Okinawa by susumu higa

This volume is a two-part collection of short stories centered on the island of Okinawa. The first half focuses on the island’s inhabitants as they experience the harrowing months of the Battle of Okinawa. Some of these stories are based on Higa’s own family history. The second collection mainly focuses on life after the battle and loosely stars a yuta priestess who performs several rites to heal the spiritual soul of the island or the people.

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Through these stories, Higa explores a subject that many Okinawans don’t always want to discuss — the war that cost so many lives of soldiers and civilians — and also touches on the island’s sense of identity with the American military base that exists there today. Through the yuta priestess, Higa is showcasing some of the traditional beliefs of the island and encapsulating them, as well as contrasting the traditionalism to the modernism of the island's inhabitants and the current conflict with the base. At first glance, some of these stories seem simplistic, but there is plenty of content for deeper discussion with manga groups or literature classes.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

Publisher: Fantagraphics
Publication Date: August 22, 2023
ISBN: 9781683961185 (Hardcover)

​Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Story Collection, War, History, Fantagraphics