MISC. MANGA, *Domu: A Child's Dream

One of Katsuhiro Otomo's first projects was the limited series was this sci-fi thriller. The manga ran from 1980-81, and was eventually released as a single paperback in Japan, and then released in English over a decade later by Dark Horse Comics. Domu serves as the foundation for Otomo's work on Akira as both deal with psychics and their effect on the world, although this story is more of a eerie urban fantasy as opposed to an apocalyptic epic.

Inside a large block of apartments in an inner city housing project, strange events are afoot with unexplained deaths, most of which seem like suicide with all the departed person's articles missing. The police can't pin down the source of this phenomenon, but several inhabitants are under suspicion as the lower class citizens each seem to have their own unique quirks. The truth is one of them is a high level esper that has been playfully meddling with their neighbors minds and memories. Only a more responsible local psychic can stand up to the other's psychotronic rampage.

Domu: A Child's Dream introduces the world to Otomo's style with emphasis on more realistic character designs. The manga has some timeless imagery to it that still captures the reader's attention. There's alot to offer in this eerie psychological single-volume comic to satisfy both horror fans and otaku.