{"product_id":"9781770462014","title":"Showa 1953-1989: A History of Japan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2016 Eisner Award Winner for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe final volume in the Eisner-nominated history of Japan; one of NPR's Best Books of 2014!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShowa 1953–1989: A History of Japan\u003c\/i\u003e concludes Shigeru Mizuki's dazzling autobiographical and historical account of Showa-period Japan, a portrait both intimate and ranging of a defining epoch. The final volume picks up in the wake of Japan's utter defeat in World War II, as a country reduced to rubble struggles to rise again. The Korean War brings new opportunities to a nation searching for an identity.\u003cbr\u003e A former enemy becomes their greatest ally as the United States funnels money, jobs, and opportunity into Japan, hoping to establish the country as a bulwark against Soviet Communist expansion. Japan reinvents itself, emerging as an economic powerhouse. Events like the Tokyo Olympiad and the World's Fair introduce a friendlier Japan to the world, but this period of peace and plenty conceals a populace still struggling to come to terms with the devastation of World War II.\u003cbr\u003e During this period of recovery and reconciliation, Mizuki's struggles mirror those of the nation. He fights his way back from poverty, becoming a celebrity who is beloved by millions of manga-reading children. However, prosperity cannot bring the happiness Mizuki craves, as he struggles to find meaning in the sacrifices made during the war.\u003cbr\u003e The original Japanese edition of the \u003ci\u003eShowa: A History of Japan\u003c\/i\u003e series won Mizuki the prestigious Kodansha Manga Award; the English translation has been nominated for an Eisner Award.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Drawn \u0026 Quarterly","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47051728060656,"sku":"9781770462014","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781770462014_p0.jpg?v=1763706691","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781770462014","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}