"Black and White" Manga provides reading pleasure for all who are interested in adventure, and is now condensed into one easy-to-manage, huge volume
Date published: 5/8/2008
BY TAMIKA TAYLOR
In Taiyo Matsumoto's "Tekkonkinkreet: Black & White," two orphans who seem like brothers, Black and White, begin to realize that they need one another. The two boys are like partners in crime. The only battle they are up against, however, is the place they live in.
Together, in this three-volume series, Black and White take on the streets of Treasure Town and its crime boss, the "Rat." During the comical yet sad point in the story where the two get separated, they know that they can't function without being together.
Matsumoto must have taken a long time to concoct this plot, and he even made it easier on readers by combining all of the stories into a bigger book, so that each volume does not have to be purchased individually. The farther you get in the book, the better the story gets.
If you would like to explore these two interesting characters and learn how things turn out in the end, then get this manga, because the plot and conclusion are sure to come as a surprise. The complete series has various story lines going on that are unclear until the end. It will make you laugh and feel sad, but it all turns out OK. This manga is also an anime, and is available on DVD.
The manga has strong content and nudity that may not be suitable for those under 16 years of age. However, for those who can handle the content, it is certainly a worthwhile read.
Tamika Taylor is a senior at Mountain View High School.
