I'm making this post to vague about a stranger, and also to talk about Takayuki Yamaguchi, who rules.
Someone once said that, in the wake of Miura's untimely death, Takayuki Yamaguchi should take on the mantle of writing and drawing Berserk.
No offense (OK, some offense) to the guy who wrote this, but I can't think of a mangaka with a more diametrically opposed creative voice to Miura's, even if they both had similar root influences (Go Nagai, Fist of the North Star, Phantom of the Paradise and henshin heroes like Ultraman, Kamen Rider and Kikaider) and aesthetic interests (intense gore and violence, muddy textures, weird and often extreme sexual imagery).
For one, Takayuki Yamaguchi is a man who IIRC has directly stated that he's not great at subtle or nuanced emotion and thus excels at creating narratives built off of repressed characters unable to fully express themselves and asking him to illustrate a manga whose identity is partly defined by its creator's mastery of expression and subtle emotion isn't a great idea, really.
He was good at rendering subtle emotions once, during the early chapters of Shigurui, and he then promptly abandoned that skill in favor of intense stoicism for good reason.
One, he makes it look good, two, his work is defined by its detached, clinical tone. He deliberately views characters at a distance, by either using impersonal, novelistic third-person narration, viewing his protagonists through the lens of others within the narrative, or through something as simple as avoiding language and explicit information, valuing weighted silence over exposition. This dovetails *beautifully* with the narratives he handles.
Gekikou Kamen is about a tokusatsu enthusiast's relationship with Imperial Japan as reflected in the art he consumes, Shigurui is a critique of rigid class structures and loyalty to the state, and Exoskull Zero is his version of Casshern Sins I.E a manga about a former superhero in a doomed, fantastical landscape at the end of time out to save people who might not even exist.
They're manga that require an ambivalent approach to function: any kind of emotional scrutability or visceral intimacy would contradict Yamaguchi's novelistic style and frank examinations of flawed social structures and the people they produce.
Shigurui's macroscopic critique of Edo Japan doesn't work as an emotionally intimate narrative, and Gekikou Kamen's critique of the imperialist subtext behind much of tokusatsu doesn't work if you were immediately sympathetic to or understanding of its wannabe imperialist lead, for some examples.
If you asked Miura to draw a Yamaguchi manga, he'd have failed spectacularly because of his love of intense, emotionally intimate storytelling and illustration. He was simply not capable of (or perhaps more accurately simply uninterested in) the kind of emotional ambivalence that Yamaguchi excels at.
Hell, as I'll discuss later, intimacy vs. ambivalence might be the best summation of the differences between Miura and Yamaguchi's respective styles.
I don't think Yamaguchi would be a great choice for Berserk's action scenes either. Yamaguchi displays his mastery of action illustration by dilating time to show every individuated step of the process of movement, making his action feel intensely deliberate and methodical. Every step, and every step within that greater step, matters.
Kentaro Miura, meanwhile, often did the opposite with Guts, depicting the beginning and end of a sword swing and deliberately excising everything in between to generate a sense of speed and kinetic intensity.
Do you think FMDM was inspired by Kakugo no Susume? It seems like it's particular blend of Kamen Rider, gross psycho-sexual body horror, insane gore and "oh my god what the fuck was wrong with Japan during the 40s Jesus Christ" intersects with FMDM shockingly well.
this might be a strange thing to admit, but I actually haven't gotten around to reading or watching Kakugo no Susume! I'd be inclined to say that, from everything I've heard about it, it probably did take some influence
You need to read Yamaguchi's manga, they're the nucleus that Full Metal Daemon Muramasa emerged from. The blow-by-blow descriptions of sword combat, the Kamen Rider and mecha anime references, the intense violence and psycho-sexual horror, the fascism, Kageaki himself, they all feel like they were shaped by Kakugo no Susume and Shigurui.
(translation+lyrics) 革命のヴィラネス by BΣretta Crossrain
youtube
Yeah another one I had tled a while ago but had no time to post. Lyrics down below the cut and see you all next time.
