The Journey of Shuna (1983)

[シュナの旅]

Author/Artist: Hayao Miyazaki
Publisher: Animage Bunko

Synopsis:
The prince of a mountain tribe goes on a journey in search of golden seeds that could save his people from starvation.

Story/Characters:
When I heard there was another manga Hayao Miyazaki wrote besides Nausicaä, I had to look it up. I hesitate to describe this book as manga. It's more of an illustrated novel and I almost thought about classifying this in the Books section, but as it seems to be generally accepted as a graphic novel, that's enough to qualify it for the Comics/Manga section instead. Adapted from a Tibetan folk tale, the story really shows off Miyazaki's love of mythology and folklore, spinning a story that is both archetypical and particular to him and his style. Of particular interest to Miyazaki fans, this story provided inspiration for both Nausicaä and Princess Mononoke, especially the latter as it's basically the animated adaptation of the story Miyazaki always wanted to do but never could. It's an interesting, imaginative story with a lot of heart, as you'd expect from the master.

Art:
If you like Miyazaki's style, you'll have plenty of eye candy to enjoy. The entire story is in full color with gorgeous watercolor art. We get a number of varied and interesting locations that are quite distinctive.

Conclusion:
For all Miyazaki fans, this one's a no-brainer. Even if you're not a dedicated enthusiast, this is a very nice little story that definitely deserves a place in your collection.

Rating:
Own It