I am not familiar with the work this manga was based on, but I thoroughly enjoyed volume one of the story. I am not a regular reader of manga or graphic novels, but this one pulled me through it in only a few hours (and while I was at work, at that). Particularly of note - the illustrations were stunning. I'll be seeking out the print version simply to have the marvelous artwork on my bookshelves.

My thanks to Kodansha Comics for making available via NetGalley this beautiful graphic novel/manga of the first volume of Waki Yamato’s adaptation of Murasaki Shikibu’s 11th-century literary masterpiece, ‘The Tale of Genji’.

This English language digital edition coincides with ‘The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, featuring original artwork from this manga, opening in March 2019.

The story recounts the forbidden love between the young prince Genji and his stepmother, Fujitsubo, who is married to the Emperor. Along the way Genji has a number of affairs while ignoring his own wife. Their arranged marriage had taken place when he was only twelve. Having lost his mother at a young age, Genji seems to be searching for maternal love.

The Oedipal theme is extended by the fact that the Emperor had married Fujitsubo because she closely resembles his dead concubine, Genji’s mother. The complexity doesn’t end there.

I freely admit that I had not previously known of this novel or its history. Yet I was intrigued by it and the cover art was breathtaking.I also have not read much manga though I have appreciated what I have experienced. The art throughout was exquisite with enough text to relay the story.

After the main text Waki Yamato provides family trees, useful short character introductions, and an article about her journey with ‘The Tale of Genji’, which originally was published between 1980-1993 in thirteen volumes.

I felt this format provided an excellent introduction to this classic work of Japanese literature. Dare I hope that Kodansha Comics makes more volumes available to English readers in the future.

A classic tale from back in the old days in Japan.
Genji is the shining prince, so beautiful, so young. Such a womaziner from a time so long ago.

It's a pretty tale of the prince Genji, son of the Emperor but not with the first wife. So young he loses both his mother - The Emperor' love, Lady Kiritsubo, a comcubine from a lowly family but so beautiful she calls all the attention.

As the chapters go we follow Lady's Kiritsubo and Emperor Kiritsubo story, and as soon as Genji's hit his 3 years we follow his story as he grows into a young man and then into a adult and all his lovers as he passes life, always matching his princesses with the flowers he so much like.

While I had a bit of difficulty in the beginning to see who was who in the woman cast, the trace of art so very much alike, I had a nice time reading this book. Very beautiful.

I love manga and I didn’t know that much about this, I knew vaguely of the tale, so it was lovely to come to something fresh and new, or to me anyway. The art and illustrations are lovely and the tale well told, a great introduction to the tale and I look forward to reading more on this. It made me want to read more outside the manga and that’s always a good thing, a great read and great pacing and adapted.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion