Story and Art by Hokazono Masaya
Copyright © 1994, 1995

Ever since Matoba returned from Arizona things have not been right. He seems to be growing larger, having more presence among men. There is a Hopi legend that the world is shrinking as it comes to an end. Only the beings that are of the next world remain unchanged: the shamans and the wisemen.
Matoba is a reporter that has a knack for knowing where to find a scoop. For some reason, a particular video of an interview in the Arizona desert has attracted his attention. Much to the confusion of his coworkers and the annoyance of his boss, he watches tapes day in and day out. Matoba's coworkers pity the boss because when Matoba gets in one of these moods he can not be shaken. Suddenly Matoba tells his assistant to pause the playback and zoom in on a section. Buried in the background of the desert is a woman in a coat walking across the land. Why is this so startling?
When Matoba shows the tapes to a panel of producers we learn that the woman is Asama Saeko, a famous performer who vanished two years ago. What is she doing in Arizona? The producers are all eager to go public with the tape as surely this is an amazing story. Matoba, however, says that they can not show this tape and they angrily demand to know why. Matoba points out there is something very strange with the woman. She is simply too large to be real. Judging by the size of the telephone poles that she is walking between she has to be at least 4 meters tall. The scale appears real and it is not a trick of the distance. The only solution that presents itself to Matoba is to go to Arizona and find out what is really going on. Matoba's boss says it is no use stopping him when he gets an idea like this in his head.
In Arizona Matoba has a guide take him to the valley where the video was made. However, while scaling down a cliff, the guide goes back to the car to get some rope and instead runs off with Matoba's car. Matoba is now stranded. He settles in and tries to figure out what to do next when suddenly there is a voice behind him. He looks back and meets Godo—larger than life himself, Godo is a Native American of the Hopi nation. He arrived on a prop plane that is parked not twenty yards from where Matoba was sitting yet Matoba did not hear it approach. Who is this person, Matoba wonders. Why does he stare at me so? Why did I not hear his plane approach?
Matoba asks Godo to be his guide and to show him the valley. He figures that Godo must know the area well. Godo refuses and does not give him a reason why. Godo confuses Matoba more when he seems to know Matoba's name and says that he has been waiting for the reporter. Startled and shocked, Matoba wants to know how Godo knew his name. Laughing, Godo points out that it is written on the inside of Matoba's jacket.
That night Matoba has a very strange dream—he is flying through the air over the desert. He passes over a small band being conducted by his old girlfriend. Godo comments dryly that Matoba is having a strange dream. There is Godo in the air next to Matoba. Matoba suddenly wakes up and a coyote in his tent says "Yes, a dream." He lurches out of the tent as the coyote runs off. Godo, off to one side of Matoba, informs him that that was Coyote, the spirit.
Godo does not know why Coyote wanted to talk to Matoba. So Matoba begins to be drawn in to the world of Hopi myth. Is the world ending? Is there anything Matoba can do about it? Why was his old girlfriend in his dream? What does Godo want from him? What does Coyote want from him?
Luckily, it is not that hard to find out. The story is fairly short and reads quite rapidly. There are a number of engaging elements: the use of Native American myths, the end of the world scenario and many striking visuals. Although the art style is a bit inconsistent in the first three volumes, it does improve. The lines are medium in thickness and the characters are given just enough detail to carry a real sense of existence. Backgrounds are plentiful and are used to integrate the characters into the scene. Furigana is sparse, but the text is not exceedingly heavy with kanji. It should be a bit of a challenge for beginning reader but not insurmountable.
This story is recommended if you are looking for something short with a decent resolution, a new set of myths to read about, and some very impressive visuals that lend a strong sense of the surreal mixed with the real. A story to discover and enjoy.

Published in Japan by Afternoon KC
Vol 1-4, complete
black/white pages
¥500 per volume
Available now in Japan
Where to buy