is a Japanese

one-shot One shot may refer to: Film and television * One-shot film, a feature film shot in one long take with no edits, or manufactured to look like so * ''One Shot'' (2005 film), a Sri Lankan action film directed by Ranjan Ramanayake * ''One Shot'', a ...

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

written and illustrated by

Jiro Taniguchi was a Japanese mangaka, manga writer/artist. His works belong to the gekiga, or "dramatic pictures", genre of manga. In France he was knighted a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2011. Career Taniguchi began his career as an ...

. It was serialized in the

Shogakukan is a Japanese publisher of comics, magazines, light novels, dictionaries, literature, non-fiction, home media, and other media in Japan. Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but ...

''seinen'' manga magazine ''

Big Comic Original is a Japanese manga magazine published by Shogakukan, aimed at an older adult and mostly male audience. It is a sister magazine to the manga magazine '' Big Comic'', the biggest difference being that it goes on sale twice a month in the weeks ...

'' between 2005 and 2007. The manga's seven chapters were compiled into a single ''

tankōbon A is a standard publishing format for books in Japan, alongside other formats such as ''shinsho'' (17x11 cm paperback books) and ''bunkobon''. Used as a loanword in English, the term specifically refers to a printed collection of a manga that w ...

'' and released on 28 March 2008. ''A Zoo in Winter'' was translated into English and released by Fanfare/Ponent Mon on 23 June 2011. It was nominated for the Outstanding Graphic Novel category in the 16th

Ignatz Awards The Ignatz Awards recognize outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning by small press creators or creator-owned projects published by larger publishers. They have been awarded each year at the Small Press Expo since 1997, only skipping a ...

in 2012.

Plot

Hamaguchi is an 18-year-old whose dream of becoming a graphic artist can not find fulfilment in his every-day job as an office drone for a clothing

wholesaler Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In ...

. He moves to Tokyo and, thanks to a friend, gets a job as a famous manga artist's assistant. Though the job is demanding and the hours are grueling (especially as deadlines near), he feels he has found his calling. He starts to work on his own manga with the little free time he has, but lacks the self-confidence to get very far. One day he is introduced to a pretty young girl of fragile health whom he is asked to walk around on those days she can get out of the hospital. With her encouragements and her input, he finds the focus to complete his manga and submit it to a publishing company. However, her deteriorating condition prevents him from acting out on his growing love for her.

References

External links

* Autobiographical anime and manga Jiro Taniguchi Manga creation in anime and manga One-shot manga Romance anime and manga Shogakukan manga Slice of life anime and manga Anime and manga set in Tokyo Seinen manga {{manga-stub