cover image Crayon Shinchan: Vol. 1

Crayon Shinchan: Vol. 1

Yoshito Usui, . . ComicsOne, $9.95 (200pp) ISBN 978-1-58899-194-2

Sometimes called the Bart Simpson of Japan, cartoon character Crayon Shinchan has his own TV show and manga series. Readers shouldn't be fooled by the flat line drawings and the cover's primary colors, or by the innocent-looking little kid, because five-year-old Shinchan relentlessly sasses the adults around him and pulls perverted pranks that would make even Bart blush. One minute he's getting ready for a bath like any other kid his age; the next, he is teasing his mom about the size of her breasts. At school, he torments his principal and tells his kindergarten teacher that for Christmas he wants Britney Spears "right out of the shower." Shinchan's antics are so powerful, almost every episode ends with an adult in tears, their world shattered by embarrassment. Each incident takes place over three pages, which is sometimes long for bathroom humor. Though it's initially hard to see who the character would appeal to besides 10-year-old boys, eventually the pace and rhythm of the silliness takes on a charm of its own. (However, those who don't like this kind of humor will tire quickly of the book's shameless clowning.) The series must lose something in the translation: some of the jokes and dialogue are awkwardly phrased, and Shinchan's love of all-American Oreos and Britney Spears is too forced to be effective. Still, those who want a peek into Japanese popular culture, and who enjoy light, family-based (if not family-oriented) comics, might want to keep this on the bathroom shelf next to Calvin & Hobbes. (June)