On one level, Ode to Kirohito (Wertical Inc, £15.99) is a riveting medical thriller about a mysterious virus that causes humans to develop canine features. But it's more than that: it's also the book into which Osamu Tezuka incorporated adult-themes - or gekiga - for the first time, and as such it cemented his reputation as the Godfather of Manga.
It's a technical triumph, too. In a story that examines moral decay and humanity's repugnant instincts in a penetrating and often brutal manner, Tezuka displays an impressive artistic range. Gracefully veering from concise to flamboyant, he maintains a high level of innovation and dynamism through 800-plus pages, from captivating vistas of rural Japan to sparse interiors filled with sin. 
Danny Graydon
FIRST POSTED MARCH 30, 2007
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