-------------------------------------
革命のヴィラネス
Kakumei no Viranesu (Revolutionary Villainess)
Composer: Yoda Takeru
Vocalist: BΣretta Crossrain
Shinzuru seigi ga tame
Saa ima kakumei no noroshi wo
For the justice we believe in
Light the fire of this revolution
Throw away useless emotions
I have to endure it
Trust only my both hands
Don't look back. Just move on
Osore mo urei sae mo
Kono ayumi wo tomeru kase to shite amari ni karuku
My fear and my grief
Are like brittle shackles unable to stop me
Kaze ni mau you na usui kotoba de wa
Daremo watashi shibare wa shinai
Faint words are carried by the wind
I won’t let anyone bind me
Saa takaraka ni hanki wo hiragaeshite
Kinou made no zokushiki wo sugu ni uchiotose
Sendatsusha usopuku kousetsu kansei de ima mogaki keshita nara
Kakumei no hibuta wa sude ni kirareteiru
Now proudly raise the banner of revolution even higher
And overthrow the vulgarities of the past
Drown away our predecessor’s dogma
The flare of revolution has been ignited
Mayoi wa tou no mukashi ni sutesatta
Migite ni wa seigi wo hidarite ni wa kakugo wo
I’ve long since discarded my doubts
All I hold now is justice in my right hand and resolve on my left hand
Kizutsuku koto mo kizutsukeru koto mo
itowanai to chikatta
Even if hurt I'll continue to hurt them
Such is the oath I’ve taken
Onore no hinkaku kagasanu tame ni
Shitoyakayori shitataka ni are
So as not to taint your dignity
I’ll be tough rather than graceful
Saa takaraka ni shouri wo ten ni hoe yo
Kaburi wo tareta orokamono ni jihi wa nashi
Chou no you ni hachi no you ni karei ni dorokusaku tatakae
Now proclaim your victory loudly towards the heavens
No mercy for the fools who bow their heads
Like a butterfly, like a bee, fight gracefully yet deadly
Kagi wo kaketa torikago no naka ni etsukeru te
Wasure wa shinai darou
Saredo watashi wa nidoto furikaeranai
Tatoe katsute no tomo wo kono te de yakiharau koto ni nattemo
Being hand fed within a locked birdcage
I will not forget
Yet I won’t go back to those days
I’ve prepared to burn anything with these hands, even past friends
Aa motometa no wa tada jiyuu dake datta
Hirogaru sora takaku kakeru yume wo miru
Hitori no itami mo kizanda kizu mo
Jiki ni ieru darou
All that I yearn for now is freedom
To see my dreams rise higher than the skies
The pain of loneliness and that of my wounds
It’ll fade away soon
Saa takaraka ni shouka wo utai age yo
Nozomi kogareta shouri wa ima kono te ni ari
Onore wo tataeyo sono ashi de susume jishin de hiraita michi
Kakumei no eiyuu tsune ni kodoku de are
Now chant our hymn loudly
The victory we’ve yearned for is within our grasp
Praise yourself and march on this path
For the hero of the revolution is always in solitude
「予定の出発時刻まであと1分だ!
ここからの私語は一切認めん!気を引き締めろ!行くぞ!」
“Yotei no shuppatsu jikoku made ato ippun da!
Koko kara no shigo wa issai mitomen! ki wo hikishimero! Iku zo!”
“Sisa satu menit sampai waktu keberangkatan yang dijadwalkan!
Tidak akan ada obrolan mulai dari sekarang! Persiapkan dirimu! Ayo pergi!"
せいいっぱいの声で グーテンターク!ドイツだ!
地球(ほし)を飛び越え ジャーマン☆ジェット
せいいっぱい進め ロス ゲーツ!ロス ゲーツ!
覚悟を決めて立ち向かうのさ ヘタリア
Seiippai no koe de gu-tenta-ku! Doitsu da!
Hoshi wo tobikoe Jaaman☆jetto
Seiippai susume rosu ge-tsu! Rosu ge-tsu!
Kakugo wo kimete tachimukau no sa Hetalia
Dengan suara terkeras, GUTEN TAG! Aku Jerman!
Terbang melintasi langit German☆Jet
Ayo maju dengan sekuat tenaga, LOS GEHT! LOS GEHT'S!
Aku bertekad untuk menghadapinya, Hetalia
輝いた星屑を
慎重に通り抜け
余裕ができたら
ヴルスト食べるぞ
Kagayaita hoshikuzu wo
Hinchou ni toorinuke
Yoyuu ga dekitara
Vurusuto taberu zo
Debu bintang berkilauan
Terbang melewatinya dengan hati-hati
Dan ketika ada waktu untuk bersantai
Mari makan Wurst
新しい任務は ゼーア グート!ゼーア グート!
セカイはひとつ ザ ワールド ティンクル ヘタリア
Atarashii ninmu wa ze-a gu-to! Ze-a gu-to!
Sekai wa hitotsu za warudo tinkuru Hetalia
Misi barunya SEHR GUT! SEHR GUT!
Dunia menjadi satu THE WORLD TWINKLE HETALIA
時間はきっちり グーテンターク!ドイツだ!
宙(そら)を進行中 ジャーマン☆ジェット
警戒しながら ロス ゲーツ!ロス ゲーツ!
ナビの設定も完璧だ ヘタリア
Jikan wa kicchiri gu-tenta-ku! Doitsu da!
Sora wo shinkouchuu Jaaman☆jetto
Keikai shinagara rosu ge-tsu! Rosu ge-tsu!
Nabi no settei mo kanpeki da Hetalia
Kita tiba tepat waktu, GUTEN TAG! Aku Jerman!
Menjelajahi angkasa German☆Jet
Sementara tetap waspada, LOS GEHT'S! LOS GEHT'S!
Pengaturan sistem navigasi juga sempurna, Hetalia
宇宙船と遭遇だ!!
あらかじめ読んだ
本の記載の通り
遂行するぞ!
Uchuusen to souguu da!!
Arakajime yonda
Hon no kisai no toori
Suikou suru zo!
Kita telah menemukan pesawat ruang angkasa!
Sama seperti deskripsi dalam buku
Yang sudah kubaca baik-baik
Akan kulakukan!
「わ…ワレワレは…ち…地球人であります!」
“Wa… wareware wa… chi… chikyuujin de arimasu!”
"Ka... kami adalah... pe... penduduk bumi!"
言葉が違っても シュトレ��ヴェン!シュトレーヴェン!
セカイはひとつ ザ ワールド ティンクル ヘタリア
Kotoba ga chigattemo shutore-ven! Shutore-ven!
Sekai wa hitotsu za warudo tinkuru Hetalia
Meski kita bicara bahasa yang berbeda, STREBEN! STREBEN!
Dunia menjadi satu THE WORLD TWINKLE HETALIA
「うむ、どうやら…うまくいったようだな。」
“Umu, douyara… umaku itta youda na.”
"Hmm, sepertinya... itu berjalan dengan baik."
どんな状況下においても
できないことはない
ほら声を出すぞ
Donna joukyouka ni oitemo
Dekinai koto wa nai
Hora koe wo dasu zo
Tidak peduli situasi apa yang sedang kita alami
Tidak ada yang tidak bisa kita lakukan
Ayo, mari perdengarkan suara kita!
「Zugleich!」
"Bersama-sama!"
C D E F G A B C D
声を合わせて グーテンターク!ドイツだ!
地球(ほし)が近づくぞ ジャーマン☆ジェット
スピードを確認 ロス ゲーツ!ロス ゲーツ!
このままいけば時刻通りだ ヘタリア
「協力、感謝する」
Koe wo awasete gu-tenta-ku! Doitsu da!
Hoshi ga chikadzuku zo jaaman☆jetto
Supi-do wo kakunin rosu ge-tsu! rosu ge-tsu!
Kono mama ikeba jikoku doori da Hetalia
“Kyouryoku, kansha suru”
Mari berkumpul bersama, GUTEN TAG Aku Jerman!
