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ホムンクルス [Homunculus] #1
Homunculus 1
Susumu è uno strano e misterioso individuo, con un passato da nascondere e il vizio della menzogna. Indossa un completo, ha un aspetto distinto, eppure è un senzatetto. Vive ai margini di un parco, residenza fissa di un gruppo di clochard, e sebbene spesso si unisca a loro, allo stesso tempo mantiene le distanze, dimostrando diffidenza per tutto e tutti. L'unica cosa a cui è legato è la sua macchina, una specie di ventre materno, di cui sente il morboso bisogno. E proprio per guadagnare i soldi necessari a riscattare l'amato veicolo, rimosso dalla polizia, Susumu accetta di sottoporsi alla Trapanazione, un intervento chirurgico al cranio teso a destare i sensi sopiti dell'uomo. L'esperimento è condotto e finanziato da un ricco ed eccentrico studente di medicina, curioso di addentrarsi nel mondo del paranormale…Hideo Yamamoto firma questo originalissimo e intrigante racconto: un viaggio a tinte fosche nell'animo umano, e magnifico esempio di letteratura matura e spregiudicata.
256 pages, ebook
First published July 30, 2003
About the author
Hideo Yamamoto
165 books194 followers 山本英夫 Yamamoto Hideo , is a Japanese manga artist best known for the manga series "Ichi the Killer" (which was adapted into a live-action film in 2001) and the series, Homunculus (manga).
Recurring themes in his manga are crime, sexual deviations, and psychology.
Recurring themes in his manga are crime, sexual deviations, and psychology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
March 12, 2016
Let me tell you about this psychological gem that I had the greatest fortune of discovering. I've seen and read my fair share of psychological films and books, and I can honestly say this manga is right up there in the psychological genre.
I went in cold, not knowing much except something along the lines of homeless man, drilling hole in skull, and sixth sense.
The manga starts by introducing to us the main character, Nakoshi, a homeless man who sleeps in his car that is parked between a park (where the homeless find shelter) and a hotel. One night, while Nakoshi was chilling in his car, a young man by the name of Ito, approaches Nakoshi and offers him a large sum of money to drill a hole in his head through a procedure called trepanation. Initially rejecting the offer, Nakoshi finds himself agreeing to the procedure after certain circumstances landed him in a need for money.
Trepanation is believed to enhance the brain by allowing better blood flow which will activate a person's sixth sense. Soon after the procedure, Nakoshi begins to see really weird and bizarre things manifesting out of humans. These things he can see are known as homunculi which represent the humans' subconscious. Nakoshi, while fascinated, tries to figure out and understand some of these homunculi and inadvertently helping them free themselves of their repressed burden, insecurities or fear. The manga is largely influenced by Freudian psychology and deals with the human mind heavily.
If you think this is procedural, it is not. Ultimately, through Nakoshi's interactions with these homunculi, he begins to question himself and what led him to being homeless and stuck between a park and a hotel in the first place. You see, like everyone, Nakoshi has a past. A past that he has long since forgotten. Through these homunculi, he tries to piece together an understanding about himself, his past and his self-worth.
I can't say much without spoiling things but I can say this. Nakoshi's character left me absolutely stunned. I spent days thinking about his actions, his thoughts, his sense of self-worth, his view of the world, and why he did what he did. It all leads back to how shallow society really is, which I believe is the strongest theme here. The author, Yamamoto depicts the real world brilliantly here.
The manga explores just how consumed we, humans are by materialism, superficiality and how much we actually admire beauty and fame. It also touches on themes like guilt, identity issues, and how some people are molded by other people's ideals.
Ito is also an incredibly fleshed out character who is well-developed by the end of the manga. While the pacing may be a bit slow at first, it does pick up towards the end when the truth about our main character starts to unravel.
An amazing and original well-crafted plot, it has more or less changed me in ways that I could not possibly fathom. It has all the elements I've always looked for in the psychological genre. Just brilliant.
Trigger warning: rape. The manga is aimed towards adult readers – as there are some intense and graphic scenes in some parts of the manga – but if you're a lover of all things psychological (fucked up or otherwise) and can stomach graphic scenes, you certainly can't miss out on this.
Note: This is a review for the whole series.
I went in cold, not knowing much except something along the lines of homeless man, drilling hole in skull, and sixth sense.
The manga starts by introducing to us the main character, Nakoshi, a homeless man who sleeps in his car that is parked between a park (where the homeless find shelter) and a hotel. One night, while Nakoshi was chilling in his car, a young man by the name of Ito, approaches Nakoshi and offers him a large sum of money to drill a hole in his head through a procedure called trepanation. Initially rejecting the offer, Nakoshi finds himself agreeing to the procedure after certain circumstances landed him in a need for money.
Trepanation is believed to enhance the brain by allowing better blood flow which will activate a person's sixth sense. Soon after the procedure, Nakoshi begins to see really weird and bizarre things manifesting out of humans. These things he can see are known as homunculi which represent the humans' subconscious. Nakoshi, while fascinated, tries to figure out and understand some of these homunculi and inadvertently helping them free themselves of their repressed burden, insecurities or fear. The manga is largely influenced by Freudian psychology and deals with the human mind heavily.
