Saint Young Men Omnibus Vol. 1 by Hikaru Nakamura, translated by Althea Nibley and Athena Nibley
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*Published December 19, 2019*
I saw this on Goodreads, where I see a lot of my books to be honest, and it sounded so intriguing that I had to see if our library had it and check it out. And I’m so very glad that I did, I loved this and thought it was clever.
The divine live among us…in a flat in western Tokyo! After centuries of hard work, Jesus and Buddha take a break from their heavenly duties to relax among the people of Japan, and their adventures in this lighthearted buddy comedy are sure to bring mirth and merriment to all!
Buddha the Enlightened One and Jesus, Son of God have successfully brought the 20th century to a close, and after a few millennia of guiding humanity to salvation, these two sacred ones are in need of some rest and relaxation. They decide to share an apartment on Earth in Tokyo, but living among mortals in the 21st century is no cakewalk for the saintly duo… They may find it difficult to navigate modern Japanese living, but Jesus’ carefree attitude along with Buddha’s domestic qualities and maybe a few divine interventions will surely allow them to enjoy their new lives with peace and love.
This was funny and one of the best books I’ve read this year just because I needed to see the ridiculous and clever idea of Buddha and Jesus renting out an apartment together in Tokyo, Japan and trying to live as mortals live. It’s their vacation and it’s fun to see them interact in everyday activities. It’s essentially just a time for Buddha and Jesus to relax and enjoy the world in their own way.
They are still deities though, and it does show up from time to time; good deeds and good thoughts make Buddha glow like a glowstick, Jesus’s own jokes make him laugh and cause miracles such as turning stone to bread and water to wine. We get an explanation from Jesus as to why he walked on water all the time, rather than swim, and we see that Buddha wants to lose some weight, but won’t change his figure through spirituality, but through dieting and exercise because the last time he tried spiritually, he was fed nutrients through his skin.
Granted, I know that I’m not making this sound all the fun and interesting as those in the know about Jesus and Buddha will know about these miracles, but trust me when I say that you need to read it to enjoy this manga to its fullest. There are hijinks, there is laughter, there is ridiculousness in the highest degree. So, find this in your local library or bookshop and give it a read. But what do you think of comedy manga that focuses on religious figures? Do you think it’s a good idea? Would you read this type of manga if it wasn’t recommended to you? Comment below and let me know what you think, and if this is something that you would read, religious or not.