▪	RELEASED BY:		TOKYOPOP
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		HAKASE MIZUKI
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / B&W
		▪	PAGES:		182
		▪	RATING:		OT
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		11/13/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		11/12/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		SCOTT CAMPBELL

From the creator of The Demon Ororon and Demon Flowers, comes a new one shot book named Asian Beat. Much like a number of the author’s other works, this is a book of short stories dealing with a variety of characters is strange, and yet completely normal situations. The way the stories are told and presented visually, are both very artistic. It’s not hard to spot a Hakase Mizuki title – she has a very unique way of doing things that many people may appreciate. Her manga takes a different and often strange view of people and relationships – it’s some what trippy, but always with a fair helping of darkness.

In the first story, two lost souls crushed from bad relationships try to comfort each other in their most dire time of need. But sometimes love is not enough to mend a broken heart. It’s perhaps a cynical look at life and the relationships that pop up as we move through it, but it may also be a dose of reality – reality not always being kind.

The second story included in the book is the title story. A brother is pushed to unimaginable limits to take care of his sister and ensure her well-being. It’s a very strange take on the bond between siblings and what they would do for each other in the most difficult of times. The story is dark and violent, and the over-exaggerated style of the art is jarring and effective. Some of the most interesting portions of the book are when no one says a thing at all, and we’re given time to fully appreciate the setting, it being so uniquely drawn and presented.

The art, as usual, is very professional. It possesses a style that is easily recognizable because it is just that unique. Words like dark and foreboding come to mind – but still beautiful at the same time. Contrast between lights and darks are at their most extreme – usually white against black and nothing in between for the most part. The text and format of the text bubble etc. is very easy to read, so there are no problems there. Again, this book is very artsy, so the “flow” of the story and the visuals can be slightly confusing and “out there,” but it’s really interesting if you can take the time to read between the lines and really think about what you’re reading.

Hakase brings us an unflinching vision of the lonely, the heartbroken, the struggling, and the alienated in these portraits of despair and hope, suffering and dreams. They are stories that may seem shocking, yet all too familiar in our daily lives as we grow and learn ourselves. This book, like many of her works, really needs to be read before anyone can fully begin to grasp what this kind of entertainment is trying to do for them. Asian Beat is yet another very strange experience – one not so easily put into words, but very effective as it is happening. If you’ve enjoyed any of her previous works, or are just looking for something out of the ordinary, don’t hesitate to pick this one up.

IN SUMMARY: 
Asian Beat is much like many of Hakase Mizuki’s other works: dream-like with an odd flow of time, jumping back and forth from past to present and skipping those times that are unimportant in the eyes of the creator. It is beautiful and strange, like a dream and sometimes a dreary nightmare.