The song of cannabis
In Kei Toume’s first short opus collection,she drew a story about a group of people smoking pot in an abandoned building.
It is my favorite story in her early works. Even though her drawing skill is not mature enough at that time,the atmosphere is greatly distinct. The bubble feeling is too strong,and everything is like bubbles. A weird girl leads the hero into a relaxing world by smoking pot.”I’m not addicted to cannabis,just don’t want to care about anything.” The decadence is full of the air in 1995.
That is what I want to describe cannabis:”decadence”.Cannabis is born with decadence in modern era. Besides, as the heroine said,”it is kawaii and not harmful like other drugs.”
Another half of the story is about escaping. Many comics have similarity in the theme. In the end of the manga version of Sayonara Piano Sonata,the hero and heroine walk along the railway in order to ‘escape’. Lollypop or a Bullet also has the same plot. I think it can promote the romantic feelings.
The end is like slipping from the mountain to the flat. You don’t know if the sadness has left,and if the future is bright. What I know is that Kei Toume is absolutely talented without any doubt.
In coincidence, Igaran sensei also drew a different but similar short story in her first album. In my view, it looks like cannabis is replaced by bomb. She described that she just wanted to create a story which has 1990s style. What is 90s style?Economy bubble and decadence?Or a weird girl who appears abruptly attracts the boy who has had a girlfriend? I don’t understand. Maybe I am supposed to watch some TV dramas in 1990s.
It is necessary to mention Tatsuhiko Takimoto. He can be called an expert about drugs. He emphasised the big difference between hallucinogens and addictives. He also said “It will take you into paradise if you are happy,or take you into hell if you are desperate.” “Don’t believe you can know how to write novel by taking hallucinogens.” These talks have reference values for me,because I have not opportunity to take hallucinogens.
But I would like to discuss the appearance of cannabis in his new novel Rebuild of NHK. In the first chapter,Sato-san insists “cannabis is awful”,but then he takes cannabis as well as listening to adult voice. So Tatsuhiko sensei has the awareness that cannabis resembles demon?However, in the second chapter, Sato-san smokes pot again,but conversely achieves his goal. I think,perhaps the cannabis has not the power to let a person fall in decadence. If only you have light in heart,you are able to be a mass of flame.
Too positive to admit the sentence is what I wrote
Meanwhile, I have a sense that internet or mobile phone is such a thing like cannabis. After all, the reality is strict and exhausting,and you can use your phone escaping from that.
When it comes to fine description of taking cannabis, I think the best comic is Ultra Heaven. Manga is the most suitable method to show the subjective sense of taking drugs. A spectacular comic subplot has ability to deliver the shattering memory feeling to the readers in a charming way. LSD is called orange sunshine —what a romantic phrase. The most strong feeling of hallucinogens is an endless loop in the eternal period of time?
But the disadvantage is that this manga looks like don’t have the plan to create a profound theme,or I can say it is like a pop-corn film. And the whole style is preferred to western comic. Obviously, I think too much because until today,there is still not a sequel.
In Chinese,there are only ‘toxic things’ but not ‘drugs’.The education of China always introduces drugs are all scaring and worst,which sounds like legends. I dislike this thought. Ayahuasca as a kind of hallucinogens is used in shamans’ ceremony of south America ,many people clean their psyche via drinking it. In fact, cannabis is not harmful as what was previously claimed. It can help or hurt a person at the same time. The effect depends on his own mental conditions. For myself, the romance and decadence along with cannabis is so attractive.