Learning the Reality of War Through Manga
Japanese manga artist Kazuyoshi Takeda is emphasizing the critical importance of learning about war to prevent repeating past conflicts. Approximately 90 percent of people currently living in Japan have no direct experience of combat. According to reports from Jiji Press, the 50-year-old creator of the historical series “Peleliu: Guernica in Paradise” noted that understanding the reality of armed conflict is an essential first step for younger generations.
Researching the Western Pacific Island of Peleliu
Takeda first ventured into war-themed illustration in 2015. That year marked 70 years since the end of World War II, when he produced a one-off manga for a mook publication. Researching the western Pacific island of Peleliu alongside a knowledgeable war historian shaped his perspective on the historical event.
“I felt that the way Japanese soldiers thought for themselves and survived was very human and no different from me,” Takeda said in an interview with Jiji Press, explaining his motivation to turn the short project into a full serialization.
Following Private First Class Tamaru
The resulting 15-volume series spans 10 years of work. It follows Private First Class Tamaru—an aspiring manga artist—through historical events starting with the 1944 U.S.-Japan battles, continuing through post-war Japanese soldier hiderouts until 1947, and extending to the grandchildren’s generation.
To ensure accessibility for a wide readership despite inevitable brutal subject matter, Takeda drew the characters in a three-head-tall, simplified style. Out of the Japanese forces who went into hiding on Peleliu, only 34 soldiers survived.
The Heavy Responsibility of Historical Subject Matter
Reflecting on the realities of historical warfare, Takeda told Jiji Press that “once a war starts, how difficult it is to end is the backbone of the story; there is no exit.”
During his research, he met about six times with Kiyokazu Tsuchida, a surviving soldier from Peleliu who passed away in 2018 at age 98. Takeda recalled how Tsuchida typically spoke with humor, but broke down weeping when discussing the deaths of his comrades.
Focusing the Next Project on the Battle of Okinawa
Another survivor initially rejected the project by telling him at a doorway that “manga is superficial.” Takeda viewed the remark as a necessary warning.
Readers range from the children and grandchildren of former soldiers to elementary school students expressing surprise at learning about the past. Takeda now plans to focus his next project on the Battle of Okinawa.
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