If you think this is procedural, it is not. Ultimately, through Nakoshi's interactions with these homunculi, he begins to question himself and what led him to being homeless and stuck between a park and a hotel in the first place. You see, like everyone, Nakoshi has a past. A past that he has long since forgotten. Through these homunculi, he tries to piece together an understanding about himself, his past and his self-worth.
I can't say much without spoiling things but I can say this. Nakoshi's character left me absolutely stunned. I spent days thinking about his actions, his thoughts, his sense of self-worth, his view of the world, and why he did what he did. It all leads back to how shallow society really is, which I believe is the strongest theme here. The author, Yamamoto depicts the real world brilliantly here.
The manga explores just how consumed we, humans are by materialism, superficiality and how much we actually admire beauty and fame. It also touches on themes like guilt, identity issues, and how some people are molded by other people's ideals.
Ito is also an incredibly fleshed out character who is well-developed by the end of the manga. While the pacing may be a bit slow at first, it does pick up towards the end when the truth about our main character starts to unravel.
An amazing and original well-crafted plot, it has more or less changed me in ways that I could not possibly fathom. It has all the elements I've always looked for in the psychological genre. Just brilliant.
Trigger warning: rape. The manga is aimed towards adult readers – as there are some intense and graphic scenes in some parts of the manga – but if you're a lover of all things psychological (fucked up or otherwise) and can stomach graphic scenes, you certainly can't miss out on this.
Note: This is a review for the whole series.
July 24, 2016
This review is for the entire series, which is gross and terrible and horrific, like a Greek tragedy. Highly recommended.
March 14, 2024
Homunculussssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's go. Ik it's weird, my darling manga buddy already warned me about that and that intrigued me. I am looking forward to it soo much.
Let's go. Ik it's weird, my darling manga buddy already warned me about that and that intrigued me. I am looking forward to it soo much.
May 30, 2022
Hideo Yamamoto mette a punto un'incipit perfetto per la serie. Ci presenta il suo protagonista, Susumu Nakoshi, un trentenne senzatetto che vive nella sua macchina e, forse per orgoglio, non si è ancora disfatto del completo con cui, immaginiamo, andava a lavoro, e Manabu Ito, giovanissimo e ricco studente di medicina che gli propone un compenso per farsi trapanare la calotta cranica. L'operazione, dice il ragazzo, donerà a Nakoshi, poteri eccezionali sbloccando il potenziale della sua mente.
Ho trovato straordinari i campi lunghissimi e le inquadrature a volo d'uccello sui giganteschi grattacieli che circondano il parco dove vivono Nakoshi e gli altri barboni. Yamamoto chiaramente mette in prospettiva i grandi edifici con i derelitti, schiacciandoli nel confronto, svilendone l'umanità e frustandone i sogni. Quegli uomini sono costretti a guardare verso l'alto e a ricordare che sono destinati a vivere all'ombra del progresso, schiacciati da una società che li ha espulsi dal consesso civile. E ancora ripetizioni di vedute su facciate con reticoli di finestre che sembrano quasi trasformarsi in gabbie, non è chiaro se atte a intrappolare chi vive dentro o a escludere chi ne è bandito.
È interessante che è proprio tra i derelitti che Yamamoto sceglie il proprio eroe a cui poi la storia donerà una nuova vista sul mondo, forse anche un modo per ribaltare quella prospettiva (nel disegno e più metaforicamente nelle intenzioni narrative) che lo schiacciava.
Tornerò a scrivere della serie una volta che l'avrò recuperata nella sua interezza, ma per ora mi sento di consigliarvela a mani basse.
Una nota da sceneggiatore di fumetti: quanto invidio ai giapponesi la possibilità di avere centinaia di tavole per settare l'atmosfera della storia, un occidentale avrebbe dovuto raccontare la stessa storia in venti pagine perdendosi per strada tutto il cuore della narrazione di Homunculus che è fatta appunto di campi lunghi e inquadrature vertiginose.
Ho trovato straordinari i campi lunghissimi e le inquadrature a volo d'uccello sui giganteschi grattacieli che circondano il parco dove vivono Nakoshi e gli altri barboni. Yamamoto chiaramente mette in prospettiva i grandi edifici con i derelitti, schiacciandoli nel confronto, svilendone l'umanità e frustandone i sogni. Quegli uomini sono costretti a guardare verso l'alto e a ricordare che sono destinati a vivere all'ombra del progresso, schiacciati da una società che li ha espulsi dal consesso civile. E ancora ripetizioni di vedute su facciate con reticoli di finestre che sembrano quasi trasformarsi in gabbie, non è chiaro se atte a intrappolare chi vive dentro o a escludere chi ne è bandito.
È interessante che è proprio tra i derelitti che Yamamoto sceglie il proprio eroe a cui poi la storia donerà una nuova vista sul mondo, forse anche un modo per ribaltare quella prospettiva (nel disegno e più metaforicamente nelle intenzioni narrative) che lo schiacciava.
Tornerò a scrivere della serie una volta che l'avrò recuperata nella sua interezza, ma per ora mi sento di consigliarvela a mani basse.