Bumi semakin dekat German☆Jet
Verifikasi kecepatan, LOS GEHT'S! LOS GEHT'S!
Lanjutkan pada tingkat ini dan kita akan sampai tepat waktu Hetalia
"Terima kasih atas kerja samanya"
予定していた場所を
たくさん周って
少々…不思議な
知り合いが増えた
Yotei shiteita basho wo
Takusan mawatte
Shoushou… fushigi na
Shiriai ga fueta
Kita bepergian ke banyak tempat
Yang telah dijadwalkan untuk dikunjungi
Dan membuat kenalan baru
Yang sedikit... aneh
「ん?あのロケット…煙が出ているぞ?む?イタリアァァァァ!」
“N? Ano roketto… kemuri ga deteiru zo? Mu? Itariaaaaa!”
"Ng? Roketnya... mengeluarkan asap? Hah? ITALIAAAAA”
予想外の事態も ルーズン!ルーズン!
セカイはひとつ ザ ワールド ティンクル ヘタリア
Yosougai no jitai mo ru-zun! Ru-zun!
Sekai wa hitotsu za warudo tinkuru Hetalia
Bahkan dalam situasi tidak terduga, LÖSEN! LÖSEN!
Dunia menjadi satu THE WORLD TWINKLE HETALIA
Note:
guten Tag: selamat siang
Los geht's: ayo
sehr gut: bagus sekali
streben: berusaha
Lösen: pecahkan(masalah)
There’s some stuff I couldn’t catch in the first song.
KIRMES
("Okyaku-sama da! Okyaku-sama ga kita zo!"
"Itsuburi kashira!"
"Mou sugu entoransu ni tsuku you da!"
"Zen'in haichi ni tsuke-!"
"Isoide!")
One and two and three and you are here in KIRMES
Lights are on and music singing just for you, just this day
One and two and three and magic pops in KIRMES
It's so fun and marvelous so let us show your way
kyou wa kimi ga shuyaku sa
yume no mukougawa e tsureteku yo
tobikiri hajikeru yume monogatari wa
marude poppu na poppukoon mitai
yozora e hashiru koosutaa
sokudo agete tokimekasete
hoshi wo mawashitara me made mawacchatte
kyuukei mo mottainai ne
"ashimoto ni oki wo tsukete"
nakigao piero ga naite iru
"naku no wa boku no shigoto dakara
nagashita (namida wa) itadaku yo"
arere? kimi no egao wa doko? kitto (mitsukaru hazu)
koko wa kokoro no asobiba kimi dake no (sou! yuuenchi)
douzo tanoshinde
One and two and three and you are here in KIRMES
Lights are on and music singing just for you, just this day
One and two and three and magic pops in KIRMES
It's so fun and marvelous so let us show your way
kyou wa kimi dake no tame
omotenashi no zenryoku eigyou
tobikiri sakende atsuku natta nara
karafuru na aisu wa ikaga?
ayakashi hounteddo hausu
riaru-sa ni wa teihyou ari!
tsuki ga nobottara hajimaru pareedo
ima wa mada wo tanoshimi♪
"totte oki no sapuraizu wo"
jonguruuru ga hora, yattekuru
fanfaare ga nari hibiitara
paati (omatsuri) hajimaru yo
ikou kimi ga sagashidashite kitto (mitsukaru hazu)
kimi ga nakushita egao wa kimi dake ga (sou! wakaru kara)
ima wa tanoshinde
Youkoso! Kuusou yuuen KIRMES e
Koko wa kimi dake no tame no yuenchi
Minna kangei suru yo
Tanoshi sugite kaeritaku naku nachau kamo
Soshitara zutto boku-tachi to issho da ne
Ayakashi-tachi ga okuru kuusou yuuen e
Itterasshai!
