Genkaku Picasso Explained

Ja Kanji:幻覚ピカソ
Genre:Supernatural[1]
Type:manga
Author:Usamaru Furuya
Publisher:Shueisha
Imprint:Jump Comics SQ.
Magazine:Jump Square
First:September 4, 2008
Last:April 3, 2010
Volumes:3

is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Usamaru Furuya. It was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine Jump Square from September 2008 to April 2010, with its chapters collected in three volumes. The series was licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media and published under its Shonen Jump manga division.

Plot

The protagonist is Hikari Hamura, a 17-year-old high school student known as "Picasso" because of his drawing ability. Hikari is an eccentric introvert with only one friend, Chiaki Yamamoto. One day while Hikari and Chiaki are at the river sketching, a malfunctioning helicopter crashes into their location, killing her, but leaving Hikari miraculously unscathed. After recovering from the accident, Hikari finds that Chikari has been transformed into a miniature, winged version of herself, who lives in his pocket. Chiaki tells him that when the helicopter crashed she prayed for his survival, however in return for his life he must use his skills to draw people's "hearts", otherwise he will rot away. Although Hikari is reluctant to involve himself with others, he is persuaded by signs of rot on his arm to help his classmates. Each story deals with a different classmate (eight in total, with a ninth in the younger sister of one) with a personal problem; Hikari's drawings of the subject's "heart" manifest their psychological troubles as surreal allegories, and in order to help them with their issues Hikari and Chiaki must enter into the drawings to explore the classmate's psyche and figure out what the images mean.

Publication

Genkaku Picasso, written and illustrated by Usamaru Furuya, who based the main character on himself,[2] was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine Jump Square from September 4, 2008,[3] to April 3, 2010.[4] Shueisha collected its chapters in three collected volumes, published between February 4, 2009, and June 4, 2010.[5] [6] [7]

Viz Media translated the series into English and published its three volumes under the Shonen Jump imprint from November 2, 2010 to May 3, 2011.[8] [9] [10] On March 27, 2012, Viz Media made the series available in digital format on its VizManga.com website and Viz Manga App for iOS.[11] The series was also published in English by Australian publisher Madman Entertainment;[12] in Italian by Star Comics,[13] in French by Tonkam,[14] and in Taiwanese by Tong Li Publishing.[15]

Reception

Genkaku Picasso was one of the four manga nominated by the Young Adult Library Services Association for its list of 2012 Great Graphic Novels for Teens;[16] however, it was not entered into the final list.[17]

Lissa Pattillo of Anime News Network (ANN) found the design and visual presentation of the first volume impressive, but worried that the plot will become repetitive.[18] Chris Kirby of Mania.com also praised the art and the allegorical depictions of inner states in the first volume but felt that Hikari and Chiaki are underdeveloped and "merely act as plot devices".[19] Ain't It Cool News' Scott Green praised Furuya's "skill at rendering the surreal and transgressive", but felt that the characters' problems in the first volume are unrealistic but not strange enough to add to the surrealist nature of the work.[20]

