Synopsis: Gaki Deka

Volume 1: As part of the "50th Anniversary of Tatsuhiko Yamagami's Manga Career" we will be selling his masterpiece "Gaki Deka" as an e-book. "Gaki Deka" is a brilliant milestone in Japanese manga, and it is no exaggeration to say that gag manga that have continued to the present day began here. It became a social phenomenon, and the popular phrase "Death Penalty!" by Komawari-kun became a buzzword. The total number of tankobon published (26 volumes) exceeded 30 million, and the magazine in which it appeared, "Weekly Shonen Champion" became the first in the Japanese manga world to sell 2 million copies, which is a testament to the popularity of the manga. For this e-book version, we have decided to use the Akita Shoten version (first edition) and "Gaki Deka THE BEST" (3 volumes, Shogakukan Creative) as the base. "Gaki Deka THE BEST" is basically scanned directly from the original manuscripts, proofread by the magazines in which they were published (Weekly Shonen Champion, Monthly Shonen Champion, etc.), and proofread by the mangaka, so the works included in "Gaki Deka THE BEST" have been fully utilized. The other works are not included in the book. Other works are based on the Akita Shoten version of the first edition. However, as was the custom in the publishing world at the time, the Akita Shoten edition was not released in the order in which it was first published, but in the order in which it appeared in the magazine. In addition, there were several manuscripts in the second and later editions of the Akita Shoten edition that had been revised, perhaps to respond to complaints. This is "Gaki Deka" which is said to be one of the achievements of postwar democracy, Shunsuke Tsurumi is said to have said. As long as "Gaki Deka" is read by everyone, as long as people have the self-image of "Oh, there are people like this in Japan" or "Japan is like this" I think we are still safe. I feel that we still have one step to go to the point where we can create a posture for war by saying, "Fight for justice" or "crusade". (Shunsuke Tsurumi, "From the History of Manga") I think that "Gaki Deka" is a work that should be read "now," perhaps in this sense as well, Regardless of this, please read and laugh at this work first.