Love and Conspiracy
As someone who is completely hooked on Uoto's work,
I finally picked up "Welcome to FACT (Tokyo S-Ward Second Branch)."
Honestly, at first, I started reading it with a light heart,
thinking it was just a "love story about losers?"
But with every page I turned, I was drawn into its depth,
and before I knew it, I had read it all in one sitting.
After finishing it, there was so much left in my heart
that I was left stunned for a while.
Welcome to FACT (Tokyo S-Ward Second Branch) (1)
By Uoto
Love and conspiracy drawn by the author of "Chi.: On the Movement of the Earth"!!
Does that person have someone they like?
What was the meaning of the words spoken at that time?
When the love you hold overflows,
you approach the mystery that moves the world!!
An overwhelming new axis and an unprecedented
romantic comedy story by the author of "Chi." and "100m"!!
By Uoto
From Amazon
A new sensation romantic comedy where love and conspiracy intersect
This work is a unique story that weaves in the modern and realistic theme of "conspiracy theories"
centered on the love story between Takuya Watanabe, a non-regular employee,
and Shiori Iiyama, a highly conscious university student.
The excitement and anxiety of love, and the frustration of not knowing the other person's feelings,
are exquisitely linked with conspiracy theories and the darkness of society.
There is no lie in the catchphrase "Love and Conspiracy."
The exhilaration of the moment when love grows,
and the danger of the human psychology that gets sucked into conspiracy theories,
are drawn as if they are on the same continuum;
I felt this structure is a new axis unique to Uoto.
The reality and growth of the characters
The protagonist, Watanabe, is a dull young man who could be anywhere.
But the way he steps into the world of conspiracy theories
triggered by his meeting with Shiori seems to symbolize the
stagnation and loneliness of modern society.
Shiori is also a life-sized character who wavers between ideals and reality.
I couldn't help but project myself onto her dreams and conflicts.
The amazing thing about this work is that the characters have complex emotions and motives
that cannot be explained only by "good and evil" or "right and wrong."
The background of people attracted to conspiracy theories and even the temperature of the community born there
are carefully drawn, and it has a depth that does not end with mere satire or irony.
A sharp gaze at modern society
Uoto, who depicted the historical conflict of "heliocentrism and geocentrism" in "Chi.,"
chose "Modern Japan x Conspiracy Theories" for this work.
With the COVID-19 pandemic as a backdrop, why are people attracted to conspiracy theories,
and what kind of loneliness and humiliation are there?
The most personal thing, romantic feelings, and the social phenomenon of conspiracy theories
intersect brilliantly.
What was particularly impressive while reading was the point that the conflict between
"reality and dreams" and "orthodoxy and heresy" exists in both love and society.
The way the heroine, Shiori, hits a wall of reality while aspiring to social entrepreneurship,
and the way Watanabe tries to find his place in the world of conspiracy theories,
are the very conflicts of modern people.
Overwhelming density condensed into a short number of volumes
Despite the compact volume of four volumes in total,
the density of the story is very high.
At first glance, the disparate themes of conspiracy theories and love
converge into fundamental questions of "what is human" and "what is belief"
as you read on.
After reading, the lingering effect didn't leave me for a while.
Summary: A new masterpiece by Uoto, recommended for everyone living in modern society
This is a book that I definitely want people to read,
not only fans of Uoto's work, but also those interested in the
suffocation and loneliness of modern society and the meaning of "believing."
I assert that it has unique value both as a social drama in the guise of a romantic comedy
and as a sharp examination of the modern theme of conspiracy theories.
There is no other manga where "love" and "conspiracy" are depicted so earnestly and realistically.
Now that I've finished reading it, I don't want to read it from the beginning again—
this story will surely leave something in your heart as well.
Kindle Edition
………………
Self-introduction
I've started to like the note❤️. More
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