This review examines the first part of The Record of Fantastical Nomenclature.
Yen Press published the first volume of Maki Komatsu's surreal manga, featuring powerful artwork and unseen Obscura, but not before its February deadline.
The Record of Fantastical Nomenclature Volume 1 by Maki Komatsu is coming to Yen Press before the end of February.
Maki Komatsu's surrealist manga The Record of Fantastical Nomenclature Volume 1 has reached Western readers for the first time in English through Yen Press.
The Commission, built on invisible creatures
The series centers on an artist named Iori Midorisawa, who is able to see creatures that would otherwise be invisible. He has been drawing all day but his eyes are suddenly blocked by a shadow and he can no longer continue describing them as Obscura.
Iori questions why he was chosen for the project in the first place. He earns little from cheap commercial work and does not seem to have a reputation of being a book commissioner, while Mika portrays him as a strange alien who claims to be from another world and can also see Obscura.
The story's central mechanic is that the Obscura are disappearing from the world forever, and their loss can be prevented by documenting them. Mika wants to research and write about the creatures, but Iori provides illustrations.
The Bible has been translated into many languages, and it is still in print.
The Record of Fantastical Nomenclature is Maki Komatsu's first published work in English. Prior to this publication, there had been two manga series by Komatsu, including The Immortal Demon available at Manga Plaza and another currently underway.
Paragraph 1 was translated by Ajani Oloye and written with letters from Oliva Osanz, both of whom are noted to have done well in the English edition. The book also opens with several color pages.
It is also the first of its kind to be published in English.
The series is reminiscent of Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture, not only unfolding through the fragmented investigations of Obscura, but also as Iori and Mika carry on histories shaped by these creatures. Their individual experiences gradually draw them together, and Mika's otherworldly aura fosters a resemblance to that of professor Akira.
The artwork is one of the more obvious advantages of publishing. Komatsu's drawings help create a surreal environment by depicting fictional creatures in everyday Japanese life with panels overlaid with detailed backgrounds.
In the two-volume essay, Dealing With Anxiety
In the first series, we've uncovered a lot of content about these two characters but are just scratching at the surface. And it is alarming that as this series ends with part 2, leaving no room for further development, the story must end.
Each chapter is enjoyable, but there's no smooth flow with each other. The result is a first disc that is more uneven than tightly connected. For readers of stories about invisible creatures, slow-paced leads will not be enough to eliminate the problem.
What was the outcome?
The Record of Fantastical Nomenclature presents the Japanese supernatural setting in an interesting way, using Obscura as such stories tend to suggest rather than following a general yokai focus. While pacing issues are prevented from feeling fully resolved, the premise, character performance and television details make the series appealing enough for genre fans who enjoy experiencing Iori and Mika's distinct meanings.
Volume 2 is scheduled to be published in English in February, concluding the story. The release also enhanced the prospects for later printed editions of Maki Komatsu's other works.