Mailart 365 has moved

I'm on holiday with Elena at the moment in Romania and have already managed to finish my book stash. I brought along some real gems this time, Locke and Key #4, Golgo 13 #1, and the book from which this image came from Ikigami #1.

The first 2 I fully expected to be incredible and they didn't disappoint, but Ikigami took me by surprise.

In the story, the government has decided that to stop the systematic decline of society they would randomly select some citizens to be killed. This would make citizens realise the value of life. The government give 24 hours notice before a subject is terminated, and the stories cover what the subjects do with their final 24 hours.

Like I said, I didn't expect much given this storyline, and the first story of the book is pretty standard fare, exactly as I was expecting. The author and artist, Motoro Mase shows great promise though.

This didn't set me up for the second story at all. The Last Song is a masterpiece of storytelling. It starts with a pair of boys on the street busking. They are building up quite a following, when an agent comes and signs up the singer, leaving the writer on his own.

The singer and writer have an argument and the writer decides to give up playing music, while the singer goes off to try and become famous singing any songs written for him.

As the story goes on, the singer realises that he's not only lost his ethics in his quest for fame but he's also lost his best friend, and as the story unfolds he receives his ikigami, sentencing him to die at exactly 9PM on the day of his first radio performance as a backing vocalist.

Just before he goes on stage he wants desperately to call his friend but unbeknownst to him, Hidekazu has been hit by a car and is in a coma.

When the band go on air, Torio sabotages the mic and takes over to sing the song that the pair used to sing on the streets and the song plays through the radio next to Hidekazu's bed.

Hidekazu hears the sound of Torios voice and we then see inside his head Torio apologising and admitting his mistake. They duet together one final time on the cusp of life and death and Torio says goodbye.

In reality Torio sings his final song in the radio station and on the final note passes away just on time. The song becomes a legen. Meawhile Hidekazu wakes up from his coma with tears streaming down his cheeks.

So did I.

I can't wait for book 2.

This mailart piece shows Hidekazu after the argument as he turns off the radio in disgust.