Oldboy 1.09

Oldboy Vol. 1

1997

Chapter 9: Bottom of the Bowl

by Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, Kumar Sivasubramanian, Kathryn Renta

Yamashita works at the construction site. He stays in a place owned by the foreman. He runs into Eri on the street. It has been a couple weeks since he last saw her. She is glad to see him. He explains, to her, the next step in his plan to get revenge on the man who got him locked up.

Yamashita was fed food from a a Chinese restaurant. He knows the name of the restaurant (Blue Dragon) but not where it is. There are eight restaurants in the city with that name.

Oldboy 1.08

Oldboy Vol. 1

1997

Chapter 8: A.K.A. Yamashita

by Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, Kumar Sivasubramanian, Kathryn Renta

The main character gets a job working on a construction site. He tells the people on the site that his name is Yamashita. He thinks about what he can do with the tracking device now that it has been removed from his back. He speculates about how it got there.

Thoughts

Yamashita may not be his name but at least I have a name to use for him now.

Slowly, slowly the story continues to crawl forward. Ugh. I really wish these chapters were longer considering the pace of it all.

Oldboy 1.07

Oldboy Vol. 1

1997

Chapter 7: Unfamiliar Scar

by Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, Kumar Sivasubramanian, Kathryn Renta

Eri notices a scar on the main character’s back. She uses a mirror to show him. He has her cut it open. There is a tracking device inside his back.

Thoughts

The main character still has yet to reveal his name. Eri calls him Mister. He does reveal that he had a girlfriend before he was locked up.

The story continues to crawl forward slowly. Where is this all going? I’m leaning more towards not continuing to read after I am done with this volume.

Oldboy 1.06

Oldboy Vol. 1

1997

Chapter 6: Developing

by Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, Kumar Sivasubramanian, Kathryn Renta

The unnamed main character tells Eri more about his time in the private prison. She wants to know about why his hair isn’t longer. He tells her about the haircuts and how he spent a lot of time watching television and working out.

Thoughts

These chapters seem to be laying the groundwork for whatever comes next. That is a guess on my part. I’m really not sure what comes next.

Oldboy 1.05

Oldboy Vol. 1

1997

Chapter 5: Confession

by Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, Kumar Sivasubramanian, Kathryn Renta

The main character tells Eri about how he was locked up for 10 years in a private prison. He has no idea who did this to him but he wants to find them and find out why.

Thoughts

The main character is 35 years old, or so he tells Eri in this chapter.

Much of this chapter is flashback to the past 10 years.

This isn’t a bad story it just feels like it is moving at a snail’s pace. The visual storytelling in this chapter is quite good.

Oldboy 1.04

Oldboy Vol. 1

1997

Chapter 4: Evil Floats Up Like a Song

by Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, Kumar Sivasubramanian, Kathryn Renta

The man who is responsible for the imprisonment of the main character reflects on the deal he made to get the main character locked up for 10 years. The main character wakes up with Eri. They go to an arcade, have some fun there, get a bite to eat before she has to show up for work. He tries to decide while she is having fun playing an arcade game whether he should tell her the truth.

Oldboy 1.03

Oldboy Vol. 1

1997

Chapter 3: The Man with No Name

by Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, Kumar Sivasubramanian, Kathryn Renta

The main character goes home with the waitress. They take the subway. They drink some beer. Her name is Eri, he says that he doesn’t have a name. She seems fine with that and then invites him into her bed. It is her first time. They fall asleep afterwards unaware that someone is watching the apartment from the street

Oldboy 1.02

Oldboy Vol. 1

1997

Chapter 2: Old Man Ambush

by Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, Kumar Sivasubramanian, Kathryn Renta

Oldboy decides to try something. He acts drunk which attracts the attention of a group of young hoodlums. They follow him into an alley where he beats them up. He needs more money. He takes just 10,000 Yen, when he could have taken considerably more.

Oldboy gets himself a meal and a beer with the money. The waitress serving him in the bar invites him home with her.

Oldboy 1.01

Oldboy Vol. 1

May 1997

Chapter 1: The Man on Floor 7.5

by Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi, Kumar Sivasubramanian, Kathryn Renta

A man is released from prison in Japan, a prison run by the mob, after 10 years. He is left unconscious in a park with a 1000 yen note in his pocket. He doesn’t know why he was imprisoned but he starts to make plans to fight back against those who locked him up.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 20.3

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 10

By Motoro Mase

Episode 20: The Phantom Country

Act 3

Fujimoto is desperate. There are just 24 hours until the country is locked down. He comes up with a plan to escape Ikigami-land. His first idea doesn’t work and he gets increasingly desperate. He forces a man to help him get on a cargo ship. Fujimoto also talks Kubo into coming with him.

