Apollo's Song, An Ozamu Tezuka Classic

  

Apollo's Song Wiki

Today I will speak of Apollo's song. Yes, it is another Ozamu Tezuka production. Do not worry it has hardly any resemblance to MW. The main character Shogo Chikaishi hates anything that is Shojo. Whenever he sees anyone or another having a shojo moments he either strikes them or kills them. The killing thing only applies to animals, however he was taken to an insane asylum out of fear that he might target a larger audience. His hatred for shojo and shojo love themes is rooted in the problems he had with his mother. Ever since he was small his mother always saw him as a burden.  Whenever she would go have a shojo moments with one of her buddies she would shoo him away. One day he saw his mother in the act and she beat him up with a broomsticks. Ever since then he hated Shojo moments because it reminded him of the love he never received from his mother.




In time this loathing turned to hate and even anger. He did not hate humans and animals per say. However, whenever he saw them get warm and fussy he would slay them. After his first shock as the hospital during the 5 seconds he was temporarily dead, he was taken to trail by Athena. She forced him to face his hatred of Shojo and shojo moments. As punishment he was forced to relive eternally shojo moments. Before he could consummate his love him and his lover would perish.

In this graphic novel, we see 3 shojo Stories overlaying the giant Shojo story of Shogo. It is or my opinion that Ozamu Tezuka made his name Shogo in order to bear close resemblance to Shojo. like his name, he can never get quite close to the shojo love he seeks. He his forever doom do to his own disdain for shojo moments. overall, this graphic novel has a cyclical feel about it.  Tezuka does to to show his reader that without men and woman have been uniting since the beginning of time to help the species survive. When this fragile balance is twisted and distorted true love cannot exist.

Throughout his experiences Shogo comes to realize the errors of his old ways. He even comes the realization that his mother actually did love him. She was just too stubborn to show it properly. This and many other overlaying themes makes this graphic novel worth reading. In his own simple style, Tezuka shares with his readers the purest deepest secrets of love and shojo. This is his wonderful master piece.

Another thing that I find interesting is the tittle. The tittle Apollo's song goes well with the myth offered by Tezuka's graphic novel manifestation. Apollo had fallen in love with a nymph. like any other idiot instead of approaching cautiously, he jumped her like a lunatic and started kissing her and asking her to marry him. Like it was to be expected she fled from him. The moment that he caught up with her she turned into a laurel tree. She did this to escape from Apollo whom she believed was a random pervert. In the end, Apollo's own impatience proved to be his undoing. Though his love for her could never manifest he wore from then on a laurel crown to remind himself never to be preemptive in both love and life.

like Apollo, Shogo's immaturity and pragmatism led him on a path of self destruction and sadism. When love was at his arm reach instead of embracing it he crushed it. It was this behavior that earned him the wrath of Athena. Still... it makes me wonder why Athena and not Venus?