Una nota da sceneggiatore di fumetti: quanto invidio ai giapponesi la possibilità di avere centinaia di tavole per settare l'atmosfera della storia, un occidentale avrebbe dovuto raccontare la stessa storia in venti pagine perdendosi per strada tutto il cuore della narrazione di Homunculus che è fatta appunto di campi lunghi e inquadrature vertiginose.
June 28, 2022
What the actual fuck? I mean, Hideo Yamamoto isn't new to me now. I've read his Adam & Eve and it was mind-numbingly amazing, so I knew this is one of his standards as well. No, it's better. I love that this has something to do with senses again because he's so good with that. And damn, it was so delicious and creepy, and wow. I can't even write a decent review to express how I felt about this first volume—just, damn, wow.
The odd character concept art helped in building the creepy atmosphere. The premise is so interesting, I was so entertained (and believe me when I say I was suffering from a reading slump today. I didn't finished any book I started today, and thank gee I tried this one tonight. I'm cured! Lol) This series is so gratifying! I've been craving some gut-wrenching, eye-bulging tale for a while now, and I think I'm staying in this world because it's really swell. Psychological horror is one of those genres I've been really enjoying lately.
The odd character concept art helped in building the creepy atmosphere. The premise is so interesting, I was so entertained (and believe me when I say I was suffering from a reading slump today. I didn't finished any book I started today, and thank gee I tried this one tonight. I'm cured! Lol) This series is so gratifying! I've been craving some gut-wrenching, eye-bulging tale for a while now, and I think I'm staying in this world because it's really swell. Psychological horror is one of those genres I've been really enjoying lately.
September 9, 2024
Why every weird psychological genre excites me😭 ok but this was good as in (weirdly good)
March 6, 2022
Watched the movie on Netflix and while I didn't hate it I found it kind of goofy and over-the-top, as a lot of live action adaptations tend to be. I also dislike Narita Ryo ... and while isn't a personal trigger for me, I found that whole part of the movie out of place and out of character - but that's difficult to say when you're watching a story that's been condensed.
I bring up the movie because so far it's been a pretty faithful adaptation, but I have a feeling they left a lot out because this series has fans and the movie doesn't. At this point, nothing really different from the movie has been introduced so I'm looking forward to where it diverges more. Overall, I find the premise really interesting so I'm happy reading the source material.
Update after finishing this series: do not recommend, if you're curious at all about this story just watch the movie.
I bring up the movie because so far it's been a pretty faithful adaptation, but I have a feeling they left a lot out because this series has fans and the movie doesn't. At this point, nothing really different from the movie has been introduced so I'm looking forward to where it diverges more. Overall, I find the premise really interesting so I'm happy reading the source material.
Update after finishing this series: do not recommend, if you're curious at all about this story just watch the movie.
February 14, 2022
For the whole series, the rating and review.
Homunculus had me seat-strapped for whatever way it journeyed till four volumes straight. The panels felt methodical and grounded — bubble-lessly scanning perspectives, picking eye movements, twitches, winces, squints, smug grins and an array of facial expressions that gave weight to any dialogue that followed. But then the trick got old: repetitive dialogues, repetitive expressions, and going way off into the "deep shit" (rather dipshit) territory where characters sit around wide-eyed at their own musings. So. Much. Percussive. Yammering. Not to mention it had a disorientating amount of weird moments that didn't click with the themes in right ways. Ending did though.
Hot mess. It would have benefited from a shorter and tighter narrative.
Homunculus had me seat-strapped for whatever way it journeyed till four volumes straight. The panels felt methodical and grounded — bubble-lessly scanning perspectives, picking eye movements, twitches, winces, squints, smug grins and an array of facial expressions that gave weight to any dialogue that followed. But then the trick got old: repetitive dialogues, repetitive expressions, and going way off into the "deep shit" (rather dipshit) territory where characters sit around wide-eyed at their own musings. So. Much. Percussive. Yammering. Not to mention it had a disorientating amount of weird moments that didn't click with the themes in right ways. Ending did though.
Hot mess. It would have benefited from a shorter and tighter narrative.
November 25, 2021
So weird and eerie. I can’t wait to read more!
March 20, 2022
3.73 Stars cuz Goodreads refuses to let us have half star ratings!
In a single word this series can be described as a "mindfuck" , which it definitely was. Homunculus 1 can be very ucomfortable at times but it was a quick and overall worthwhile read.
In a single word this series can be described as a "mindfuck" , which it definitely was. Homunculus 1 can be very ucomfortable at times but it was a quick and overall worthwhile read.
May 14, 2022
What a genius way to start a mangea. Every movements they do seems very interesting like there is always a meaning to that.
Nakoshi is now able to notice and deduct psychological traumas hidden by people inside their minds through symbolic images. I bet the ability is going to help him understand and appreciate humans again. And he'll probably discover his own hidden traumas.
Nakoshi is now able to notice and deduct psychological traumas hidden by people inside their minds through symbolic images. I bet the ability is going to help him understand and appreciate humans again. And he'll probably discover his own hidden traumas.
