Master Keaton, Vol. 1

Master Keaton, Book 1 is the first volume in the reprinting of the 1989 series about Keaton, a half-Japanese, half-English archaeology lecturer for a minor university and insurance investigator for Lloyd's of London. When he isn't lecturing (which is pretty often), his adventures take him all around the world in a series of situations involving suspicious deaths, drugs, archaeology, and of course, his own family, which is quite interesting. His father is a Japanese zoologist who once lived in a slum, and his mother is a rich noblewoman, who isn't seen in this first book. He also has a daughter and an ex-wife.Master Keaton is a bit of a departure for Urasawa, who's known for epics lasting thousands of pages. Instead, each adventure lasts at most 40 pages, and then it's on to the next scenario. I particularly enjoyed this collection because I didn't feel like reading something religiously, although in the end, I did. Highly recommended for all fans of manga. ****3/4

Taichi Hiraga-Keaton is a Japanese-English archaeologist turned insurance investigator who, in his mid-life, is still finding his path. He draws upon his years in the military elite and wealth of academic knowledge to help him solve cases, but it is his knack for empathizing that allows him to see the human side of every story. While Keaton focuses on catching crooks and solving mysteries, his daughter Yuriko is busy trying to ensure he doesn’t neglect his personal life, which often gets left at the office door.

I'm a huge fan of Urasawa's Monster and 20th Century Boys, but this is my first time getting into Master Keaton. This one really stands out due to its episodic storytelling that's divided into 12 short chapters. Each story is fast-paced but rich in culture and history. One thing that impressed me right away is Urasawa's insane amount of research. He goes into great detail about different ethnic groups, religions, political factions, cultural landmarks and artwork, archaeology, and life survival skills, among many other subjects. He weaves historical facts into each character's life, so I feel like I'm actually learning something!Is this just a boring history lesson? Not at all! There is a good deal of action, adventure, and tragic stories that will tug on your heart strings. This is a very entertaining manga overall due to Keaton's quirky yet charming personality. My favorite scenes are actually of Keaton spending time with his daughter and father, which always take an amusing turn. I wonder if he will ever get in touch with his ex-wife, a brilliant mathematician, whom he gets easily flustered over when she shows interest in another man. Regarding each insurance case, I look forward to seeing how Keaton will outwit his peers and opponents and utilize his life survival skills. Stuck in the middle of a desert with no food or water? Have no fear if Keaton is stuck out there with you!In my opinion, this book has the most attractive cover design compared to Urasawa's other manga. I like the shiny, golden title and detailed map in the background. Inside, there are a few colored pages at the beginning and middle of the book. Viz Media is planning to publish all 12 volumes in English, so I encourage you to go out and support this brilliant series. I can't wait for the next exciting installment of Master Keaton!

I fondly remember the time when I first picked up a copy of the original Japanese “Master Keaton.” That was in the 1980s, and now I read it again, this time in English, for the first time in more than 20 years, but the comic is still refreshingly original, with the unique protagonist Taichi Hiraga-Keaton, former SNS member and lecturer of archeology, moonlighting as an insurance investigator. In the first episode of Volume 1, Keaton is sent to Greece by the insurance company to investigate the strange death of a man, who fell to his death off a cliff.Most of the cases and adventures involve archeology, and the ever-resourceful Keaton solves them and outwit his adversaries with intelligence and survival skills. The best story of the volume is probably the one about him and the excavation team left alone in the Taklimakan Desert. The comic is also amusing as a character-driven drama about mild-mannered Keaton and his strong-willed daughter.Written by Hokusei Katsushika and Takashi Nagasaki, and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa, “Master Keaton” is one of the best comics Urasawa has created. The original comic was serialized from 1988-1994 in Shogakukan’s semimonthly magazine “Big Comic Original,” following the success of his smash hit “Yawara!” (86-93).Some manga fans may have already read Urawasa’s works like “20th Century Boys” (2000-06), but his best remains these two earlier works. Now one of them is finally out in English. Enjoy it.