A Drifting Life



An autobiographical comic by Yoshihiro Tatsumi. Over 10 years in the making, A Drifting Life depicts Tatsumi's life from the time of his childhood in post-WWII Japan. A very dense work that is focused mostly on Tatsumi's experiences with Manga, A Drifting Life is filled not just with the history of Tatsumi, but also with the history of Japanese media and Japanese culture. It is a must-read for fans of Tatsumi and those who desire to know the history of manga, even if only a part of it.

A Drifting Life is published in English by Drawn and Quarterly, along with much of Tatsumi's other work.


 * Eye Scream: Tatsumi's older brother never lost a fight with the local bullies, despite his crippling tuberculosis, because he'd always go straight for their eyes.
 * "Mister Sandman" Sequence: The comic does several of these sequences to illustrate Japan's recovery from World War Two.