Japan: How a manga about the war in Ukraine became a bestseller – Culture

Yuko Matsuda’s drawings of tanks and fighter planes are not well received in Japan, but his manga about a fighter pilot suddenly becomes a bestseller in Ukraine – even though it is told from the perspective of the Russian army.

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Thomas Hahn, Hanno

At the Hanno train station in the greater Tokyo area, an inconspicuous man steps out of the crowd and introduces himself as the author who is moving many people in Ukraine with the manga “Ghost of Kyiv”. There was no picture or detailed description of Juko Matsuda anywhere, and now one is a bit surprised. One would have expected a little more charisma from someone who has the power to draw pictures like Juko Matsuda does. His friendliness works like a wall behind which he looks out shyly. He is wearing a dark parka and is carrying a black briefcase. He only takes his corona mask off his round face when he wants to drink his coffee in the coffee shop. And he can’t explain why his 14-page booklet about an air battle during the war against Russia in Ukraine was so successful. “Puzzling,” he says, and smiles.

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