Review -- FINAL BLOSSOM

Final Blossom
Art by Karen Yumi Lusted
Written by Karen Yumi Lusted
Itch Publishing

If you're a reader of comics, and that's likely a given if you are reading this review, then you're probably at least aware that the Japanese have their own rather unique view of comics, to the point the manga style is really now a sub-genre of the industry.
While anime is Japanese in its roots, there are those outside Japan who have taken the style to heart, and are producing some fine manga books of their own.
Karen Yumi Lusted is one such creator, with her one-shot title Final Blossom an example of what she is doing.
Yumi Lusted said manga has always appealed to her.
“I just like the style. I like pretty things and manga contains that whereas western comics don't,” she said. “There are also varied styles in manga which I like, it's nice to be able to read something that has a completely different style to something else you like. Even though I like variation, I can't help but draw in the 'conventional' way, I feel more satisfied with the results.
The simplicity attracted Yumi Lusted too.
“Western comics contain colour which obviously takes up time to do, but manga doesn't,” she said. “I find it easier and quicker to tone in black/white. It helps me concentrate on portraying the story and getting it right rather than messing around with colouring etc.”
Like many anime tales, Final Blossom is very reflective of the interaction of man and nature. The relationship is told through a story that uses limited dialog to tell the story, yet it manages to portray the topic well.
Yumi Lusted said the story was one that came together quite quickly.
“This was initially for a competition, so I thought of it relatively quickly,” she said. “I decided to create a new story, even though I had plenty of others in my head, because it had to fit a number of pages. I also wanted to create a simple story with few characters so I could develop the elements within a short amount of space.”
Artistically, Yumi Lusted uses simple black and white art rendered in a style that uses long flowing strokes. The faces are typically anime with the large expressive eyes, and often pronounced expressions such as when a character smiles.
For a story which relates to nature, the art seems perfectly in tune with what Yumi Lusted is after in terms of telling the story.
The overall impact of Final Blossom is good. The art work while appearing simple in many of its renderings, shows a practiced touch in terms of its lines, and is appealing to look at.
The story too, works based on its simplicity, and message.
Still, this is a book that is anime, and you best be a fan of that genre of comic to truly appreciate what Yumi Lusted has created here.
The creator said she is OK with the way Final Blossom turned out.
“I'm relatively happy with it, I try not to look back on my work too often,” she said. “I at least wait a bit before I do just so I don't criticize it too much and get myself depressed over it because I can see all the mistakes that I made, and realizing, everyone else can see those mistakes! There are things I'd like to improve but I'm concentrating on my future works to even care anymore.What's done is done!”
With an eye to the future Yumi Lusted said she has many ideas at play.
“I'm working on my next project, that I'll hopefully get done for next London Expo,” she said. “It's about Superheroes, and is loosely based on a friend who likes her Superhero comics. This is the first of many ideas that I want to get done -- that is not motivated by any competition.”

-- CALVIN DANIELS

-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra