Shinanogawa(1973)

Shinanogawa

Japan, Showa era… times are tough, especially in the region which has been surrounded by the river Shinano for hundreds of years. Ice-cold winter, failed harvest and hungry wolves give its residents a hard time. Young girls are amongst the first victims of this crisis-ridden time - their fate is often already decided: it’s either the brothel or the factory. Under these hard circumstances, the young and beautiful Takano Yukie tries to find her own way in life; and while doing so, she will challenge the moral conventions of the time.

Shinanogawa, written by the novelist Okazaki Hideo, tells the wild and enthralling tale of a young woman searching for herself through dramatic and beguilingly sensual images illustrated by Kamimura Kazuo (of Lady Snowblood fame).

(source: German publisher, translated)

Note: The original tankoubon volume released in 1973 by Shonengahosha only included the first 13 chapters. The full series was collected into three volumes by K&B Publishers in 2005.