Nanase betrays him. She contacts Mr. Ishii and let’s him know where they are headed. The National Welfare Police show up as the ship is getting ready to leave. Kubo takes the gun that Fujimoto stole. It looks like his plan has failed but a rocket attack on the city distracts everyone so that the ship is able to depart before the NWP are able to board the ship.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 20.2

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 10

By Motoro Mase

Episode 20: The Phantom Country

Act 2

Mr. Ishii explains to Fujimoto what happened after he was arrested. The demonstrations were quelled after the country’s leader made an announcement. He said that anyone who volunteered for the support forces will be given an inoculation to remove the possibility that they will die from the one they received as a child. If they are beyond the age of 24 then they can designate someone else to receive the inoculation.

Mr. Ishii explains this in much detail to Fujimoto. He even takes him to an inoculation center to see people, who have volunteered, getting the shot. Fujimoto is enraged but he keeps it all to himself. He is no longer indecisive. He knows what he needs to do, leave the country. That isn’t an easy thing to do because in 24 hours all travel to or from other countries will be restricted and controlled by the military.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 20.1

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 10

By Motoro Mase

Episode 20: The Phantom Country

Act 1

Fujimoto is released from the Thought Reform Program after 6 months of reconditioning. His parents no longer want to have anything to do with him. He meets with Mr. Ishii only to discover that Mr. Ishii is an undercover National Welfare Police officer. He now wants Fujimoto to spy on on someone for him. Fujimoto doesn’t feel as though he has a choice so he agrees to spy for Mr. Ishii on Nanase Kubo, the doctor whom he reported on Episode 12 (The Truth Exposed).

Fujimoto stops by the flower shop where Nanase works. She agrees to have lunch with him. After he leaves she picks up the phone and makes a call. She tells the person on the other end of the phone that she would be happy to help.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 19.3

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 10

By Motoro Mase

Episode 19: Entrusted Words

Act 3

Naoko Sasamura tries to talk Mamoru Nakagami into going to see his mother before he dies. His first response is to attack her physically and choke her. He lets up before he does serious harm to her. They argue about why he should or shouldn’t go see his mother. He asks her about the picture of her with her daughter.

Mamoru ultimately decides to go do his job rather than go see his mother. Naoko goes to see his mother but doesn’t get to her until after Mamoru has died.

The war between Ikigami-land and the Federation gets more serious.

Fujimoto is arrested and sent to a thought reform program, just like Dr. Kubo was. The chapter ends with him emerging from the program as he returns to civilian life.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 19.2

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 10

By Motoro Mase

Episode 19: Entrusted Words

Act 2

War breaks out. Ikigami-land is now at war with the Federation. The government of Ikigami-land’s ally asks for volunteers to serve in combat support positions. Fujimoto and Mr. Ishii are stunned by the news.

Mamoru Nakagami doesn’t go out for several hours. He stays in his apartment. He doesn’t know how to respond to his death sentence. Naoko Sasamura comes over to see him. She encourages him to contact his mother, whom he has not seen since he got into an argument with her.

Mamoru turns on his phone. It rings before he has a chance to call his mother. It is his boss. There are anti-war protests in the streets. He wants Mamoru to report in right away. Mamoru doesn’t get a chance to tell him that he has received an Ikigami. He gets off the phone ready to follow orders but Naoko is still there. She insists that he go see his mother.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 19.1

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 10

By Motoro Mase

Episode 19: Entrusted Words

Act 1

Mamoru Nakagami, a police officer with the Ministry of Welfare and Health, has a history excessive violence on the job. He tends to rough up and injure suspects considerably more than is necessary. He grew up poor and was shy. His tendency to overcompensate for what he sees as his shortcomings is what leads to his outbursts of violence.

Naoko Sasamura, is part of a delegation from Japan which is considering adopting a National Welfare law similar to the one already in place in the country where Mr. Fujimoto lives. She works for the Statistics and Information Department of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan.

Ms. Sasamura is nursing emotional wounds from the loss of her 8-year-old daughter who was born with a defective heart. She wasn’t there when her daughter died because she was working late. She riles up Mamoru when she says disparaging things about his country when she compares it to Japan.

Fujimoto talks with Mr. Ishii about some information that leaked from their department. Fujimoto is the source of the leak but he doesn’t tell Mr. Ishii. He believes he has covered his tracks and that the information won’t be traced back to him.

The chapter ends with Fujimoto taking the team from Japan with him to observe as he delivers an Ikigami. The recipient in Mamoru Nakagami. Naoko Sasamura is stunned when she sees him receive the Ikigami.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 18.3

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 9

By Motoro Mase

Episode 18: Two Fallen in War

Act 3

Isokichi Futaba tries to apologize to Yoshiki Miike for the injury that ruined Yoshiki’s soccer career. Yoshiki doesn’t care about that. He’s fixated on the day they got inoculated. Yoshiki got the shot that was intended for Isokichi because Isokichi freaked out, wet his pants and was taken out of line.

Yoshiki is ready to attack Isokichi when the elder Miike’s, his father and grandfather, show up along with Isokichi’s father. They try to talk him down from stabbing his former classmate but Yoshiki is only momentarily delayed. He winds up stabbing his grandfather who jumps in front of Isokichi.