January 19, 2023
wow wow WOW! did I just read horror and enjoy it?! this manga was good as the first volume and just by the ending the horror themes began to show up, oh I would so much love a character that starts to lose his mind and then use that loss a whatever power for himself to enjoy!
July 21, 2020
Stunning art and a good start. Hooked already.
January 28, 2020
Four stars for the story so far, an additional half star for the artistic proficiency on display. I'm reviewing the first volume.
After I finished what I could find from the last series I hadn't read of Shuzo Oshimi, I asked Google for similar authors. The first one it suggested was Inio Asano, another author whose entire bibliography I've devoured. This author, Hideo Yamamoto, was the next one in line. Apparently he wrote "Ichi The Killer", a manga I only know by name and reputation. But amongst his works this series, "Homunculus", seemed more interesting to me at the moment.
The first things that impressed me were the drawings. It features the kind of ultra detailed panels that make you feel guilty for spending just a few seconds on each, if even that. However, the combined effect makes the world of the story feel solid, as if you were browsing through pictures of events that happened. Adding to that is the subtlety with which the author treats the characters: for the most part we just know of them what we see them do, how they present themselves to the world, and what each attempts to figure out about others. As the protagonist we have a 34 year old who constantly wears a suit and sleeps in his car. From the car alone I supposed the story was set in the seventies or mid eighties, but the computers present suggest early nineties. In any case, by the protagonist's actions we have to suppose he's homeless, as he has made his home a parking spot in between a first class hotel and a park where other homeless people gather. The guy sleeps in a fetal position, with a thumb in his mouth. He knows plenty about cars, given that he can diagnose everything wrong with his, and presumably every one, by feeling it, hearing its sounds and vibrations. We know he doesn't trust anybody by how he keeps the other homeless people at bay, as well as the single person from the "normal world" that ends up interacting with him. There's a moment in which he can't access the car anymore and we see him get sicker, likely because of a panic attack, the more time he spends outside of it. The few details he offers about his past life get contradicted by other homeless people, who have heard him say contradictory facts about himself. They classify him as a pathological liar who won't last too long in "their" world, because he keeps his dignity, symbolized by wearing a suit constantly, and believes he has somewhere to go anymore. My favorite piece of symbolism happens when the protagonist is watching one of the homeless people feed some pigeons lovingly, but when a crow wanders in and wants to eat some of the bread as well, the homeless man throws a rock against the crow's head, opening a wound, and the crow flies away with difficulty. That gives you the sense that the protagonist will perpetually find himself on the outskirts of every "society" he has to deal with, taking care that they don't lash out against him violently.
What you could call the iceberg method of introducing characters is the optimal one: you get how they present themselves, what they do, what other people know about them. Those details make you imagine a fuller life than he could possibly have had. Something bad must have happened to him that destroyed his life and threw him on the streets. Maybe a betrayal, which is why he distrusts everybody. Maybe he carries with him a significant trauma as well, given how he sleeps and how he needs his car as a safe space. Not being sure makes the protagonist more solid than if you had been told. It's the classic "show, don't tell", really.
In any case, the story is nuts and intriguing so far: as he's hanging out in his car, a guy dressed like a punk from what you would imagine that subculture in Japan during the eighties knocks on the window of his car and offers him what I suppose must be a significant amount of money for a "job" of sorts: the guy wants to perform a trepanation on the protagonist, drilling a hole through his skull and exposing the outer membrane of his brain. Naturally, the protagonist is weirded out, but his demeanour suggests that he's gone through so much shit already that he can barely get surprised by anything. When asked why he would pick the protagonist of all people (as if hiring homeless people for shady jobs was unheard of), the punk guy says that the protagonist has a foot in each world, living between the first rate hotel and the world of the fully homeless, and that's the kind of person who would be suited for his job. The guy looks shady, not someone you'd want drilling through your skull, so the protagonist shoos him away. Next thing he knows, his car has gotten towed. He suspects that the punk guy was responsible, but in any case he can't pay to get it back. We see him grow sicker the more he spends without that safe space, as if the air outside were toxic. He ends up spotting the punk guy offering the "job" to another one of the homeless people, but our protagonist intercedes and says that he'll be the one doing it.
The punk guy offers to buy him lunch at the hotel. The doorman greets our protagonist with a "long time no see", giving us a hint about the kind of life he came from, and surprising the punk guy in the process. During the lunch we learn more about the punk guy, at least what he intends to convey: he's a rich kid that has gone through medical college, and is interested in the occult, weird studies and in general the kind of shady procedures that no official entity would approve. He studied trepanning, how during the last few millennia, and in some cases overseas in modern times, many people were documented to develop extrasensory powers after the operation: they could see ghosts, predict the future, etc. The scientific explanation that the punk guy was working with had to do with how as we grow from babies, the soft spots in our skulls get fused, and that "locks" the brain in a particular pressure that limits the blood flow. In the hypothesis he's studying, that would close off abilities such as seeing the "immaterial world": very young children casually seeing ghosts, and stuff like that. This punk guy has the money to spare, he just needs willing participants.
