Boy Hardback - 2007

Media reviews

"The beginnings of Kitano’s intense and personal style can be seen in the three early stories contained in BOY. They offer insights into the later films and they have been extremely well translated by David James Karashima, who beautifully captures both the deadpan drollery and the wistful sentimentality."
–Donald Richie, The Japan Times Online

"Leave it to Vertical Publishing, magnates of Japanese pop culture in translation, to bring one of Kitano’s books to English-speaking audiences. [These stories] radiate a lovely combination of affection and nostalgia, the sort of thing Kitano has mined for the best of his own movies time and again, and they both complement and extend on his other work. They show up his genius for what it is."
– Serdar Yegulalp, thegline.com

"BOY's three ostensibly lighthearted tales, so personal in tone and intimate in details about drinking fathers, frightened brothers, and bullying classmates, put Kitano's identification with children in a clarifying light."
–Lisa Schwarzbaum, EW.com

"Kitano tells the tales simply and directly, avoiding flowery descriptions and clichéd melodrama, instead creating captivating stories that are subtle yet strongly visual….Much like the boys grow up in the boo, these tales will grow on you."
–Mark Rifkin, This Week in New York

Citations

• Library Journal, 07/09/2007, Page 0