The grandfather survives but Yoshiki is arrested and dies in police custody at the scheduled time.

Fujimoto goes to see Dr. Kubo who now works in a flower shop. He is shocked to learn that she has changed. She’s been brainwashed and seems like a very different person. Fujimoto is shaken by the experience and once again starts questioning his career choice.

Isokichi visits the elder Miike in the hospital. He feels guilty for what happened to Yoshiki but Yoshiki’s grandfather doesn’t hold it against him. Isokichi expresses a desire to take a stand against the National Welfare Law.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 18.2

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 9

By Motoro Mase

Episode 18: Two Fallen in War

Act 2

Fujimoto continues to question his feelings about the rumor that the government is starting to draft those who object to the National Welfare Act into the army. He starts to question his role in delivering Ikigami.

Yoshiki thinks about his situation and then makes a decision. He goes and gets his grandfather’s bayonet and goes out looking for Futaba. Futaba was in line in front of him when they were waiting to get their immunization shots. Futaba got nervous and wet his pants.

Futaba was pulled out of line. Everyone behind him moved forward one space. Yoshiki got the shot that was intended for Futaba.

Yoshiki’s grandfather recognizes the name Isokichi Futaba. He served in the army with someone who had the same name. He calls the Futaba residence and confirms that Futaba’s grandfather was the man he served with. He tells his son and his daughter-in-law about what happened during the war.

Yoshiki’s grandfather was ordered to kill an American prisoner in cold blood. He tried but he lost his nerve and wet his pants. Futaba’s grandfather was ordered to kill the prisoner and did. Futaba’s grandfather was later tried and convicted by the American Army for killing prisoners of war. He was hanged. Yoshiki’s grandfather thinks that the Ikigami is Futaba’s revenge for what he did.

The chapter ends with Yoshiki pulling out the bayonet and threatening Futaba with it.

Thoughts

This is kind of intense. What really sells it is the conviction with which Yoshiki’s grandfather believes. He is really spooked and haunted by his past.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 18.1

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 9

By Motoro Mase

Episode 18: Two Fallen in War

Act 1

Yoshiki Miike receives an Ikigami, delivered by Mr. Fujimoto, at the end of this installment. He had aspirations to play soccer professionally but he was injured when he was in high school. The injury was an accident that was caused by a Isokichi Futaba, a classmate of Yoshiki at the time.

Neither Yoshiki or Isokichi went on to university. They both work full time jobs. They both have grandfathers who served in World War II. Yoshiki’s grandfather has nightmares about a prisoner of war whom he was ordered to kill.

War is looming on the horizon in the background of this story. The Federation seems to be threatening to attack Japan. Yoshiki’s family talks about the potential for war. Fujimoto and Mr. Ishii, his boss also discuss it, but in hushed tones because they are in a public place. Mr. Ishii heard a rumor that the government is going to start drafting social miscreants into the army. Fujimoto doesn’t know what to think about that but it sounds wrong to him.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 17.3

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 9

By Motoro Mase

Episode 17: National Welfare Immunization

Act 3

Nurse Oba voices her complaints while she holds one the boys hostage and a kitchen knife to her own throat. Dr. Nishikawa argues with her that she is wrong. He injects himself in an attempt to deflate the situation. He continues to inject himself with shots until she drops the knife, jumps off the stage, and attempts to stop him. Security grabs her at that point and she dies in police custody.

Fujimoto was attacked a few weeks later by Hitomi Oba’s father. He attempted to stab Fujimoto with a knife. The man who had been tailing Fujimoto stepped in and saved him. It turned out that he was a bodyguard secretly assigned by Chief Inspector Kaga to guard Fujimoto. He wasn’t there to spy on Fujimoto.

Kaga, before she leaves, tells him that he is not under suspicion. She also tells him that Dr. Kubo has been released and now works in a flower shop nearby. She warns him that if he ever sways from the path of supporting National Welfare then his life will be forfeit.

Dr. Nishikawa is approached by the parents who were there on the day Nurse Oba held a knife to her own throat. They want to do something about the National Welfare Law and they want him to join them. He is hesitant but ultimately is swayed to talk to them.

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 17.2

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 9

By Motoro Mase

Episode 17: National Welfare Immunization

Act 2

Mr. Oba, Hitomi’s father, tells Fujimoto about how his wife died giving birth to Hitomi. He tells him that Hitomi was in the NICU for 10 weeks and almost didn’t survive. Fujimoto does t know how to respond and then Mr. Oba slams the door in Fujimoto’s face. Fujimoto heads home, unaware that he is being followed by Yuki, a surveillance officer who is working for Inspector Kaga.

Hitomi heads to a National Welfare Immunization ceremony, the next day with less than 12 hours to go until she dies. There are lots of school age children there with their parents. The children are getting their shots. She takes one of the children out of the line and goes up on stage with him.