Wrong About Japan

Wrong About Japan
by Peter Carey
reviewed by Adelynn

Manga and anime inspired the pages of this book, as how it inspired the whole pilgrimage to the "real Japan". Though this book is thin compared to some of the chunks of travel novels I've read, it attempts to pack an entire
culture into its pages, and succeeds quite well too. In fact, it sometimes left me reeling from the sheer load of information.

The author, his son Charley, and their guide Takashi (a teen who indulges in what Harajuku is well-known for: cosplay), explore the side of Japan that is immersed in its unique brand of comics.

By hard work or sheer luck, they manage to meet quite a number of personalities, the most famous of whom is the elusive Hayao Miyazaki, who produced the animation movies My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and the most recent, Howl's Moving Castle (plug: which is still screening at Orchard Cineleisure at several timings).

The author's tender love for his shy son on the brink of teenagehood seeps through his narration, especially in the opening chapters when Charley first discovers manga. As if to remind the reader that the tale is not simply about the exploration of a foreign culture, in small print on the front of the bright pink cover are the words: A father's journey with his son.