(kenkenpa kuchizusande ishidatami watareba mieru)
akai torii kuguri nukete……
youkoso! (youkoso!) kuusou yuuen e
okyaku-sama, junbi wa ii desu ka?
nani mo (kowakunai yo) oto wo tanoshimu dake de ii
soushitara (itsu no ma ni ka) ugokidashichau yo
kimi ga mata utaou to suru nara kitto (mitsukaru hazu)
koko wa kokoro no asobiba kimi dake no (sou! yuuenchi)
rizumu kizande neon teraseba monogatari hajimaru yo
In the MIRROR
kossori dokkiri watashi wo mitsukete
"hora kocchi socchi docchi?"
honmono wa doko deshou acchi?
"bubbuu! jaa socchi? kocchida yo-!"
ateru made nigasanai'n dakara!
sukkiri pittari kotaete misete yo
"nee kocchi socchi docchi?"
susume! gooru no michi wa acchi?
"socchi yappa kocchi docchi-!?"
watashi no haato made wa madamada
tsukamaete misete yo kimi no hitomi utsuru
Shooting Star kono negai kanaete
kagami ni utsutta watashi ijou kazoe kirenai hodo no kimochi ga
kokoro meikyuu iri shiteru no
kokoro no suitchi ON ni shitara
honki de watashi wo sagashi dashite!
ii wa 'yoshi yoshi'tte shite ageru
suki mo kirai mo subete dakishimete ageru
kono watashi ni makasete oite ne♪
happii rakkii dai chansu taimu!
"sore shippo? sotto tacchi"
kore ijou wa dame! no tacchi!
"sou sou jaa kocchi? socchi-!"
watashi no haato made mou sukoshi
ima dake wa negau no watashi wa kimi dake no
Twinkle Star kono negai todokete
kagami ni utsutta kimi wo mite yo
sonna kao shitetara mottainai
wakaru? kidzuite inai no kashira
kotoba ni dekinai omoi datte
yurushite agerareru hi ga kuru yo kitto
'iranai'tte iwanaide
meiro nuketara chanto tsukamatte ageru
dakara kanarazu mitsukete misete
(acchi mo kocchi mo kimi darake!
mittsu mo socchi mo konai jinsei...
nanchatte~
nanchatte!
tobashi no wa docchi
erabu no socchi
nee acchi
saa kocchi
hanpo na kakugo ja sumimasen!
kono mezashite irasasume
dono itte miyou!)
kagami no naka ni wa daremo inai honmono no watashi wa koko ni iru
zutto kimi no soba ni iru kara
kagami ni utsutta watashi ijou kazoekirenai hodo no kimochi ga
kokoro meikyuu iri shiteru no
kokoro no suitchi ON ni shitara
honki de watashi wo sagashi dashite!
ii wa 'yoshi yoshi'tte shite ageru
suki mo kirai mo subete dakishimete ageru
kono watashi ni makasete oite ne♪
Ayakashi House
kono yo ni mo ano yo ni mo nita mono ga aru
hitori wa sabishii mon da waraete kuru ne
asobou yo tomodachi ni natte
nanimokamo wasurechatte
daijoubu aitaku nattara
ai ni kite itsudemo oide
mononoke soko nokette nokemono ni shinaide’tte ittan datte
madamada tarinai’tte kimi mo sou omotteru'n desho?
asobou? o·i·de!
yukiba no nai bokura ga mitsuketa ibasho
hitori wo shitteru kara daiji ni dekiru
ushi no koku jikangai datte
kamawanai koko ni kitara
odokashite sakenda kimi to
me awasete itsudemo waratte yaru!
koko ni ireba ii koko ni iyou yo
daremo kimi wo hitei shitari shinai
sabishiku nante sasenai kara
ayakashi mayakashi’tte fukashi na bokura datte irunda’tte
majimaji minaide’tte hazukashikutte kiechau yo
uso da yo a·so·bo!
shitteru kimi wa kaeru
kanarazu modottekonai
minna sou dakara sa
sore de ii sabishii keredo……
mononoke soko nokette nokemono ni shinaide’tte ittan datte
madamada tarinai’tte kimi mo sou omotterun desho?
ikite mo shindemo asonjae!
a·so·bo!
