Nejishiki

Yoshiharu Tsuge was born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1937. Influenced by the realistic and gritty manga of Yoshihiro Tatsumi, he began making his own comics and was briefly recruited to assist Shigeru Mizuki in the 1960s. In 1968, while working for Garo magazine, Tsuge published the groundbreaking story Neji-shiki (commonly called Screw Style by Western readers), which established him as an influential manga-ka and a cultural touchstone in the changing Japanese art world. He is considered the originator and greatest practitioner of the I-novel method of comics-making. In 2005, Tsuge was nominated for the Best Album Award at Angouleme International and in 2017 won the Japan Cartoonists Association Grand Award for Yume to tabi no sekai.

“A revelation… Tsuge throws open his inner gates of possibility and lets the world rush in with all its complexity, humanity, beauty, uncertainty and violence.” —Chris Ware, The Washington Post“Fascinating… one of Japan’s most celebrated and reclusive artists.” —The Guardian“Tsuge’s raw and profound work is equal parts pathos and poetry, streaked with irony and ribaldry.” —Kirkus Starred Review“Exemplary... an elucidating glimpse into modern manga’s origins.” —Publishers Weekly Starred Review“This third of seven planned volumes of The Complete Mature Works of Yoshiharu Tsuge promises casual manga fans and committed aficionados plenty to applaud and appreciate.” —Booklist, Starred Review“Tsuge’s career path frequently features people unsure of themselves or their place in the world, and the existential concern is fully embraced as a constant theme in this collection.” —Slings and Arrows“The stories in Nejishiki are surreal, disconcerting, and provocative, many utilizing dark, and often sordid, eroticism to convey the psychological underpinnings of their characters and narratives.” —Manga Bookshelf“Tsuge implies that the waking world is as abstract and strange as the ones we encounter in dreams. Sublime and disturbing.” —Comics Beat, Best Manga of 2023“An absolute must-have for all gekiga or alternative manga fans and collectors. It’s a wild ride charged with raw emotions.” —Comics Beat