our selection to travel to other worlds
Science fiction is a theme with unlimited resources for all the authors of the world. From galaxies to galaxies, from more or less distant futures, the synopsis are multiple. The Manga genre has obviously contributed to the popularization of these fantastic epics and this, well before the 80s. Widely spread since 50 years, "SF" has developed in several sub-categories, as a mirror of the evolution of our societies. We can for example quote the Cyberpunk genre which, if not looking towards the stars, is situated in a technologically advanced environment with dystopian allure. We can also mention the space opera sub-genre, characterized by a complex geopolitical framework within which intergalactic adventures follow one another. Between reissues of classics and new works, our recommendations can inspire you for the holidays!
Planets: Man facing infinity by Makoto YUKIMURA.
Publisher's summary: Hachimaki is a space debris collector on the Toy Box. And he has only one obsession: to embark on one of the exploratory ships of Jupiter. But space is not always the idyllic world we imagine. Makoto Yukimura shares with us his passion and knowledge of space, through the real initiatory journey of three characters who left for an unknown world where it is often difficult for Man to find his place.
The author highlights the ambivalence between space conquest and ecological responsibility. On the one hand, our protagonist named "Hachimaki" embodies the conquering and ambitious vision of a quest towards the unknown, whatever the price. Mankind must not remain grounded, the immensity of the universe must be explored and exploited. Makoto Yukimura is inspired by the conquest of space at the time of the Cold War, a period that fascinates him like most science fiction authors. In opposition, the vision of other characters reminds us that the colonization of other galaxies and the exploitation of its resources is not without danger. The excessive hubris of man makes no sense in a world where inequalities are growing and where the race to techno-progressism is clashing with societal reality. Looking at the stars to forget the world around us, for a privileged few.
Eden : by Hiroki ENDO
Publisher's summary: The Earth, in the near future. The closure virus, a deadly and incurable disease whose origin is unknown, has devastated the world's population. Among the survivors, two teenagers, Enoa and Hannah, have been immune to the virus since birth. When their protector dies, they must leave their Eden and face the outside world. But if humanity has almost died out, its flaws are still present: selfishness, greed, the will to dominate, individualism... and maybe even stronger than ever!
Even if this series is already more than 20 years old (published in Japan in 1998), Eden has many current echoes in connection with a pandemic which decimates the populations and the human behaviors which ensue from it. The approached themes are multiple: the fatal decisions of the characters in front of a voracious virus, the hostility in front of the difference, the positioning of the immunized protagonists. Eden is a hyper rhythmic and engaged story full of philosophical messages with cybernetic and robotic tints. The author quotes Ghost in the Shell by Masamune SHIROW or Akira and Evangelion as references, which we recognize in this cyber landscape. To be recommended!
Leviathan by Shiro KUROI
Publisher's summary: In the depths of the galaxy, the Leviathan, a huge spaceship, is drifting. When salvagers break into the ship, they discover the diary of a schoolboy, Kazuma, recounting the events that took place in the bowels of the ship. As they read it, it becomes clear that a survivor of the disaster is hiding somewhere in the maze of ruins!
Years earlier, young Kazuma is in the middle of a school trip to Earth. The party turns short when explosions of unknown origin destroy part of the ship's hull! The teenager and his friend Futaba overhear a conversation between their teacher and a maintenance robot: the oxygen reserves are insufficient to hold out until help arrives... The only hope of survival is a cryogenic chamber nestled in the heart of the metal giant. Unfortunately for the students, the teacher quickly understands that he has been heard. This is the beginning of a bloody fight to preserve the secret!
This original creation of Ki-oon editions is a real space thriller with the anguishing atmosphere of the closed door. If you have already enjoyed Lost Children or Tsugumi Project from the same editions, you will enjoy it a lot! The space represents the immensity, but also the isolation and the solitude. The story unfolds in a double temporality; the reader discovers the tragic past events in the ship through the prism of the looters who infiltrate it. The twists and turns follow one another, the nightmarish atmosphere keeps the reader on the edge of his seat throughout the story. A thriller to consume without moderation!
Maybe you will have a crush on a universe or the characters of one of these series, in which case there is nothing better than to take a comic book/manga drawing course to learn how to draw and share your interests. Apolline offers courses in Lausanne, Morges, Montreux, Bienne and Delémont. And to deepen your knowledge even more, you can take part in the comic/manga drawing vacation camps that take place all over the French-speaking part of Switzerland during the school vacations!
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