*This article contains promotional material.
Introduction
The hugely popular manga "Saint Young Men" brings a smile to readers' faces with its miraculous balance of religion, everyday life, and comedy. In this article, we'll provide a thorough review of the work's appeal, highlights, and recommended points!
basic information
"Saint Young Men" is a humorous, satirical, everyday comedy manga by Nakamura Hikaru. Serialized in Morning Two since 2006, it has garnered attention for its innovative approach to depicting religious themes in a pop and approachable way. The main characters are none other than Jesus Christ of Christianity and Buddha of Buddhism. The story depicts two of the most famous people in human history sharing an apartment in Tachikawa, Tokyo, and going about their daily lives like ordinary young people.
The series has already been published in over 20 volumes, with a total circulation of over 16 million copies, making it a huge hit. It has also been adapted into an animated film and a live-action drama, and has gained many fans both in Japan and overseas by depicting the sensitive subject of religious comedy with exquisite humor and a gentle touch.
Synopsis
The story is very simple: Jesus and Buddha, two iconic figures from world religions, come to the human world on vacation and live together in a cheap apartment in Tachikawa, Tokyo.
At first glance, they appear to be just ordinary young people, but throughout the book, "divine episodes" and "enlightened actions" pop up, enveloping their everyday lives in surreal humor. For example, we see Jesus enthusiastically updating his blog and feeling happy or sad depending on the number of hits, or Buddha being moved by a discount sticker at the supermarket. By skillfully combining small everyday stories with religious anecdotes, readers are filled with warm laughter as they realize that "saints are human, too."
At first glance, gods and Buddhas seem difficult to approach, but what is it about them that makes me feel so close to them?
It's funny how these two have some everyday problems.
The charm of the characters
- Jesus Christ
She has a generous, optimistic, and slightly naive personality. Her hobbies are surfing the web, updating her blog, and watching manga and anime. Although she sometimes performs miracles that amaze those around her, she remains completely innocent. Her agility, which allows her to quickly adapt to modern society, is what makes her so appealing. Her dialogue with Buddha is amusing. It's surreal to see her occasionally create trails of flowers blooming from the crown of thorns on her head, and then arrange the blooms to admire. - Buddha
He is thrifty, meticulous, and family-oriented. He loves supermarket discounts and bargain shopping, and is also the straight man who supports Jesus. He is calm and collected like an enlightened saint, but he is also kind-hearted and a little petty, which puts readers at ease. He cannot forgive Christ for wasting money, but when he gets something he himself wanted, he is quick to forgive him, which is a very human and lovely thing.
The contrasting personalities of the two characters create an exquisite contrast, making the story both humorous and enjoyable.
Imagery and atmosphere
Nakamura Hikaru's illustrations are delicate, soft, and full of humor. Although he depicts religiously important figures, he deforms them to make them familiar and familiar to everyday life. The backgrounds are modern and realistic, with the scenery of Tachikawa and the everyday life of the apartments realistically depicted, highlighting the "worldliness" of the two transcendental figures.
The overall atmosphere is warm and the laughter is never hurtful. Despite the risky theme of using religion as a joke, it is portrayed with respect, so you can enjoy it with peace of mind.
There are lots of little jokes and surreal gags, which is great.
It's everyday, friendly and casual!
Memorable scenes
- A scene where Buddha and Jesus go to an amusement park and ride a roller coaster.
When Buddha gets on the roller coaster, he becomes so scared that he starts chanting prayers. That alone is incredibly funny, but as the roller coaster starts to descend, a typical amusement park photo is taken of passengers. The photo shows Buddha with his eyes half-closed and his hands up, as if he has attained enlightenment. I would love for everyone to see this expression on Buddha's face in the manga. It's an indescribable, really funny expression. - Jesus goes to the pool.
Jesus is not a good swimmer, and struggles to get his face in the water. However, with Buddha's encouragement, he pushes forward and finally puts his face in the water.
"Aaamen."
Miraculously, the water split in two to avoid Jesus.
It's an interesting story in which Jesus' hard work resulted in the waters parting.
These scenes make you laugh, but at the same time, they also make you realize the struggles they face and portray them as familiar characters.
Recommended for:
- People who like easy-going comedy about everyday life, even if they're not knowledgeable about religion.
- People who want to forget stress and be healed.
- People who like works that exquisitely blend comedy and everyday life, such as "Gintama" and "Nichijou."
- People who want to learn a little about foreign cultures and religions but don't like stuffy things.
Similar works
- Gintama(Sorachi Hideaki): The balance between humor and humanity is exquisite.
- Arakawa Under the Bridge(Nakamura Hikaru): A fantastical everyday comedy by the same author.
- everyday life(Arawi Keiichi): A fusion of nonsense gags and a sense of everyday life.
- Two people who don't work(Yoshida Satoru): A heartwarming and funny slice-of-life manga.
It's interesting that even Buddhas and gods have things they don't like.
It feels so close to me
Q&A
Q1: Can I enjoy it even if I don't have any religious knowledge?
A1: No problem at all. In fact, it's mostly small everyday jokes, so you can laugh even if you don't know anything about it.
Q2: Isn't this religiously disrespectful?
A2: The artist has depicted it with respect and it is not insulting or blasphemous. It has been well received around the world.
Q3: Are there any anime or dramas?
A3: There is an animated film and a live-action drama version, both of which respect the atmosphere of the original.
summary
"Saint Young Men" is a unique work that makes religion and philosophy feel familiar by portraying transcendental figures such as Jesus and Buddha as "ordinary young men." It's a rare everyday comedy that will make you laugh out loud and warm your heart. In today's stressful society, it can be said to be a work that gently embraces readers and acts as a kind of "salvation."
It was a very interesting piece.
It's full of surreal gags and is well worth reading.
If you're interested in the contents, please purchase and read it below.
Purchase Link
Other works by the author
- Arakawa Under the Bridge
- Nakamura Studio
- Black Knight Parade
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