-action film "Revolver: Blue Spring" by director Takeshi Watanabe in 2003, starring Hiroshi Tamaki and Mirai Moriyama.
"Summer Pop!" was originally published in a mahjong manga magazine, where Taiyo Matsumoto cleverly used flashbacks and fantasies to portray high school baseball players whose Koshien dreams were shattered. "Mr. Suzuki" depicts the encounter between Suzuki and Kimura – yes, it's the gangster boss Suzuki (Nezumi) and his henchman Kimura who later appear in Taiyo Matsumoto's masterpiece "Tekkonkinkreet"! "Peace" features two Bosozoku high school students as protagonists. Despite a touch of humor, it is also Taiyo Matsumoto's darkest work. "The Family Restaurant is Our Heaven!" is full of fun, with protagonists being a group of sluggish, good-for-nothing high school boys, and even features Peko and Jimi Hendrix?! The last story, "We're Done For," is an action-packed plot! A series of nonsensical events exudes a unique sense of humor.
"Blue Spring" does not contain a story titled "Blue Spring"; instead, the author chose this name as the collective title for the seven short stories. This book is not just a collection of Taiyo Matsumoto's short manga from the early 1990s; readers can also witness the essence of an original manga artist within it.
