Tonoharu : Lars Martinson

A near and dear friend of mine has been teaching in Japan for a few years now. Every time we talk, I strain to understand the experiences he has and what kinds of challenges that he faces, but often with little success… that was until I read Tonoharu, I found so many of the moments of this graphic novel reflected stories I’d heard from my friend. Lars Martinson is an ingenious story teller who crafts together a set of experiences that build emotionally page by page.

Daniel Wells is anxious to start a new life in Japan teaching English in a rural community. And who wouldn’t be right? But when he arrives, he quickly finds that the only thing stranger and more awkward than the interactions he has with his Japanese co-workers are those few meetings he has with Westerners living in the area. Tonoharu is a graphic novel that floats along through a series of often hilarious and sobering scenes that create a general feeling of culture shock even to the Western reader comfortably planted in their living room/bedroom.

Tonoharu (2008) by Lars Martinson was made possible through a 10,000 dollar Xeric Foundation grant. Everything about this book is beautiful, from the detailed and refined drawings and storytelling to the fine paper and luxurious hard binding, it feels like a collector’s edition when you hold it and even more so after you’ve read it. Lars Martinson may be a relatively new talent, but he is also clearly an important and lasting one. 

Tonoharu is now available through Top Shelf Productions.