Apollo's song is a remarkable manga by Osamu Tezuka and is a rare story in the sense that it describes the link between affection, love and care in association to sexual intercourse and pro-creation.
The main character Shogo, is the illegitimate son of a prostitute. Growing up in environment of confusion and no maternal affection Shogo soon learns that his mother sins, the uncomfortable way. As he grows up he feels the need to kill animals in the act of mating, as his mental stability falters from time to time he is then admitted into a psychiatric hospital before his attacks transfer from animals to humans.
While unconscious, Shogo meets the goddess of love in a different realm, she is angered by his crimes and then sentences him to a cycle of repeatedly falling in love with the same woman only to be separated from her repeatedly for eternity.
And thus begins Shogo's never ending life, meeting, loving and tearing away from the same woman over and over again. The manga quickly grew painful for me as a reader to see Shogo constantly being separated from his love. But his deep routed detest of affection between two beings was slowly being cured.
Apollo's song included the Greek myth of Apollo (son of Zeus) making fun of cupid for playing with warrior's tools, cupid got angry at Apollo's mocking and so shot him with a gold arrow so he would fall in love with Daphne, he then shot the nymph Daphne with a lead arrow so she could hate Apollo. Apollo then chases after her, wanting nothing but to claim her. When he just managed to catch her, Daphne pleads her father Peneus to save her, and so her father changes her into a Bay laurel tree (I have one in my garden!). Apollo is grieved but vows to tend to her as his tree and makes all famous leaders wear her leaves as a crown (hence Olympic game winner and bay leaf crowns). The story is metaphoric for one who mocks love and then is punished for it.
The main character Shogo, is the illegitimate son of a prostitute. Growing up in environment of confusion and no maternal affection Shogo soon learns that his mother sins, the uncomfortable way. As he grows up he feels the need to kill animals in the act of mating, as his mental stability falters from time to time he is then admitted into a psychiatric hospital before his attacks transfer from animals to humans.
While unconscious, Shogo meets the goddess of love in a different realm, she is angered by his crimes and then sentences him to a cycle of repeatedly falling in love with the same woman only to be separated from her repeatedly for eternity.
And thus begins Shogo's never ending life, meeting, loving and tearing away from the same woman over and over again. The manga quickly grew painful for me as a reader to see Shogo constantly being separated from his love. But his deep routed detest of affection between two beings was slowly being cured.
Apollo's song included the Greek myth of Apollo (son of Zeus) making fun of cupid for playing with warrior's tools, cupid got angry at Apollo's mocking and so shot him with a gold arrow so he would fall in love with Daphne, he then shot the nymph Daphne with a lead arrow so she could hate Apollo. Apollo then chases after her, wanting nothing but to claim her. When he just managed to catch her, Daphne pleads her father Peneus to save her, and so her father changes her into a Bay laurel tree (I have one in my garden!). Apollo is grieved but vows to tend to her as his tree and makes all famous leaders wear her leaves as a crown (hence Olympic game winner and bay leaf crowns). The story is metaphoric for one who mocks love and then is punished for it.
At the very beginning it brought forth the idea that conceiving a child is the highest proof of affection between two people, and then cuts to a child born from sin and empty lust. The story then discusses the disapproval the child has for anything related to copulation as a result from the lack of parental affection or observing romantic affection.
Apollo's song was not only medically imbibed but also highlighted the need for love between two people in order for healthy peadiatric development to occur. In a way it is saying that affection is a medical requirment.
The manga was not in anyway crude rude or graphic, I think it was a terrific story despite being painful to read. Tezuka delivers again, 8/10 rating.
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