Bat Kid by Inoue Kazuo

Before Ichiro, before Star of the Giants, even before the Nippon Professional Baseball league, there was Inoue Kazuos Bat Kid (1947-49), celebrated as the first major baseball manga in Japan. Originally serialized in the legendary magazine Manga Shnen, Bat Kid played an essential role in the growth of postwar manga. Its popularity drew aspiring cartoonists to Manga Shnens famous amateur submissions section, many of whom would later go pro. It kept Manga Shnen in business long enough to host Tezuka Osamus first major magazine serial, Jungle Emperor. After Inoue died suddenly in 1949, the artist who oversaw the continuation of Bat Kid, Fukui Eiichi, later went on to revolutionize manga by creating the groundwork for sports manga and gekiga both. The condensed book edition of Bat Kidon which this English edition is basedwas crowned the top childrens manga by Tokyos Mitsukoshi department store in 1948. The many baseball manga that began appearing in the 50s, leading to an explosion of sports manga in the 60s, all drew inspiration from Inoues pioneering work.

A rare opportunity to read early postwar manga in English, this edition of Bat Kid also contains a copiously illustrated essay by historian and translator Ryan Holmberg explaining the significance of Bat Kid, artist Inoue Kazuos career, and the popularity of baseball in Japan before and after World War II. Whether youre manga mad or baseball crazy, this unique volume will not disappoint. Pick up a copy today and experience for yourself the baseball manga that started it all!