cover image Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President, Vol. 1: Candidate

Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President, Vol. 1: Candidate

Kaiji Kawaguchi. Viz Media, $6.95 (120pp) ISBN 978-1-56931-458-6

It's election year 2000 in this graphic novel and third-generation Japanese-American senator Kenneth Yamaoka has just made the stunning announcement--only a month before the New Hampshire primary--that he will run for president of the U.S. Meanwhile, in Japan, handsome young reporter Takashi Jo loses his mother to an accidental gas leak. His mother's death also seems to end Takashi's chances of finding out more about his father, an unknown American serviceman whose identity his mother refused to divulge. Before he has time to come to grips with his grief, Takashi receives an unexpected prize assignment to cover Yamaoka's presidential campaign--at the senator's staff's request. Takashi is soon to discover the identity of his very powerful father. This introductory volume in what will be a monthly series offers the brisk pacing of a political campaign complete with charismatic leader and innocent bystander. Kawaguchi's black and white drawings are dynamic in the melodramatic manga manner. He paints American backstage politics with a sometimes broad but always lively brush and has produced the beginnings of a thoughtful political drama. (Sept.)