Carlo Santos of ANN found the individual stories in the first volume gimmicky, but praised the different art-styles that Furuya uses and the series' surrealism and sense of humor;[21] in his review of the second volume he continued to appreciate the art and the characters but found the stories "repetitive and trite".[22] Santos nevertheless elected it one of the best manga published in the United States in 2011.[23] Leroy Douresseaux concurred that the surreal drawings of the character's inner states are a highlight of the first volume;[24] for the second volume he praised Furuya's "sharp" dialog and graphic storytelling.[25]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Official Website for Genkaku Picasso . Viz Media . October 28, 2017 . July 2, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170702094139/http://www.viz.com/genkaku-picasso . live .
  2. Web site: Interview with Usamaru Furuya. January 24, 2012. Viz Media. October 20, 2016. October 21, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161021064749/https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/interview-with-usamaru-furuya-43. live.
  3. Web site: ja:2008年09月04日のアーカイブ. http://manganohi.jp/2008/09/04/. manganohi.jp. March 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20080916100534/http://manganohi.jp/2008/09/04/. September 16, 2008. ja. September 4, 2008. Japanese: 〔好評連載中！〕 古屋兎丸 『幻覚ピカソ』 絵を描くことが大好きな高校2年生・ピカソは、背の低さと女っぽい外見が災いして同級生にイジられる日々。そんな彼の運命を大きく変える出来事とは? 鉛筆とスケッチブックを持つ少年の戦いが始まる!!.
  4. Web site: ja:SQにて古屋兎丸「幻覚ピカソ」最終回。次号、遠藤達哉登場. http://natalie.mu/comic/news/30027. Comic Natalie. Natasha, Inc.. March 29, 2022. ja. April 3, 2010. September 18, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170918062705/http://natalie.mu/comic/news/30027. live.
  5. Web site: http://books.shueisha.co.jp/CGI/search/syousai_put.cgi?isbn_cd=978-4-08-874639-5&mode=1. https://web.archive.org/web/20090205113110/http://books.shueisha.co.jp/CGI/search/syousai_put.cgi?isbn_cd=978-4-08-874639-5&mode=1. February 5, 2009. ja:幻覚ピカソ 1. Shueisha. October 20, 2016. Japanese.
  6. Web site: http://books.shueisha.co.jp/CGI/search/syousai_put.cgi?isbn_cd=978-4-08-874680-7&mode=1. https://web.archive.org/web/20091202012908/http://books.shueisha.co.jp/CGI/search/syousai_put.cgi?isbn_cd=978-4-08-874680-7&mode=1. December 2, 2009. ja:幻覚ピカソ 2. Shueisha. October 20, 2016. Japanese.
  7. Web site: http://books.shueisha.co.jp/CGI/search/syousai_put.cgi?isbn_cd=978-4-08-870058-8&mode=1. https://web.archive.org/web/20130330012218/http://books.shueisha.co.jp/CGI/search/syousai_put.cgi?isbn_cd=978-4-08-870058-8&mode=1. March 30, 2013. ja:幻覚ピカソ 3. Shueisha. October 20, 2016. Japanese.
  8. Web site: Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1. Viz Media. October 20, 2016. October 21, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161021130849/https://www.viz.com/read/manga/genkaku-picasso-vol-1/9489. live.
  9. Web site: Genkaku Picasso, Volume 2. Viz Media. October 20, 2016. October 21, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161021130846/https://www.viz.com/read/manga/genkaku-picasso-vol-2/9569. live.
  10. Web site: Genkaku Picasso, Volume 3. Viz Media. October 20, 2016. October 21, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161021064153/https://www.viz.com/read/manga/genkaku-picasso-vol-3/9754. live.
  11. Web site: Viz Digital Adds Genkaku Picasso, TeniPuri, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. March 27, 2012. Anime News Network. October 20, 2016. May 10, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160510204739/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-03-27/viz-digital-adds-genkaku-picasso-tenipuri-yu-gi-oh-5d. live.
  12. Web site: Genkaku Picasso (Manga) Vol. 03 (End). https://web.archive.org/web/20151006185921/http://www.madman.com.au/catalogue/view/14918/genkaku-picasso-manga-vol-03-end. October 6, 2015. Madman Entertainment. October 20, 2016.
  13. Web site: Genkaku Picasso Numero 3. Star Comics. October 20, 2016. Italian.
  14. Web site: Usamaru Furuya chez Tonkam!. May 13, 2011. Manga-News. October 20, 2016. French. October 21, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161021064128/http://www.manga-news.com/index.php/actus/2011/05/04/Usamaru-Furuya-chez-Tonkam. live.
  15. Web site: zh:幻象畢卡索 (第3集). http://www.tongli.com.tw/BookDetail.aspx?Bd=JC0307003. Tong Li Online. 20 October 2016. Chinese. October 20, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161020193529/http://www.tongli.com.tw/BookDetail.aspx?Bd=JC0307003. live.
  16. Web site: 4 More Manga Nominated for YALSA Teens' Graphic Novels . July 12, 2011 . Anime News Network . October 20, 2016 . December 26, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161226045601/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-07-12/4-more-manga-nominated-for-yalsa-teens-graphic-novels . live .
  17. Web site: Great Graphic Novels 2012 . 24 January 2012 . American Library Association . October 20, 2016 . January 23, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130123070106/http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/ggnt/2012 . live .
  18. Web site: Pattillio. Lisa. Genkaku Picasso GN 1. November 30, 2010. Anime News Network. October 4, 2011. November 25, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111125103853/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/genkaku-picasso/gn-1. live.
  19. Web site: Kirby. Chris. Genkaku Picasso Vol. #01. https://web.archive.org/web/20110206123251/http://www.mania.com/genkaku-picasso-vol-01_article_126326.html. February 6, 2011. February 4, 2011. Mania.com. October 4, 2011.
  20. Web site: AICN Anime - Checking Out the Latest From Manga, Blade of the Immortal, Gantz, Horror, Absurdity, Feminism and More. Green. Scott. February 13, 2011. Cool News. Ain't It Cool News. October 4, 2011. July 7, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110707095859/http://www.aintitcool.com/node/48476. live.
  21. Web site: Santos. Carlo. Exactly According to Genkaku. November 23, 2010. Right Turn Only. Anime News Network. October 4, 2011. October 5, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111005072809/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/right-turn-only/2010-11-23. live.
  22. Web site: Santos. Carlo. Soul Feud. March 15, 2011. Right Turn Only. Anime News Network. October 4, 2011. October 5, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111005072926/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/right-turn-only/2011-03-15. live.
  23. Web site: The Best and Worst Manga of 2011 . Manry, Gia . July 23, 2011 . Anime News Network . October 20, 2016 . November 10, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211110014229/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2011/san-diego-comic-con/17 . live .
  24. Web site: Douresseaux. Leroy. Genkaku Picasso: Volume 1. November 13, 2010. Comic Book Bin. October 4, 2011. October 5, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111005073229/http://www.comicbookbin.com/genkakupicasso001.html. live.
  25. Web site: Douresseaux. Leroy. Genkaku Picasso: Volume 2. February 22, 2011. Comic Book Bin. October 4, 2011. May 11, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110511080833/http://www.comicbookbin.com/genkakupicasso002.html. live.

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