Issunboshi

In Lang’s interpretation of a classic Japanese folktale, a one-inch-tall samurai named Issunboshi is created from the spirit of a mythical sword that has been divided to keep it safe from a terrible demon who longs to possess its power. The heart of the story is Issunboshi’s quest to hone his abilities and find the bravery to save those he loves from that demon, even though he stands no taller than a sewing needle. Lang delights in Japanese imagery, depicting rural shrines and imperial palaces with equal exquisite detail. The novel’s yokai, or Japanese spirits—like turtle-faced kappas who threaten to consume Issunboshi, and giant terrifying skeletons called gasha-dokuro—will excite fans of Japanese monsters. Lang also crafts a narrative that’s clear enough to be welcoming to readers who are unfamiliar with these motifs. His background in cinematic animation shows (he has worked on Wreck-It Ralph and Moana, among other films): there’s a storyboard-like quality to the graphic novel’s pacing, and the gorgeously doe-eyed characters inhabit digitally illustrated scenes that spark, shine, and sometimes even explode.