While manga has always been a medium for artists to push the boundaries of what is artistically possible, Kodansha’s work Thunder 3 sets a high bar for artistic innovation by utilizing groundbreaking techniques that have recently been used to great effect in anime. Experimenting with art style is always a part of any visual medium, and Thunder 3’s experimental style marks it as one of the most interesting recent manga.
To understand the genius of Yuki Ikeda’s art style in Thunder 3, it is important to first understand the story because the story itself is the reason for such a unique art style. The story is about Pyontaro and his two classmates. Like most teenage boys, they like to avoid homework, play video games, hang out on social media, and look cool in front of the girls they like at school. One day, after borrowing a DVD that they think might be a porn video of their favorite female star, they gather at Pyontaro’s house to watch it. However, after a few minutes, the video stopped at a scene of a road in the park. What followed was a bold artistic experiment that combined several artistic styles together.
Thunder 3 combines realism and classic Manga style
After failing to start the video, the three gave up and left. Then, Pyontaro’s sister Futaba walks in and is immediately fascinated by the sight of a park. Suddenly, a dragonfly flew into the room from the video screen. When the dragonfly returns to the video screen, Futaba gives chase and falls into the video. When the boys return, they see that the video works but Futaba is now actually a character in it. Thus, they begin their journey to rescue Futaba from the evils of her new dimension.
With the story’s alternate world focus, Ikeda had the opportunity to combine the two art styles. Although artists often draw the real world and the fantasy world in the same style, Ikeda not only chose to give each world its own art style but also decided to keep the two art styles distinct. even when they interact with each other. Thus, Ikeda has brought the first artistic performance of the story that fascinates viewers. While this in itself is significant, what makes Ikeda’s choices even more intriguing is the style he chose for each world.
Thunder 3’s diverse art styles create incredible contrast
For the original world, or the world that Pyontaro and Futaba come from, Ikeda used a classic animation style. The characters and environments are all depicted in the style of children’s comics and manga of the past two decades. That is, the characters seem to be set in a humorous manga rather than the darker story of Thunder 3. In contrast, the alternate world that Futaba falls into is the exact opposite. The characters, settings, and actions are drawn in such surreal detail that the reader must look closely to understand that the image is not a photograph.
The combination of flat, animated 2D images with hyper-realistic rendering and/or CGI is not new. The 2018 blockbuster Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduced its potential to a worldwide audience. But Ikeda’s use of it in Thunder 3 is one of the rare instances of its distinct appearance and style being depicted in manga form. Considering the low popularity the title seems to be attracting, it opens the door for other artists and manga creators to try mash-up versions of their own art style. Indeed, from the sharp cinematic style of Osamu Tezuka to the chaotic chaos of Kohei Horikoshi, there are countless styles that artists can exploit to express their creativity. If by Kodansha Thunder 3 is a sign that there are no limits to the creatively exciting results that can be achieved.
