There are two universal truths in today’s rapidly changing comics industry. The first is that Dog Man remains the defining comic of our era. The second is that more people are reading manga and Webtoons (aka vertical scroll comics) than ever before. Therefore we at Comics Beat are continuing our Beat’s Bizarre Adventure. Every week we’ll have three writers recommend some of their favorite books and series from Japan, Korea and elsewhere. This week we have a melancholy dark fantasy, a horror webtoon about to become a film, and, of course, BECK!
Centuria
Writer/Artist: Tohru Kuramori
Translator: Catherine Delage
Lettering: Jade C.
Platform: MANGA Plus
Centuria, written and illustrated by Tohru Kuramori, debuted on April 8, 2024 via Shueisha’s Shōnen Jump+ platform. Since then it has been compiled into three tankōbon volumes, with the first released in July 2024. This dark fantasy manga masterfully blends intense action, gripping themes, and wholesome undertones, particularly through its exploration of family.
The story follows Julian, a slave who escapes a life of captivity, only to find himself aboard a ship of fellow slaves. His newfound freedom is short-lived as he’s condemned to death after being discovered. But the courage and kindness of the slaves, especially a pregnant woman named Mira, change Julian’s fate. When a monstrous sea creature emerges to demand a sacrifice, Mira performs an extraordinary act of selflessness—she sacrifices herself after saving her child and empowering Julian with supernatural strength. Left to care for the child, Julian begins a journey of redemption, responsibility and uncovering his humanity.
Centuria stands out because of its balance between harrowing themes and moments of emotional warmth. It explores weighty concepts like war, human will, and dreams, yet roots itself in intimate, personal stakes. The first chapter hooks readers by blending dark fantasy and compelling character dynamics. The art is pretty good; while the character designs are not my favorite, they feel real and alive, their emotions palpable in every panel. I admit that their cuteness makes the story unique in a way. Meanwhile the detailed castles, houses, forests and sea drawings are eloquently beautiful.
The dynamic action scenes, coupled with intricate monster designs, create a vivid and brutal world that leaves a lasting impression. The story’s themes of family and sacrifice, combined with the dark fantasy elements, give it a heartwarming yet haunting quality reminiscent of classics like Berserk, Vinland Saga and Demon Slayer.
Centuria’s gritty art and dark fantasy tones set the stage for a powerful saga. If you’re a fan of emotionally charged storytelling with stunning visuals, this is a must-read. Prepare to embark on a journey through a world as beautiful as it is brutal! — Ilgın Side Soysal
Stagtown
Writer/Artist: Punko
Platform: WEBTOON
Funny how it took an announcement of Stagtown getting a film adaptation for me to return and finish reading the story before its premiere. Stagtown, for those curious, is a 2021 horror webtoon created by Punko, and published on WEBTOON as an Original series until 2023. It is centered around Frankie, a college-age student who returns to her childhood home of Stagtown, an isolated rural town where strange occurrences happen.
This series is like if Twin Peaks crossed over with Silent Hill and took the form of a webtoon. Punko’s characters have very large and expressive eyes, paired with dark shadows and smaller hatched lines to imply depth and detail for lighter shadows. While the character designs and line work are simple, with mostly monotone colors, the backgrounds are very detailed by contrast with a sparse choice of colors applied over the art to get away with being what was originally a black and white series. It adds a bleak and unsettling layer to the various horror elements and set pieces that are in store for the reader as well as the characters.
The various entities and characters that are central to each arc’s story are very creative. From sentient cameras with legs that multiply and spread like a disease, to children wearing animal masks that hide their entire heads, to mysterious carousels and more.
I also love how short and focused each story arc in Stagtown is. This is reflected in the thumbnail art for the episodes that are part of those arcs. Each set of thumbnails makes up pieces of a whole image tied to said arc.
Stagtown is a thriller horror series that has a lot of heart and creativity on display. It comes as no surprise why this was picked for a film adaptation, as each arc could easily be a standalone film if the writers choose to go that route. Hopefully they do not plan to compress the entirety of the series into two and a half hours as there is a lot of material to cover.
If you wish to read and experience this story and all the extra material the author has to offer, it is available for free to read in its entirety on WEBTOON. Go check it out before the adaptation arrives! — Justin Guerrero
BECK
Writer/Artist: Harold Sakuishi
Translator: Stephen Paul
Lettering: Star Print Brokers
Publisher: Kodansha
Mythology is integral to the story of rock and roll. It’s one thing to know that Keith Richards’ guitar riff for “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” is one of the all time great songs. It’s another to know that it almost didn’t exist because Richards played it drunkenly into a tape recorder, fell asleep, and played the tape back in the morning. Stories and legends like this litter the history of rock. Without them, the songs are just notes coming out of a speaker.
That is why BECK by Harold Sakuishi remains one of the greatest fictional stories about rock music ever created. Sakuishi understands that the legend of Japanese rock band Beck is just as integral to their story as the music they make. When teenager Koyuki meets the odd looking dog Beck and his owner Ryusuke, it’s treated as a moment of destiny. Soon Koyuki becomes enamored not just with the mystique that Ryusuke projects but the rock music he loves too. Which sets them both on the path to the formation of a rock band and the legend that they will share.
Sakuishi loves rock music and it shows in every line of his manga. The instruments characters play are meticulously researched. People who populate this series share intentional resemblances to specific rock stars. One of the antagonists might as well just be Jay-Z. More importantly though, when drawing the series’ many concert scenes, Sakuishi captures both the energy of a live performance as well as the feeling of excitement from seeing that performance.
As much as the legend of rock and roll is an integral part of BECK, it’s also about the power of what music brings into our lives. The community that comes with making music with others. Finding your people so to speak through shared passion. As Beck makes their way to their big break, it’s as much about the friends (and rivals) they make that get them to that point. It’s through those people that their legend as a band will be told along with their music. — D. Morris
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