{"product_id":"the-hand-in-the-fog-霧の手-face-40-george-akiyama-essay","title":"The Hand in the Fog (霧の手) | Face #40 | George Akiyama | Essay","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore becoming famous as George Akiyama\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, the future creator of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZeni Geba\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAshura\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePatman X\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHaguregumo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003espent his formative years in the shadowy world of kashihon\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, Japan's postwar rental manga industry.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLong before adopting the flamboyant pen name \"George Akiyama,\" the young artist worked\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e under his real name, Akiyama Yūji (秋山勇二)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003econtributing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e action, crime, and adventure stories\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e to the rapidly evolving rental manga market.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOne of his earliest known works, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eArashi to Ninja\u003c\/em\u003e (Storm and Ninja), appeared in 1960 when he was only sixteen years old.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBy May 1961, Akiyama was publishing works such as \u003cem\u003eRenkan Blues\u003c\/em\u003e through Togetsu Shobō, followed by \u003cem\u003eGekiryū\u003c\/em\u003e (Torrent) in the anthology \u003cem\u003eChōsen\u003c\/em\u003e in June 1962. These publications reveal a young artist already immersed in the emerging gekiga movement years before his mainstream breakthrough.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring this period \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAkiyama\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e moved to Tokyo and \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003eworked at Yoshimeidō\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, a rental manga distributor in Kanda. He delivered manuscripts to publishers and editors throughout the kashihon network \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewhile studying under established manga artists Yoshimitsu Maetani and Kenji Morita.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e According to journalist Takashi Tachibana in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Disappearance of Manga Artist George Akiyama\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (Bungei Shunjū, 1971), the aspiring artist visited Maetani's home almost daily while struggling to establish himself in the industry. \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHis first collected volume was even published under Maetani's name\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, reflecting the apprentice-like nature of manga production during the rental manga era.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmong the most intriguing publications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e connected to this obscure period\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e is \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eFace\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e (顔)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, a long-running detective and suspense\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e anthology published by Angel Bunko.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e At least forty-one issues are known today. Surviving copies reveal contributions by major figures of early gekiga\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e including Takao Saitō, Masahiko Matsumoto, Masaaki Satō, Susumu Yamamori, Kenji Nanba, Fumiyasu Ishikawa, Kiyoshi Koike, Takeshi Jō, and others.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Yet despite its importance, much of the series remains undocumented and many issues appear to have vanished entirely.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe story presented here, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Hand in the Fog\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (霧の手), \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003ewas published in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFace\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e #40\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ecredited to 正田まもる (Shōda Mamoru)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e. For decades, the identity behind this alias remained unclear. However, recent research by a veteran Japanese kashihon researcher and publisher identified Shōda Mamoru as\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e none other than George Akiyama.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis identification is supported by\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e the publication date, \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ethe artistic similarities\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e to Akiyama's earliest documented works, the widespread use of multiple pen names within the rental manga industry, and\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Akiyama's documented activity in the same publishing circles\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e at exactly the same time. \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCombined with the provenance of these original pages, the evidence makes it clear that \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Hand in the Fog\u003c\/em\u003e belongs to the formative years of George Akiyama's career.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat makes these pages particularly fascinating is not how closely they resemble Akiyama's later masterpieces, but how clearly they reveal the beginnings of his interests as a storyteller. \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBeneath the mystery plot lies a tale of greed, guilt, fear, and self-destruction.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e As the protagonist's pursuit of treasure turns into obsession, the story gradually shifts from adventure into psychological suspense.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUnlike many straightforward action stories of the period,\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Hand in the Fog\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\"\u003e is less concerned with heroism than with human weakness. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eThe emphasis on moral ambiguity, psychological pressure, and the consequences of individual choices offers an intriguing glimpse of the artist George Akiyama would eventually become. Those same concerns would later reappear, in very different forms, throughout works such as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZeni Geba\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAshura\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePatman X\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHaguregumo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote :\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(43, 0, 255);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRental manga was produced cheaply, circulated heavily, and often discarded once worn out. Entire publishers disappeared during the collapse of the kashihon market, leaving behind fragmentary archives and countless lost works. Because of this, surviving pages such as these offer a rare glimpse into the hidden apprenticeship years of one of postwar Japan's most provocative and influential manga artists: Yūji Akiyama, better known to the world as George Akiyama.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eSynopsis of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eThe Hand in the Fog\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(78, 60, 60);\"\u003eThe narrator is a taxi driver living in postwar Japan. One foggy night, while driving through heavy mist, he notices a strange box lying on the roadside. Thinking it may contain something valuable, he stops and picks it up.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(78, 60, 60);\"\u003eAs soon as he opens it, he discovers a mysterious severed hand inside. \u003cbr\u003eAlmost immediately, bizarre things begin to happen.\u003cbr\u003eThe hand suddenly comes to life and grabs him. Terrified, he throws it away, but the hand keeps reappearing. A policeman eventually finds him in a state of panic, yet when the taxi driver tries to explain what happened, nobody believes him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(78, 60, 60);\"\u003eDays later, he convinces himself it was all a dream. Then the hand returns.\u003cbr\u003eThat night he is transported into a strange vision or dreamlike experience. He finds himself on a remote island where he encounters a rugged castaway-like man. The stranger tells him a story from the wartime years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(78, 60, 60);\"\u003eAccording to the castaway, a wealthy man named Ōsawa had become stranded on the island with him. At first they cooperated, but over time the situation deteriorated. Food became scarce and survival became increasingly difficult. The castaway eventually discovers that Ōsawa possesses a precious jewel. Consumed by greed, he decides to murder him and steal it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(78, 60, 60);\"\u003eAs he prepares to carry out the crime, strange supernatural events begin occurring. A black shadow-like figure appears. A savage wild dog attacks. The island itself seems haunted or cursed. During the struggle, the jewel, the hand, and the shadow become linked in a series of uncanny events. The severed hand appears to act almost independently, pursuing justice or vengeance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(78, 60, 60);\"\u003eThe castaway ultimately dies, while the mystery of the hand remains unresolved.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(78, 60, 60);\"\u003eIn the final pages, the taxi driver awakens and discovers that the whole episode was connected to a real event. A radio broadcast announces that a volcanic eruption has caused a remote island in the South Pacific to sink beneath the sea. The island mentioned in the story has vanished forever.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(78, 60, 60);\"\u003eThe implication is that the hand, the jewel, and the castaway's story were all connected to a real tragedy whose last supernatural trace reached the taxi driver through the fog. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"George Akiyama","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53235433701704,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0799\/6974\/7272\/files\/akiyama_bio_2.png?v=1780660785","url":"https:\/\/sultansofmanga.com\/products\/the-hand-in-the-fog-%e9%9c%a7%e3%81%ae%e6%89%8b-face-40-george-akiyama-essay","provider":"Sultans of Manga","version":"1.0","type":"link"}