★★★★★ Review of the manga “Opus” by Satoshi Kon.
“Opus” is a brilliant postmodernist introspection of the challenges of writing, creativity, and the cliches of pop culture; delivered in a manga format.
Author Satoshi Kon worked on this manga between 1995-1996 as it was serialized in “Comic Guy” manga magazine until the magazine closed abruptly in 1996. The final 3 chapters were never finished. Between 1996 and his death in 2010, he sketched out an abridged final chapter that was included in this book.
The brilliance of this book is how the final chapter serves as a bookend to his life, how our individual lives are stories left unfinished, and how our loved ones go on to continue those stories. A true gem.