The protagonist doesn't give much of a shit anymore and he needs the money, so he agrees for this guy to drill a hole through his goddamn skull. He follows him to a converted apartment, parts of which he has furnished like a clinic. Through the stuff we see in his apartment, this punk guy seems to be the real deal: he used to be a straight edge medical student interested in obscure topics, only to end up disconnecting from the orthodoxy even in the way he dresses. After the operation, the punk guy intends to follow our protagonist for ten days as he tests him to see if any sort of extrasensory abilities awaken. First he guides him to some famous ghost spots, but the protagonist doesn't sense anything. During lunch, he tries to figure out which cards have a star symbol. He picks four out of five, which already suggests something beyond the ordinary. But as he separates from the punk guy for the day and he wanders through the streets, he realizes he can see really weird shit: if he focuses in a particular way, some people morph into sheet like thin forms, others turn into trees, others' bodyparts get weirdly separated from the remaining, others turn into robots, etc. In addition, the morphed people can also act differently, which makes both the protagonist and us not being able to tell whether something is happening or not. In the end of this volume, our weirded out protagonist returns to the homeless camp. He's taking a piss next to one of the homeless people. When the protagonist looks at him, the guy turns into a ball of brushed metal from which a single eye, as if hidden inside, peeks out and then hides again.
So, a complicated guy with a shady past develops supernatural powers. This story can go anywhere. The author's vast imagination and his artistic talent guarantees this will be a great ride.
After I finished what I could find from the last series I hadn't read of Shuzo Oshimi, I asked Google for similar authors. The first one it suggested was Inio Asano, another author whose entire bibliography I've devoured. This author, Hideo Yamamoto, was the next one in line. Apparently he wrote "Ichi The Killer", a manga I only know by name and reputation. But amongst his works this series, "Homunculus", seemed more interesting to me at the moment.
The first things that impressed me were the drawings. It features the kind of ultra detailed panels that make you feel guilty for spending just a few seconds on each, if even that. However, the combined effect makes the world of the story feel solid, as if you were browsing through pictures of events that happened. Adding to that is the subtlety with which the author treats the characters: for the most part we just know of them what we see them do, how they present themselves to the world, and what each attempts to figure out about others. As the protagonist we have a 34 year old who constantly wears a suit and sleeps in his car. From the car alone I supposed the story was set in the seventies or mid eighties, but the computers present suggest early nineties. In any case, by the protagonist's actions we have to suppose he's homeless, as he has made his home a parking spot in between a first class hotel and a park where other homeless people gather. The guy sleeps in a fetal position, with a thumb in his mouth. He knows plenty about cars, given that he can diagnose everything wrong with his, and presumably every one, by feeling it, hearing its sounds and vibrations. We know he doesn't trust anybody by how he keeps the other homeless people at bay, as well as the single person from the "normal world" that ends up interacting with him. There's a moment in which he can't access the car anymore and we see him get sicker, likely because of a panic attack, the more time he spends outside of it. The few details he offers about his past life get contradicted by other homeless people, who have heard him say contradictory facts about himself. They classify him as a pathological liar who won't last too long in "their" world, because he keeps his dignity, symbolized by wearing a suit constantly, and believes he has somewhere to go anymore. My favorite piece of symbolism happens when the protagonist is watching one of the homeless people feed some pigeons lovingly, but when a crow wanders in and wants to eat some of the bread as well, the homeless man throws a rock against the crow's head, opening a wound, and the crow flies away with difficulty. That gives you the sense that the protagonist will perpetually find himself on the outskirts of every "society" he has to deal with, taking care that they don't lash out against him violently.
What you could call the iceberg method of introducing characters is the optimal one: you get how they present themselves, what they do, what other people know about them. Those details make you imagine a fuller life than he could possibly have had. Something bad must have happened to him that destroyed his life and threw him on the streets. Maybe a betrayal, which is why he distrusts everybody. Maybe he carries with him a significant trauma as well, given how he sleeps and how he needs his car as a safe space. Not being sure makes the protagonist more solid than if you had been told. It's the classic "show, don't tell", really.
In any case, the story is nuts and intriguing so far: as he's hanging out in his car, a guy dressed like a punk from what you would imagine that subculture in Japan during the eighties knocks on the window of his car and offers him what I suppose must be a significant amount of money for a "job" of sorts: the guy wants to perform a trepanation on the protagonist, drilling a hole through his skull and exposing the outer membrane of his brain. Naturally, the protagonist is weirded out, but his demeanour suggests that he's gone through so much shit already that he can barely get surprised by anything. When asked why he would pick the protagonist of all people (as if hiring homeless people for shady jobs was unheard of), the punk guy says that the protagonist has a foot in each world, living between the first rate hotel and the world of the fully homeless, and that's the kind of person who would be suited for his job. The guy looks shady, not someone you'd want drilling through your skull, so the protagonist shoos him away. Next thing he knows, his car has gotten towed. He suspects that the punk guy was responsible, but in any case he can't pay to get it back. We see him grow sicker the more he spends without that safe space, as if the air outside were toxic. He ends up spotting the punk guy offering the "job" to another one of the homeless people, but our protagonist intercedes and says that he'll be the one doing it.
