Drawn

At long last, VIZ has translated GoGo Monster by Taiyo Matsumoto for North American audiences.

The book – which weighs in at about 450 pages – is a more mature and reflective work for Matsumoto, who is probably best-known in North America for Tekkonkinkreet (Review here) and his violent, gritty, graffitoed comics.

Instead, GOGO Monster has a more pastoral and haunting pace. The story takes place in a rural schoolyard, where a schoolboy, Yuki, claims to have access to a mirror dimension, the “other side”, which is inhabited by monsters.

Matsumoto’s dialogue flits around the page in a manner that is both poetic and distracting – like a conversation with a child. His pen and ink lineart has graduated from being exciting and innovative (Tekkonkinkreet) to simply masterful.

A note to booklovers: VIZ is to be congratulated on putting out one of their most beautifully produced editions yet. This hardbound volume comes with a Japanese-style cardboard slipcase and and even a printed design on the fore-edge of the book.

Buy GoGo Monster on Amazon