Sleep Is For the Weak

A for All Ages – cartoonish violence, a few gunshots fired, and an adult character who smokes might be concerns for more cautious parents; official website

Cowa! is the one-volume story of three kid monsters and their washed-up sumo wrestler friend who save a village full of monsters from the dreaded Monster Flu. It’s one of the more recent works by manga legend Akira Toriyama, and his experience and storytelling abilities are extremely obvious here. The art isn’t very manga-ish – it reminds me more of a Sfar or Trondheim book than Dragonball Z (hence one of the indie comic nerds at my store declared it “the kind of manga he’d want to read”). But it’s nice to look at either way.

Everything about Cowa! is silly and happy and energetic. It’s the kind of story that made me smile unconsciously while reading it – the humor is aimed toward kids, but anyone who can remember the things that made her laugh when she was little will still enjoy it. The banter between the major characters is really charming – childish misunderstandings and goodhearted teasing are sources of humor, as are a kid’s pride in what he can do, embarrassment at what he can’t, and obnoxiousness when he gets stuck on an idea that would be better left alone. The three child monsters’ mischievous antics will appeal to the younger set, while Mr. Maruyama’s (the aforementioned washed-up sumo wrestler) straight-man cynicism and frustration at getting stuck playing babysitter – until he inevitably grows attached to the monster kids in his care – will appeal to older readers. Comic fight scenes and visual gags add yet another brand of humor to the story.

What really made Cowa! stand out to me, though, were the brief serious moments. They are few and far between, and almost no attention is drawn to them, but they add a layer of subtlety to the story and make the characters much more interesting and sympathetic. The first few chapters seem entirely episodic, but after a brief time it becomes a little broader in its intentions and appeal - although the manga still never stops being fluffy and fun.

Part of me feels like I’m trying too hard to analyze the simple joy I got out of reading a kiddie comic. There isn’t really anything serious to talk about – and that’s part of what made it such a great read. This is a comic with no strings attached, nothing to analyze or get annoyed over. It sets out to be fun, and achieves that goal incredibly well. Whether you get it for a kid in your life or for your own personal reading pleasure, I can’t recommend Cowa! enough.

Educated Impression: Read it, or buy it for a kid and then read it over his or her shoulder. This is a good plan for everyone involved.

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