The punk guy offers to buy him lunch at the hotel. The doorman greets our protagonist with a "long time no see", giving us a hint about the kind of life he came from, and surprising the punk guy in the process. During the lunch we learn more about the punk guy, at least what he intends to convey: he's a rich kid that has gone through medical college, and is interested in the occult, weird studies and in general the kind of shady procedures that no official entity would approve. He studied trepanning, how during the last few millennia, and in some cases overseas in modern times, many people were documented to develop extrasensory powers after the operation: they could see ghosts, predict the future, etc. The scientific explanation that the punk guy was working with had to do with how as we grow from babies, the soft spots in our skulls get fused, and that "locks" the brain in a particular pressure that limits the blood flow. In the hypothesis he's studying, that would close off abilities such as seeing the "immaterial world": very young children casually seeing ghosts, and stuff like that. This punk guy has the money to spare, he just needs willing participants.
The protagonist doesn't give much of a shit anymore and he needs the money, so he agrees for this guy to drill a hole through his goddamn skull. He follows him to a converted apartment, parts of which he has furnished like a clinic. Through the stuff we see in his apartment, this punk guy seems to be the real deal: he used to be a straight edge medical student interested in obscure topics, only to end up disconnecting from the orthodoxy even in the way he dresses. After the operation, the punk guy intends to follow our protagonist for ten days as he tests him to see if any sort of extrasensory abilities awaken. First he guides him to some famous ghost spots, but the protagonist doesn't sense anything. During lunch, he tries to figure out which cards have a star symbol. He picks four out of five, which already suggests something beyond the ordinary. But as he separates from the punk guy for the day and he wanders through the streets, he realizes he can see really weird shit: if he focuses in a particular way, some people morph into sheet like thin forms, others turn into trees, others' bodyparts get weirdly separated from the remaining, others turn into robots, etc. In addition, the morphed people can also act differently, which makes both the protagonist and us not being able to tell whether something is happening or not. In the end of this volume, our weirded out protagonist returns to the homeless camp. He's taking a piss next to one of the homeless people. When the protagonist looks at him, the guy turns into a ball of brushed metal from which a single eye, as if hidden inside, peeks out and then hides again.
So, a complicated guy with a shady past develops supernatural powers. This story can go anywhere. The author's vast imagination and his artistic talent guarantees this will be a great ride.
February 22, 2011
Homunculus revolves around a homeless man. He lives in his car, between the park filled with others who share his fate, and the bustling city that he once was a part of. He is chosen for an almost terrifying act, and what he’s about to find is possibly the most disturbing thing unknown to man.
I'm honestly disappointed that there's no reviews for this. From the very first page, I was completely entranced by the art. It was all so surreal and unnerving. I loved all of it.
This was extremely well crafted. I enjoyed the reoccuring images of the fetus as it seemed to go hand in hand with the theme of the manga and as well as the main character.
The whole concept of the manga feels like such a taboo but unheard of subject. I've never hear of it anyway. But it's an original idea and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
I'm honestly disappointed that there's no reviews for this. From the very first page, I was completely entranced by the art. It was all so surreal and unnerving. I loved all of it.
This was extremely well crafted. I enjoyed the reoccuring images of the fetus as it seemed to go hand in hand with the theme of the manga and as well as the main character.
The whole concept of the manga feels like such a taboo but unheard of subject. I've never hear of it anyway. But it's an original idea and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
January 11, 2016
First volume and I am already hooked! The story and the characters are very interesting. And of course I have to mention how wonderful the art is. It's twisted and unique, even the way the characters are drawn immediately grabbed my attention. I feel like there is something different about it.
March 20, 2024
Actually, this was exactly I was in the mood for while listening to Mother Mother albums on shuffle!
December 9, 2013
Парню немногим за 30. У него помятый костюм, небритое лицо и старая машина на парковке. Он тусует с живущими в парке бомжами, но для них он – чужой. Слишком сильно цепляется за остатки прежней жизни, от которой у парня ничего не осталось – носит пиджак, спит в машине, очень много и задушевно врёт о прошлом. Он уже не принадлежит к миру простых людей, но бомжи еще не готовы принять его в свои ряды.
Однажды к новичку подходит на ��лице странный тип - в кожаном пальто и с пирсингом по всему телу. Подходит и предлагает неплохо заработать, приняв участие в подпольном хирургическом эксперименте. За 700.000 йен я сделаю тебе трепанацию, говорит бомжу странный тип, просверлю в черепе дырку диаметром семь миллиметров. Говорят, если человеку грамотно просверлить череп, то у него после этого просыпается “шестое чувство” – он становится экстрасенсом, медиумом или даже телепатом. Или помирает – есть, парень, и такая вероятность.
Наркоз, дрель, повязка на лбу. Что дальше? Дальше в течении десяти дней, говорит хирург-экспериментатор, будем проверять тебя на наличие новых отклонений. Неудача, неудача, еще раз неудача… а потом герой однажды выходит на улицу, смотрит по сторонам, а вокруг – монстры. Женщины с щупальцами и страусиными шеями, мужчины с механическими руками и головой из стекла.
