Story and Art by Iwaaki Hitoshi
Copyright © 1997-1998 Iwaaki Hitoshi
Big Spirit Comics
2 volumes, continuing

Readers may know Iwaaki Hitoshi's work from his series KISEIJU (PARASYTE in English). Fans of his work have anxiously been awaiting his next story, but were totally unsure of what form it would take. KISEIJU fans might expect another story filled with intense plot development and some truly unique ideas, but not all of Iwaaki's stories have been like this.
TANABATA NO KUNI does follow in the footsteps of KISEIJU in several respects. Although the series starts far more slowly and does not have the same desperate timbre that drags you through, it does have its moments of tension and they do seem to increase in power and frequency as the story progresses.
The story starts in Japan's past when little fiefdoms vied over land for power and resources. The warlord of one such fiefdom looks intently at a map in his council and decides to annex Marukami no Sato. Despite the protests of one of his court who is from that region, they march. Minamimaru Kijyuurou, the one who disagreed with the order, pays for his efforts to convince the warlord otherwise with his head. The head is delivered to the person who holds court over Marukami no Sato. The insolent messenger who brought Kijuurou's head turns from confident to fearful as he sees the hands of leader of this town. They have six fingers each and are not even remotely human in appearance. The messenger dies suddenly under the blades of Kijuurou's home. Marukami, the leader, sets up a sort of war camp to meet the approaching army.
Several of the soldiers, all wearing head-bands, form up outside and we begin to get a glimpse of how some of them are changing from human in to something else. As the army attacks the single line of defenders concentrate on the attackers, there is a series of bright flashes and sound. The war lord looks on in horror as his entire first rank is decimated. Men and horses lay bleeding all over the ground. Then suddenly, half of his cheek vanishes. Before he can phrase more than two words a sphere like chunk of his head vanishes. The attackers' spirit is totally broken after witnessing the horrible power and they flee.
In the present, the focus is on Minamimaru Youji, a rather curious person in several ways, but quite ordinary in most. He is a young college student that tends to be rather social. His most unusual appearing characteristic appears to his unusually flexible face as he goes through a whole range of expressions. However, this is not some strange power but simply the way that Iwaaki likes to draw Nanmaru-kun (which is what he keeps telling everyone that he meets to call him since "Minamimaru" is a bit difficult to say.) Nanmaru-kun is showing off his "power" to his little circle of friends (sort of a club.) After much effort and a rather loud shout his able to make a small hole in a stack of papers 7 deep. A power very reminiscent of the one that decimated the attacking force in the previous chapter except that it takes a lot more effort to produce a far smaller effect. Some of his friends on their way in to their little social gathering notice a sign posted on a board in a hallway asking for a Minamimaru Youji to show up for a meeting of the Marukami-seminar.
This is where the story really begins. We are given a glimpse of something supernatural to whet the appetite and then the author pulls back and starts feeding us a mystery one small piece at a time. Before the first volume of the story is over we learn that there is something unusual hanging over Marukami no Sato and these mysterious beings who have this power. That is only part of the story, however. This mystery extends in to the motivations of many of the characters and their relationships both past and future. This curious and complex interweaving of story elements is the mark of Iwaaki's style and ability.
Although the art style has not changed much at all since KISEIJU, he demonstrates a much better grasp of scene composition. In general the characters are drawn very simply and modestly with a very heavy line. Nanmaru-kun's expressions are frequently over-exaggerated as well. The power comes in the story and the direction. There are not too many intense scenes early in the story but when you visit them again you may be struck by their subtle compositional power.
Over all the story takes quite a while to gather your interest. The plot seems to progress very slowly at first although it speeds up rapidly in the second volume. It is unlike the immediate intensity of KISEIJU. Yet, knowing this author, one can expect to be treated to quite a story as it unwinds.