Merry Go Round
tooi kioku omoidashite
beru ga natte ugokidasu yo
fuwari fuwari kaze wo kitte
nagarete iku keshiki natsukashii toki
"sekai ga donna ni tsumetai toshite mo"
mawaru mawaru kawarazu kurikaeshite
"semete ima dake wa anata no"
sonna jibun wo yuruse nakute
"mikata de iru yo"
"ima dake wa tokubetsu da yo suki na dake koko ni ite yo
sasakurete nukenai sono toge no
itami ga kiete shimau made"
akogareteta meriwi go raundo
beru ga natte ugokidaseba
koko to wa chigau basho e kitto
tsuretette kureru to shinjite ita yo
"anata no nozomi wo kanaete ageru yo"
kururi kururi shiranai basho e
"kaeritai to negau made sono kizu wo nadete ageru
itsudatte ganbaru anata wa
itami ni kidzuku hima mo nai"
"ima dake wa tokubetsu da yo suki na dake naite ii yo
sono me ga hikari wo utsusu made anata wo nosete mawaru
darenimo iwanai himitsu da yo"
Kai
hitori kanransha ni yure oto wa toozakatte iku
chijou miorosu you ni takaku, motto takaku
nigiyakana ongaku mo azayakana hikari mo
marude yume mitai
wasurete hoshikatta nakushite hoshikatta
sekai kara boku wo keshite hoshikatta
sore nanoni doushite mune ga itai'n darou
tsumaranai hibi ni kaeritai nante sa
daremo shiranai basho
daremo kirawanai basho
fushigi de yasashii koko de
wasureteta kimochi wo omoidashita yo
atarimae no hibi ga atarimae ni natte
kangaeru koto wo yamete shimattanda
iki wo suu mitai ni shiawase ni amaete
taisetsu na mono mo okizari ni shite kita
asu wa kinou yori waraou
soshite, itsumo no nichijou ni kaerou
douka wasurenaide douka nakusanaide
boku no okusoko kara koe ga kikoerunda
itsudatte kowakute itsudatte fuande
oite kita maigo yatto mitsuketa yo
ikite kita sekai ni mada furetetai’tte
tsubuyaita boku ni shikatanai’tte waratte
nadete mita yo
LAST MAGIC
Finale saikou ni hanayaka ni
Music boryuumu agete
kimi e okuru aratana hajimari no pareedo wo
"It's like a dream
You felt the spark in your heart
We're sharing the our magic!"
jinsei to iu na no butai no ue, minna tatasareteru
sorenara mukaeru ketsumatsu wa happii endo ga ii
sou omou darou?
tsudzuku michi wa "mugendai"
erabu no wa "hitotsu dake"
demo machigaetara modottara ii dake sa
"For your smile"
nakushita egao wo
"Calling for your heart"
mitsukerare mashita ka?
"Until the break the dawn"
kimi dake no "sou" uta "Lala"
motto kikasete yo "itsudatte"
nankai demo "kanaderu yo"
hora issho ni "utaou yo"
kimi ga kimi ni okuru ongaku wo
jinsei hakanakute jiyuu de
bokura ga akogareta dorama ga aru
boku wa kimi ni narenai gyaku mo shikari
dakara koso toutoi "kizanda rizumu wa kimi dake no kiseki sa"
monogatari wa itsuka owaru
asa ga kureba subete yume ni kawari yuku
koko de deaeta koto wasuretatte
tokimeki wa kitto wasurenai yo
donna toki mo "itsudatte"
kimi shidai da "hajimari mo owari mo tsudzuki wo egaku koto sae"
osorenaide kujikesou na toki wa "utatte"
utatte "utatte"
kimi ga kimi wo (sou!) mitsukete aishita toki (sou!) hajimete
umare kuru ongaku wo
mou daijoubu mata nakushichatta nara
kuchizusamunda kimi dake no ongaku wo
boku-tachi wa itsudatte koko ni iru
"mata aou" mata itsuka