Что за херня, спрашивает перепуг��нный пациент у своего надсмотрщика, кто все эти существа? Простые люди, лыбится в ответ странный хирург, я абсолютно уверен, что монстров, демонов и пришельцев попросту не существует. У тебя обострились все чувства и ты стал видеть истинный облик людей, их комплексы и слабости – их “гомункулы”.
После подобного начала ты ожидаешь, что герой будет путешествовать и помогать людям, избавляя их от внутренних демонов, но “Гомункул” оказывается историей совершенно про иное. Лучшая параллель – фильм “Олдбой”. Схожая раскладка персонажей, эстетского сам��копания и сюрреалистических ужасов. Мангака Хидэо Ямамото писал до этого про Ичи-киллера, но “Гомункул” – его главное и любимое детище. Говорят, он даже некоторое время специально бомжевал, чтобы лучше вползти в шкуру своего героя.
Однажды к новичку подходит на ��лице странный тип - в кожаном пальто и с пирсингом по всему телу. Подходит и предлагает неплохо заработать, приняв участие в подпольном хирургическом эксперименте. За 700.000 йен я сделаю тебе трепанацию, говорит бомжу странный тип, просверлю в черепе дырку диаметром семь миллиметров. Говорят, если человеку грамотно просверлить череп, то у него после этого просыпается “шестое чувство” – он становится экстрасенсом, медиумом или даже телепатом. Или помирает – есть, парень, и такая вероятность.
Наркоз, дрель, повязка на лбу. Что дальше? Дальше в течении десяти дней, говорит хирург-экспериментатор, будем проверять тебя на наличие новых отклонений. Неудача, неудача, еще раз неудача… а потом герой однажды выходит на улицу, смотрит по сторонам, а вокруг – монстры. Женщины с щупальцами и страусиными шеями, мужчины с механическими руками и головой из стекла.
Что за херня, спрашивает перепуг��нный пациент у своего надсмотрщика, кто все эти существа? Простые люди, лыбится в ответ странный хирург, я абсолютно уверен, что монстров, демонов и пришельцев попросту не существует. У тебя обострились все чувства и ты стал видеть истинный облик людей, их комплексы и слабости – их “гомункулы”.
После подобного начала ты ожидаешь, что герой будет путешествовать и помогать людям, избавляя их от внутренних демонов, но “Гомункул” оказывается историей совершенно про иное. Лучшая параллель – фильм “Олдбой”. Схожая раскладка персонажей, эстетского сам��копания и сюрреалистических ужасов. Мангака Хидэо Ямамото писал до этого про Ичи-киллера, но “Гомункул” – его главное и любимое детище. Говорят, он даже некоторое время специально бомжевал, чтобы лучше вползти в шкуру своего героя.
July 26, 2023
Yo ya sabía que este manga me iba a gustar, pero honestamente no esperaba que me gustara tanto. La trama es re turbina y me ENCANTA, y estoy completamente estupefacta por el dibujo !! por momentos es muy grotesco ahr pero posta que me encantó (vengo de haber terminado Leila and the Blue Fox así que estoy muy en el mood de apreciar artes ahr). Tengo muchas ganas de conseguir el segundo tomo para saber cómo sigue la cosa porque por ahora sólo tengo preguntas y nada de respuestas.
Este manga fue la primera colaboración que hice con una editorial/ comiquería, así que siempre va a tener un lugar especial en mi corazón <3
4 de 5 estrellas.
Este manga fue la primera colaboración que hice con una editorial/ comiquería, así que siempre va a tener un lugar especial en mi corazón <3
4 de 5 estrellas.
July 1, 2023
reading the last volume of this with QKThr on loop sure is an experience
September 26, 2023
I picked this up because the cover looked cool. I didn’t know anything going in and I love that. This gives me Squid Game vibes mixed with paranormal themes. I can’t wait to keep reading more.
November 25, 2022
youtube: Homunculus manga ending explained
December 29, 2017
Homunculus begins with a striking premise... what if trepanation worked? Nakoshi, a homeless man who retains his suit (from a job as a former salaryman) and car, is promised a large sum of money in exchange for undergoing trepanation and a series of occult tests.
The plot is slow to start, but Nakoshi and his examiner, Manabu Ito, have lengthy exchanges that point to the significance of the very suit Nakoshi retains. For Nakoshi, as observed by his homeless compatriots, hopes to maintain the artifice of his old life despite his quickly depleting funds. Ito, too, is obsessed with artifice. In medical school, he dresses conventionally. After hours, however, he covers his face with piercings and draws on tattoos. But Ito is aware of the nature of his "decoration" in ways that Nakoshi attempts to efface. Still, in this first volume, the theme of social position as "decoration" and the character's respective "accessories" is not fully borne out in this volume.
The volume ends with a fascinating twist that sets up the forward momentum of the series. What is the connection between Ito and Nakoshi's self-conception, manner of dress, and engagement with the occult? I am interested to see how Yamamoto chooses to connect these ideas.
