Tales of Summer Grass (Manga)

Also known as 夏草物語 (Natsukusa Monogatari)

Tezuka’s samurai-era short tale of revenge and redemption, Tales of Summer Grass (1954) was originally published in the June 1954 issue of Manga Shonen.

What it’s about

The story begins right at the end of a feverish duel between two samurai, Hyoe Enoki and Naramaru Kunigi.  As Hyoe is defeated, he asks Naramaru, why he must die and then begs his killer to tell his wife and young son that he died in combat.  Although Naramaru is honour-bound to kill Hyoe, after his lord reneges on the promised reward, Naramaru begins to ponder that question himself.

As promised, Naramaru visits Hyoe’s home in the country, and informs his widow and son of his death.  However, in an attempt to make amends, he decides to stick around and help the family with the chores.  Although Hyoe’s son Hyoma dreams of learning to use his sword and one day avenge his father, Naramaru refuses to teach him, saying battles are not just a game.  Yet, when a traveling ronin recognizes Naramaru and accidentally spills the beans, Hyoma leaves home intent on revenge.

“Why did I kill that man?”

Three years later, the young Hyoma, having quickly risen through the ranks, finds himself in the service of a lord and about to do battle near his village.  However, when he discovers that his family home is about to go up in flames for strategic reasons, he breaks ranks and runs off in search of his mother.  In a rage, he kills one of the soldiers who is setting fire to his home.  Branded as a traitor, he is attacked by the rest of the soldiers, but Naramaru shows up, sword in hand and helps fight them off.

With Naramaru wounded in the battle, Hyoma has his chance for revenge, but after reflecting on his own actions, declines.  He realizes that his father was not just killed by Naramaru, but by war itself.

What you should know

Practicing the sword

Despite being a short story with quick pacing,Tales of Summer Grass (1954) asks some poingent questions.  While quite obviously a vehicle for Tezuka’s general anti-war message,the story is much more than that.  Instead of just focusing on the action generated by a tried-and-true, one-dimensional, formula of a son setting out to avenge the father, Tezuka uses the opportunity to engage his young readership in a bit of of a discussion.

Never one to “talk down” to his readers, even his very young ones, Tezuka sketches out the dangers of “just following orders” and then asks them to measure the needs of a samurai’s honour against a family’s need of a father/husband themselves – some unexpectedly heady fare for a boys adventure comic from the mid-1950s.

Of course, Tales of Summer Grass (1954) was published in the June 1954 issue of Manga Shonen – sandwiched in between the April 1954 ending of Jungle Emperor (1950-54) and the July 1954 beginning of Phoenix [Manga Shonen] (1954-55).  So, despite being considered part of a “short break” in Tezuka’s schedule, considering the company it keeps, perhaps that’s not so surprising after all…