Manga Review: Master Keaton, Volume 1 art by Naoki Urasawa, story by Hokusei Katsushika & Takashi Nagasaki
Taichi Hiraga Keaton is a mild-looking fellow with a bumbling exterior personality. You’d never guess that he’s a brilliant archaeologist, ex-SAS soldier and freelance insurance investigator. He often takes leave of his day job as a poorly paid lecturer at a small Japanese college to investigate possible insurance fraud around the world, especially if it involves archaeological artifacts. Adventure awaits!
Now if he could just figure out a way to get back with his mathematician ex-wife like his outspoken teen daughter Yuriko would like….
This late 1980s manga series has art by Naoki Urasawa, famous in the U.S. for his work on Monster and 20th Century Boys. There are touches that suggest he had some input on the writing of this series, but it lacks the intricacy and long-term plotting of his solo work.
As it is, this is a fine action series, very episodic in nature and could easily be done in live action. While Mr. Keaton has special forces training, and several of the stories do have heavy violence, he’s fundamentally a man of peace who prefers to solve problems with MacGyver style ingenuity and thoughtful negotiation. He goes well out of his way to avoid killing people.
The 1980s setting is very obvious from time to time, especially in the politics; but at least one story involves a piece of then-new technology today’s kids would find hopelessly obsolete. Taichi being Cornish-Japanese with dual citizenship helps move the story along and gives him a unique perspective.
The final story in this volume is a two-parter that focuses on James Wolf, Keaton’s fencing instructor in the SAS and a perfect role for Liam Neeson. He has a mad on for Corsican drug gangs and Keaton is called in to deal with the situation, in hopes that he can keep the body count down. This story also explains why Keaton is called “Master.”
This is a seinen (young men’s) series, so there is some nudity, including male nudity in art reproductions.
Keaton can come across as a bit too competent in some of the stories, which presumably is why he’s written as such a bumbling father. Recommended for fans of Eighties action shows.