The plot is slow to start, but Nakoshi and his examiner, Manabu Ito, have lengthy exchanges that point to the significance of the very suit Nakoshi retains. For Nakoshi, as observed by his homeless compatriots, hopes to maintain the artifice of his old life despite his quickly depleting funds. Ito, too, is obsessed with artifice. In medical school, he dresses conventionally. After hours, however, he covers his face with piercings and draws on tattoos. But Ito is aware of the nature of his "decoration" in ways that Nakoshi attempts to efface. Still, in this first volume, the theme of social position as "decoration" and the character's respective "accessories" is not fully borne out in this volume.
The volume ends with a fascinating twist that sets up the forward momentum of the series. What is the connection between Ito and Nakoshi's self-conception, manner of dress, and engagement with the occult? I am interested to see how Yamamoto chooses to connect these ideas.
May 18, 2021
A very interesting start to this manga series! Nakoshi, a recently homeless man living in his car is approached by a med student, who offers to pay him to be the subject of an experimental surgical procedure.
That surgical procedure is called trepanation, which is essentially drilling a hole in the skull. It's still sometimes used today to treat brain injuries. However, some believe that we "only use 10% of our brain" and that trepanation is a solution to unlocking our brain potential and activating our sixth sense.
After the procedure, Nakoshi starts to see things differently. He sees people as either "normal" or "monsters." These monsters are the physical representations of the demons in their subconscious. Feelings of guilt, fear, caution, emptiness, etc. are shown plainly.
The monsters aren't scary or disgusting looking. They can be as simple as a woman with no neck, or as creepy as a girl made of "sand." However, it can still be unsettling in context.
That surgical procedure is called trepanation, which is essentially drilling a hole in the skull. It's still sometimes used today to treat brain injuries. However, some believe that we "only use 10% of our brain" and that trepanation is a solution to unlocking our brain potential and activating our sixth sense.
After the procedure, Nakoshi starts to see things differently. He sees people as either "normal" or "monsters." These monsters are the physical representations of the demons in their subconscious. Feelings of guilt, fear, caution, emptiness, etc. are shown plainly.
The monsters aren't scary or disgusting looking. They can be as simple as a woman with no neck, or as creepy as a girl made of "sand." However, it can still be unsettling in context.
May 19, 2019
Okay, good start. Wonder what do you have in store for me
December 12, 2021
Oddei, primo numero da paura!
Non sapevo bene cosa aspettarmi, ma il crescendo dalla prima all’ultima pagina è incredibile. Tratto interessante e curato, un ottimo inizio.
Non sapevo bene cosa aspettarmi, ma il crescendo dalla prima all’ultima pagina è incredibile. Tratto interessante e curato, un ottimo inizio.
February 19, 2023
Ecco come deve iniziare una serie per diventare un'ossessione. Già innamorata.
Read
March 14, 2024Essendo il primo volume, semplicemente introduttivo, non credo sia il caso di valutarlo. Però promette bene.
September 12, 2023
An impressive pilot series!!!
This seinen manga is also in the list of top-notch seinen recommendations. The storyline from the first volume has got me hooked for more. Let's find out how great this series can be!
This seinen manga is also in the list of top-notch seinen recommendations. The storyline from the first volume has got me hooked for more. Let's find out how great this series can be!
October 24, 2020
Honestly guys this is a pretty gruesome mindfudge of a old skool manga that I've ever come across this year. Basically it's bout a dude called Nakoshi who used to be a "well off" salary man in a rich company and decides to live in his banged up car across from a homeless area. Yknow while reading this manga, I got serious Tokyo Godfathers with Junji Ito vibes, not gonna lie lol.
Anyways Nakoshi then meets a punky flamboyant Ito who's father is a doctor and apparently drills Nakoshis head just for "an experiment" if he'll gain the "sixth sense". Yeah that's when things start to get out of control and particularly weird.....
Nakoshi starts to deepdive into people's deep dark secrets and basically who they are as a person (he always accuses them of lying of who they are. Is there anyone in this story telling the truth at all lol????). He mainly uses his "left eye" to perform this "examination".
He performed this method on a Yazuka boss, a schoolgirl who doesn't get on well with her mum, a sugar daddy runaway Nanako and Ita. I personally found Itas backstory to be hardhitter like seriously, it was a big major oooof I gotta say.
As much I thought this was a really really well done psychological manga, the conclusion was rushed. That's all I'm going to say, just read this manga if you want your brain frazzled and want a decent thrilling read...
Anyways Nakoshi then meets a punky flamboyant Ito who's father is a doctor and apparently drills Nakoshis head just for "an experiment" if he'll gain the "sixth sense". Yeah that's when things start to get out of control and particularly weird.....
Nakoshi starts to deepdive into people's deep dark secrets and basically who they are as a person (he always accuses them of lying of who they are. Is there anyone in this story telling the truth at all lol????). He mainly uses his "left eye" to perform this "examination".
He performed this method on a Yazuka boss, a schoolgirl who doesn't get on well with her mum, a sugar daddy runaway Nanako and Ita. I personally found Itas backstory to be hardhitter like seriously, it was a big major oooof I gotta say.
As much I thought this was a really really well done psychological manga, the conclusion was rushed. That's all I'm going to say, just read this manga if you want your brain frazzled and want a decent thrilling read...
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