Fallen Words Story and Art by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
One man keeps maintenance of a brothel, another finds
himself keeping a mistress in secret from his wife, a man and his bratty son go
to the market. Morality tales from the mind behind A Drifting Life.
If nothing else, Fallen Words is a fascinating experiment
combining the concept of rakugo (a type of play very particular to Japanese
culture) and the comics medium. The concept of morality tales for adults is
interesting to say the least. These stories are definitely geared towards a
mature audience as they frequently involve prostitution and infidelity.
This experiment is not without it’s problems however. It’s
difficult to connect with the protagonists for the most part. The art certainly
does not help matters feeling generally inexpressive. The stories also all end
on a punchline which further detracts from the experience of reading this
title. Fallen Words is somewhat
enjoyable but ultimately forgettable.
Fallen Words is available in print from Drawn and Quarterly.
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