Love of the Brute
I first caught sight of mangaka par excellence Hiroaki Samura’s Blade of the Immortal (BOTI) when I was 15 and since then, I have been an avid fan. Samura has been one of my art inspirations and even when I became too busy to pick up a pencil and do some creative projects, I would still search for his work from time to time. His art is just so captivating that it brings me to a dillema on whether to love or hate him for his brilliance. You know how it is when you’ve learned that there’s someone out there with an ability you could only wish to have. It makes you burn with envy and adulation for that being, wishing you’ve never known of their existence.
Haha. Drama.
Anyway, so I was thinking of a gift for myself this Christmas and thought of buying his artwork. Thought about getting BOTI the printed version (I’m so stingy, I don’t buy printed copies. I just download LOL), but changed my mind when I saw the cover of “Love of the Brute”, a newer manga released sometime in 2006 (?).
The cover looks great, as expected from this master penciller. However, once you flip through the pages, your jaw would drop. Seriously. It happened to me.
I know Mr. Samura’s work is on the weird/violent/disturbing side, but I just never thought he could push the envelope even further with Love of the Brute. Love has some seriously gory and disturbing illustrations delving on bondage, sadism, masochism, and pedophilia. The artwork is just TOO MUCH to stay unnoticed.
I want to post illustrations from Love of the Brute on this blog, but I am still breathing on the idea. Maybe later when the shock has died down.
Still, no matter how much Samura’s Love of the Brute took away all the innocence that’s left in me, I consider him the best at what he does. Such a great artist. I could only surmise what goes on inside his mind.
As for my Christmas gift, I might go for BOTI instead of Love.
