Golden Kamuy

 Well, dear reader(s), a new year is upon us and I thought I'd start this year of blogging on a positive note; by writing about something I really like. That something being (obviously) Golden Kamuy.

Golden Kamuy (or Kamui) is a Japanese comic written and drawn by Satoru Noda, which began serialization in 2015, with the manga being adapted into an anime (as they are wont to do), in 2018. Having recently caught up with the English language release of the manga and the third season of the anime, I decided that it was high time I dedicated a post to this series.

Golden Kamuy's story  takes place in Hokkaido, shortly after  Japan's war with Russia. Saichi Sugimoto, a war-veteran whose ability to survive almost every injury earned him monicker 'immortal', learns about a fortune in gold hidden away by Ainu separatists, who were all killed by a traitor afterwards. Said traitor then ended up in the heavily guarded Abashiri prison, where he shared his secret about the gold with the other inmates and arranged for them to have the location to the treasure tattooed on their skins. Now, the inmates have all broken out of prison and spread out across Hokkaido. 

Being in need of money, not for himself but for an eye-operation for his best friend's widow (whom he is in love with), Sugimoto, accompanied by a young Ainu-girl named Asirpa, sets out to find all the tattooed skins and with them, the treasure. On their quest, the duo soon encounters Yoshitake Shiraishi; one of the escaped convicts, whose tattoo they copy. Shiraishi then joins up with Sugimoto and Asirpa, becoming the series primary source of comedic relief.

During their quest to find all the tattooed skins and learn the location of the gold, the trio comes into conflict with other groups who seek the gold, each for their own purpose. One group is led by Hijikata Toshizo; the aging former vice-commander of the Shinsengumi, whose skills with the blade have not been dulled by his many years in prison. Another consists of war-veterans from the Japanese army's fifth division, led by the brilliant and charismatic, but utterly deranged First-Lieutenant Tokushiro Tsurumi. 

As with so many stories, Golden Kamuy's chief appeal comes from its characters and how they interact with each other, in both humorous and serious ways. The Most important relationship in the comic being the one between Sugimoto and Asirpa. At first, the two of them join forces mostly out of convenience, but of course, as their journey continues, the bond between them grows stronger. 

Sugimoto is our ostensible lead character. A battle-scarred ex-soldier, he has no problems killing to protect himself and those he cares about. He's also clearly traumatised by his experiences during the war and knows first hand the effect of being killer can have on somone, which is why he is so protective of Asirpa and determinded to spare her from such a fate.

If Sugimoto is the lead, then Asirpa can be considered Golden Kamuy's true hero. In some ways, she reminds me of one of Miyazaki's heroines, with her strong-willed personality and connection to nature. Later in the comic, we learn that Asirpa's father, Wilk, who taught her how to survive in the wild, also intended for his daughter to be a leader of the Ainu, ensuring their survival. Asirpa is resourceful and brave, as well as mature for her age. That said, she does have moments that remind the reader that she's still, ultimately, a child.

Last, but not least, we have Shiraishi. A master escape-artist, who has broken out of every prison he's been put in. Shiraishi's main role is to be the clown of the group, as well as its butt-monkey. Most characters have their comedic moments, but Shiraishi is the most frequent victim of slapstick or comical mishappens. At times, one can't help but feel a bit bad for the guy, since even when he is genuinely useful, he rarely gets any respect from anyone in the comic.

Surrounding these three are a large and colorful cast of soldiers, spies, thieves, gang-members and serial killers, and while not all of them can be said to be incredibly well-developed characters, the vast majority of them are memorable and do their part to keep the reader engaged in the story that unfolds.

One thing that must be mentioned in the same breath as the characters is their designs. Like many great comic artists (or manga-ka, if you prefer), Satoru Noda has a talent for giving each character a distinct look, one that gives the reader an idea of what their personality will be like from just a look.

The Plot of Golden Kamuy is a thrilling one, filled with twists and turns, with alliances being formed and broken, as the various groups try their best to out-race and/or out-wit each other in their search for the gold. The Various mini-arcs/sub-plots can vary in quality, but so far, there has only been one that I didn't really care for.

Noda also deserves praise for the amount of reserarch he's put into his work, especially regarding the Ainu. Facts about their culture and the various customs are woven into the narrative and I found them fascinating. So, Golden Kamuy is not just an entertaining comic, but an educational one as well. 

Golden Kamuy is not going to be for everyone (than again, what is?). If you have a problem with say, graphic violence,male nudity and some occasionally juvenile humor, then you might want to give this one a pass. If you don't, or if you are willing to overlook these parts of it, then Golden Kamuy comes highly recommended. Personally, I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

That's the manga. So, how about the anime adaptation? Is it worth watching? Personally, I'd have to say yes. Admitttedly, the first season is a bit rough around the edges visually, with all the animals being depicted in pretty jarring CGI, but it gets better. If you are interested in experiencing this story yourself, than the original manga is your best option, since the adaptation either condenses or cuts out certain parts and characters entirely. Still, the anime is worth watching. 

Hina, hina.