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Terry Hooper-Scharf

Monday 12 March 2012

Casterman -Kan Takahama’s SAD GIRL





Author: Kan Takahama

Collection: Universe of authors
Soft cover
B&W Grey tones
Pages: 88
Dimensions: cm 600.1×0.2×870
Price: € 16.00
ISBN: 2203040637
EAN: 9782203040632
Release Date: 21/03/2012

Shiori, an actress, has a life she hates –drug addiction, abuse from her alcoholic husband and the inevitable attempted suicide.  So Shiori escapes to take refuge at a friend’s . But this friend also has a drug problem and so Shiori flees again, lost, without much hope her wandering leads her successively from a former lover and into the world of prostitution. A slow drift-like descent into hell, which, after a detour through the family home and a brief dalliance with religion Shiori finds herself at the gates of homelessness and death.

This is a very powerful story of a young woman standing on the edge of a precipice and it takes just one step to fall into oblivion.  However, at the end, there is a glimmer of hope.  A slice-of-life story played out each day in the real world.

The art here is quite exquisite.  I’m not sure how Kan Takahama works –digitally or a combination of drawing and digital- but I’ve looked through the art on this book 3-4 times already. There is a use of solid black but the scenes are played out using an absolute masterful use of grey tones –something the Japanese mastered years ago but this is the ultimate.

I still love my solid monotones but I do appreciate top quality use of grey tones! And the characters and settings are also top notch. Lovely cover.  Beautifully drawn book.




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