Why isn't Touch so well known here?
As I mentioned in a subpage here or two, Touch WAS and STILL is a favorite of the Japanese and the European audience. Why isn't it so popular here? Well, I think one reason would be the art. A lot of people, especially Americans who are used to pretty shoujo images like "Sailormoon" aren't used to Touch's art style. Touch certainly isn't "pretty" like shoujo images but to me, it's very fluid. Adachi's characters tend to look alike but the way he draws is quite good. His style and his lines are very detailed. The shapes of buildings and the curves of the character's body. The lines are so perfectly drawn. Take a look at these two examples.
Here and
Here. And then take a closer look at the other images that are plastered everywhere here. The buildings, the characters, everything is put together perfectly. I think Adachi was an architect in another life or something.
I wasn't used to the art style at first eigther but as it went along, I got used to it. Minami is drawn very well and Tacchan is of course, always cool.
I think another reason would be it's ORDINARINESS. There's no action going on, no pretty boys, no magic, no girls with large breasts (which is surprising in a shounen manga), or cute animals you want to glomp. It's a story about ordinary people who live ordinary lives but they have a great story to tell.
The thing is, many look at the "oldness" of Touch and the images of it... but they aren't looking at Touch's true beauty and that is the story and the characters themselves. Adachi made us see through them. Their heart, their desires, their flaws... The character developement is amazing. The way its told so simply, just gets to me. I only wish I can write so well. It's dramatic without getting too sappy. It's tearjearking without being too emotional and it's cute without it being corny. In other words, I think it's perfect. I think that's why most everyone in Japan and in Europe is still in love with it even when the manga is more than 20 years old and the anime came out in the mid 80's. The story is very universal. It shows us how ordinary people can become something if they just believe and not try to be someone else. It also shows us that different cultures are very universal as well, when you get right down to it. We can relate to all of them so well. There are no love rivals, no "evil" person you love to hate. It's so normal and I think that's what makes Touch so wonderful.
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