What does it mean to die? A beautiful picture book that is both poignant and soothing, "The Dead Pirate"
November 1st and 2nd are the Day of the Dead in Mexico.During this time, people in Mexico decorate graves to welcome their ancestors and the dead. It is a custom similar to Obon in Japan.
I used to have only eerie images of skeletons, but I remember thinking, "What is this? It's fun," when I saw humorous skeletons wearing colorful folk costumes in Mexico during my college years.
Now, today, in connection with skeletons, I would like to introduce a picture book with an impressive cover featuring a stark white skeleton against a pitch-black background.
"The Dead Pirate" (Written and illustrated by Masakatsu Shimoda)
As the title suggests, the story begins with a pirate dying and sinking into the sea.
While sinking into the sea that gradually turns a deep blue, the pirate encounters various creatures.
Then, his hat, clothes, and even his hair and eyeballs are taken away, and in the end, he becomes just a skeleton.
The pirate thinks.
"Even though my prized hat, teeth, nails, eyeballs, and hair are all gone, it seems I have truly died, so I don't need anything anymore, do I?"
The sight of the pirate, who was once dressed in flashy clothes that symbolized his greed, crossing paths with creatures, sharing his life, and finally reaching the bottom of the sea as a skeleton, evokes humor and brightness amidst the poignancy. For some reason, it feels very comforting and shakes the viewer's view of life and death.
"It might be nice to just spend my time here, looking at the sea. After all, I'm already dead."
Please take a look at the picture book to see the pirate, now a skeleton, shining brightly at the bottom of the dark sea.
Masakatsu Shimoda
Born in 1967. Raised in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. Painter and artist. Since 1994, he has traveled through China, Tibet, Nepal, India, and Europe, drawing portraits of the people he met. After returning to Japan, he began his career in painting, and currently, in addition to his creative work in illustrations and picture books, he also creates dinosaur works using fabric.
(Text by Kanako Kosakai)
https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%AD%BB%E3%82%93%E3%81%A0%E3%81%8B%E3%81%84%E3%81%9E%E3%81%8F-%E3%83%9D%E3%83%97%E3%83%A9%E7%A4%BE%E3%81%AE%E7%B5%B5%E6%9C%AC-%E4%B8%8B%E7%94%B0-%E6%98%8C%E5%85%8B/dp/4591160149