Asano Inio | Nijigahara Holograph (R17)

Japanese: 虹ヶ原ホログラフ
English: Nijigahara Holograph
Synonyms: Rainbow Field Holograph
Type: Manga
Volumes: 1
Chapters: 15
Status: Completed
Published: 2003 to 2005
Genres: Drama, Psychological, Seinen
Mangaka: Asano Inio (Story & Art)
Serialization: Quick Japan

Synopsis: Even as butterflies ominously proliferate in town, the rumour of a mysterious creature lurking in the tunnel behind the school spreads among the children. When the body of Arie Kimura's mother is found by this tunnel's entrance, next to apparently human traces, the legend seems to be confirmed. Is the end of the world coming? In order to appease the wrath of the beast, the children decide to offer it a sacrifice: The unfortunate Arie, whom they believe to be the cause of the curse, is shoved into a well that leads to the Nijigahara tunnel—an act that in turns pushes Komatsuzaki, the budding thug who has carried a torch for Arie for a while already, entirely over the edge.

But this is only the beginning of the complex, challenging, obliquely told Nijigahara Holograph, which takes place in two separate timeliness and involves the suicidal Suzuki; Higure, his stalker-ish would-be girlfriend; their teacher Miss Sakaki, whose heavily bandaged face remains a mystery; and many more―brothers, sisters, parents, co-workers, teachers, aggressors and victims who are all inextricably linked to one another and all will eventually―ten years later―have to live with what they've done or suffered through.


Bato.to: Suzuki is a troubled boy. He's lived with uncaring foster parents for most of his life, alienated from the other kids at his school, owner of a cynical, unhappy mentality. Komatsuzaki is a violent, unpredictable bully whose head trauma causes him to act in mysterious, inexplicable ways. Arakawa is a no-nonsense, normal girl who pines after Komatsuzaki but can never have him.

A teacher with just one working eye. A mother who committed suicide. A daughter in an endless coma. Attempted rapes, murders, extortion, sexual deviance, and a freakish explosion in the butterfly population. All of these elements are whirled together in a story spanning 10 years, a tale of blackness, pain, and apocalypse. And maybe just a bit of hope and redemption. It's a spiritual cross between the misanthropic suburban malevolence of Kyoko Okazaki's Rivers Edge and the eerie mysticality of Donnie Darko.

Groups Scanlating

Mangascreener

Licensed in English

Fantagraphics (Complete) 

Source: MAL Manga info, Baka updates, Bato.to

Side notes: I's really struggling should I take this manga or not to the main list today. I kept it on the extra manga list just in case if I'm making one today but as I thought about a bit more ... I decided it's okay to go mainly due of its storytelling that is experimental... though I didn't notice it to be too different from other stories. It also gives a vibe of hallucinations or dreams at times so it suits today's theme in that way. I also pushed two mangas to the extras due of this one so I hope I didn't make a poor choice.^-^

Main characters

Amahiko Suzuki

Suzuki is a troubled boy. He's lived with uncaring foster parents for most of his life, alienated from the other kids at his school, owner of a cynical, unhappy mentality. Though he has also a violent strike inside himself.

He is almost hoping that his father would die after a surgery 'cause he seems more happier in that way. He can see him smiling and uttering someone else's name that isn't his. He planned also to kill a girl in his class (Higure) 'cause she felt dirty to him and acted differently towards him.  He learned later that his father and mother were not his real parents but he was son of the wife that his father had married. He is also  Arie Kimuras real brother. It also came clear that his mother was killed either by his real father or by the stepfather and he and Arie were witnesses for this.

Kota Komatsuzaki

Komatsuzaki is a violent, unpredictable bully whose head trauma causes him to act in mysterious, inexplicable ways. He works as a part timer in a local super market. Due some circumstances he ended up killing the store manager and injure his co-worker (Arie Kimura's father) who was bullied by the store manager. The store manager used to be one of his teachers at the elementary school.

He was deeply in love with Arie Kimura and said that after her he's not going to love any other woman any more. He also killed the man who tried to hurt Arie 10 years later when he came across to him by the river side.

Maki Arakawa

Arakawa is a no-nonsense, normal girl who pines after Komatsuzaki but can never have him. She works at the cafe as a waitress. She also studies art but isn't doing very well in it. Her feelings for Komatsuzaki have not changed in 10 years but after the news of him killing someone she turns to the direction of the owner of the cafe.

Supporting

Kyoko Sakaki

Suzuki's homeroom teacher. She was injured when she was trying to save one of the students (Arie Kimura) from an attacker. She married a teacher from the same school but divorced after 10 years of marriage. She never got over the assault and her fear of men.

Higure, Cafe owner

He was the older brother of Suzuki's classmate and in love with Arie Kimura. He and Arie met usually by the river side and shared stories about life. Arie gave him the butterfly pendant. At the time when Suzuki was planning to kill Higure's sister he had already done the deed and killed all his family and burnt the house they were living in. He assaulted Arie and Kyoko Sakaki. Later he tried to also kill Maki Arakawa.

Hayato Wakamatsu, Police officer

He used to be is same class with Suzuki and hang out with Komatsuzaki who one day cut his friend's face with a knife leaving a scar. Angry for the assault he hit Komatsuzaki causing him to lose his consciousness and suffering the head trauma. He likes Maki Arakawa.