This is the story of a gang of boys who try to save the world!; As boys,
Kenji and his friends came up with a bunch of stories about an evil organization
bent on world destruction. As adults, someone is now turning their fantasies
into reality! R to L (Japanese Style). The giant robot has already been built
and now awaits the Great Awakening… With the Friend's identity still a
mystery, the countdown to the apocalypse continues, day by day, minute by
minute–for on December 31, 2000, humanity will meet its final hour. Hoping to
get as many people who knew about their group's emblem involved in their
clandestine efforts, Kenji's crew reaches out to their childhood antagonists:
the twins Mabo and Yanbo. Back when they were kids, Yanbo and Mabo terrorized
Kenji and company to no end. As adults, and with a crisis looming, will the
evilest brothers in history now fight on the side of good? Humanity, having
faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new
millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a
symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol
returns. This is the story of a gang of boys who try to save the world.
Author Biography
Born in Tokyo in 1960, Naoki Urasawa's career as a manga artist spans three
decades and has firmly established him as one of the true manga masters of his
generation. A graduate of Meisei University, Urasawa debuted with Return! in
1981 and hasn't stopped his impressive output since. Well-versed in a variety
of genres, Urasawa's oeuvre encompasses a multitude of different subjects, such
as romantic comedies (Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl), gritty urban dramas
(Pineapple ARMY), swashbuckling detective stories (Master Keaton), captivating
psychological thrillers (Monster and 20th Century Boys) and modern
reinterpretations of the work of the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka (Pluto: Urasawa
x Tezuka). Many of his books have spawned equally popular animated series, and
2008 saw the theatrical release of the first of three live-action Japanese
films based on 20th Century Boys.No stranger to accolades and awards, Urasawa
has received the Kodansha Manga Award, and is a three-time recipient of the
prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award and a two-time recipient of the Osamu Tezuka
Cultural Prize.Similarly, Monster has been nominated twice for the Eisner Award
in America. Urasawa has also become involved in the world of academia, and in
2008 accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University, where he
teaches courses in, of course, manga. Combining a breathtaking cinematic visual
style with stories known for their penetrating psychological depth and maturity,
Naoki Urasawa remains one of the most exciting creators working in the medium of
comics today.