My impression is that manga with an original author tend to be more interesting.
Perhaps the quality improves because they can focus more on the story.
This manga, "Shonen Y," also has an original author, and I found it to be a very interesting work.
While the work has many elements of a death game or a battle of wits, I don't think that's the main theme of the work.
It's a good length, with a total of eight volumes.
introduction
On his first day at his new school, Yuzuru Kurihara finds himself in a classroom where all his teachers and classmates are dead.
Then Yuzuru receives a call from someone claiming to be "God," who forces him to choose only one person to bring back to life.
"Boy Y" begins with this story.
Yuzuru will continue to be forced to make decisions that could be called "life-or-death choices."
Another main character, Tasuku Yamazaki, also manages to survive various games and challenges.
However, the story's central focus is ultimately the "choice game" played on Yuzuru, and it feels as though the choices presented are also posed to the reader.
Many of the topics discussed involve the conflict between utilitarianism and morality, such as the "trolley problem," made famous by Professor Sandel in his "Justice" course at Harvard.
I think the highlight of this work lies in seeing what kind of logic Yuzuru and Tadashi use to make their choices.
Furthermore, the way the plot points are laid out is meticulous and thorough, and the foreshadowing introduced from the beginning of the story takes on significant meaning at the very end.
The well-crafted storyline is also one of its attractions.
Boy Y Vol. 1 (Shonen Champion Comics)(Amazon)
Long review (contains spoilers)
I started reading it expecting a death game-style battle of wits, but it turned out to be a work with a very strong philosophical undertone.
However, it was refreshing and very interesting to see how serious topics were presented in a way that resembled a battle of wits.
The following text contains spoilers and discusses the plot and content, so please be aware.
In this work, Yuzuru is consistently forced to make a "choice of life and death."
However, Yuzuru avoids making a direct choice and instead solves the assigned questions as if they were a puzzle, cleverly escaping the situation.
We don't usually face situations where we're forced to make such difficult choices as Yuzuru, but it makes me think about what kind of choices we would make if we were in that situation.
There are different ways of thinking, like Yuzuru's, where one prioritizes their own subjective perspective when making choices, and there are also ways of thinking, like Tadashi's, where one makes objective judgments.
However, either way,Instead of postponing or avoiding making a decision, you need to clearly define your position.I felt that this was the author's message.
I think we shouldn't run away from making choices just because we're afraid someone might resent us for it.
The "Y" in "Boy Y" stands for Yuzuru and Yamazaki, but there was also a description that it meant choosing one of two paths.
The kanji character "匡" means "to restore something distorted to its original form, to fix it," and indeed, in the story, he displays composure and chooses that path.
When I considered what kanji character would be used to represent "Yuzuru," I thought it would probably be "譲" (yuzuru).
The character "譲" (yuzuri) means "to give one's rights to another person."
It likely implies relinquishing one's right to choose to something else, or avoiding making a choice altogether.
However, the character "譲" (yuzuru) also means to give something of oneself, so it doesn't always have a negative connotation.
It's not particularly significant, but I think it's interesting how these little details contain hints that foreshadow the story.
(This might just be my own wild imagination, but...)
Below, I will write my impressions of each scene.
• Classroom selection
The fact that my bag had disappeared made me realize I was also involved, which was an interesting blind spot.
Because it included myself, I felt it was an easy question to answer when it came to choosing between life and death.
- A variation of the trolley problem
Since the number of people to be saved remains the same, this is slightly different from the original problem.
However, it's a difficult choice: do you choose to remain a bystander without taking any action, or do something to help the person you care about, even if only a little?
Triage
It's just a brief episode, but it's based on real events.
The story depicts the mental burden of making a life-or-death decision.
- A game where you write down the people you want to save.
In a typical story, this would be a scene where the character is happy to have gotten through the situation successfully, but in this work, it's a unique scene where they get scolded instead.
What they're doing is simply postponing the decision, and it's understandable that Wabiko would be angry at them for treating a life-or-death choice as a game.
- Selection of landfill site
This might be the closest option to the trolley problem.
In a sense, I think it's a spectacular scene that could be considered the climax of the story.
Although the choice ultimately wasn't fulfilled, Yuzuru made a firm decision, and I think it's fair to say this marks a kind of conclusion.
Negotiation game
This is a lighthearted game that Kyo will play.
This part wasn't about life-or-death choices, but rather something closer to a game in a real sense, so in a way, it was easy to read.
・Probation game
I thought the "cut line" design around the neck was quite brilliant.
I wasn't quite satisfied with how to defeat the enemies in that game.
Crossword puzzle
I was surprised to realize that I hadn't even noticed that Kyo's glasses were clearly missing until it was pointed out to me while I was reading.
If you don't remember the "masu" (masu) numbers, you're stuck, so this is where Kyo's superhuman abilities come into play.
Kurose is one of my favorite characters.
Chimera Hunt Game
The sudden shift to a more physically demanding game was surprisingly refreshing.
I found Ms. Kurose's dislike of paisley patterns amusing.
However, it's a shame that Kurose doesn't have any more appearances after this.
Hungry Hungry Gum
I think this episode is based on a real-life incident involving cannibalism in extreme circumstances.
However, it didn't really feel like a competition, and the solutions were rather convenient, so it wasn't very interesting.
For a while, the focus will shift from enjoying the thrill of deception to enjoying the depiction of suffering.
Rockfall Jenga
The most memorable episode for me was when the ultimate expression of pain was "WHY?"
I thought it made sense when it was connected to the Book of Job.
However, the way to clear the game relies entirely on convenient plot devices, so as a game, I'd say "NO."
・Horned Beast Clash Game
This game made me think about fathers, mothers, and children in a meaningful way.
This is a story about the "choice of life and death" that had been hidden from view for some time, finally coming to the surface.
It forces you to make choices regarding the lives of livestock and animals.
Doremi Banana
The sight of a gorilla walking around school is surreal, but the gorilla is really scary.
Kyo"Something bigger than the sun."The scene where he delivers his signature line was really cool, it's been a while since I've seen something like that.
However, I wasn't sure if the theme of round objects would continue to get bigger, so I felt this was a bit too convenient.
However, I really liked the idea of using sunlight to reflect the light.
A balloon-loving kid on the edge of a cliff
It was a satisfying conclusion, typical of a shonen manga.
I was surprised to find out that Yuzuki, who I initially thought was just a mascot-like character, actually becomes a very important figure.
However, I'm concerned that she's too short.
・The final choice
There was an unexpected twist right at the very end, which surprised me quite a bit.
It was interesting, almost like the opposite of the game "Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shoujo".
Yuzuru, too, has grown as a character, moving from someone who gives up their choices to others to someone who makes the decision to relinquish their own existence.
Kumiko"Choose the reality you should believe in."Those words really hit home.
Boy Y Vol. 1 (Shonen Champion Comics)(Amazon)
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