Hanzai Japan: Fantastical, Futuristic Stories of Crime From and About Japan by Nick Mamatas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Got this as part of a bundle at Storybundle.com and I have to say that it was more enjoyable than I thought it would be. Frankly, some of the stories are scary in that the crime depicted is horrific and yet it’s told in such an engaging way. Also, this is a book in which reading the introduction is a good idea.
As per usual with an anthology, my per-story status updates:
“(dis) – A woman photographer who loves to take photos of abandoned places finds a dead body at one of them. The story goes back and forth in time while you learn about her obsession.”
“Sky Spider: A musician finds himself on a ghost plane with an important decision to make. Very beautifully written, even if it takes a bit too understand what’s happening.”
“Rough night in little toke: a tattoo in little Tokyo allows the guy to get people’s thoughts. Leads to a murder revelation.”
“Outside the circle: American journalist wants a big break story, but it lands him in huge trouble in Japan.”
“Monologue … – a very strange urban fantasy start which turns very dark. My favorite so far.”
“Best Interest: Yakuza and Godzilla – what more could you ask for?”
“Vampiric: Solving a mystery involving vampires in future Japan”
“Jigoku : A murderer looks back on the causes of his murders”
“The girl who loved shonen knife: Apocalyptic background to a girl in high school who just wants her band to win the audition. Second favorite story.”
“Run! : A crazy guy explaining why he HAS to kill – with a great twist at the end”
“Hanami: Kitsune legends and modern business plus a bit of noir detective work. Very fun read.”
“The Electric Palace: Reminds me a bit of Shoshana in Inglorious Bastards – theater owner, Yakuza, and world war 2”
“The long-rumored food crisis: terrifying tale of how evil people life become in a food shortage”
“Three cups of tea: Not sure I understand the ending, but the journey was neat”
“Out of balance: a man walks from his life to become a killer for hire. Great ending”
“The Saitama Chainsaw massacre: Although my knowledge of tropes meant I could predict the ending, it was still a heck of a ride to get there.”