https://otakuusamagazine.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/03/169rohanatthelouvreinterior.jpg This is unironically the best oneshot I have ever encountered. Such a statement may not mean much coming from me but it is nevertheless true and is not completely without merit. I have yet to read another similar work of this format that demonstrates a similar legitimate mastery of an artform. I do not mean to talk Rohan at the Louvre up so much without delving into its components which make it so worthwhile of a read. As I have already mentioned saying something like this is the best oneshot does not mean much coming from the mouth of anyone especially if that someone is me. Considering how little I have explored the form of the oneshot. Despite this being the case I feel that my opinion on the matter is not completely without any merit. I am at least able to understand that there is something different about this oneshot of Arakis. In addition I am also able to comprehend that there is a reason it stands out from the crowd and rest of the mold. Hirohiko Araki is a living legend. I mean this in the strictest sense he is a true master of his craft. Anyone who has put in as much time as he has regardless of the type of work should be commended and recognized for their intentional efforts. Araki is the mangakas mangaka. I intentionally use this for the sake of hyperbole yet I feel that this is a true reflection of his personage as well. For decades he has demonstrated his worth as a force in the world of manga. One does not reach the heights that he has without intentional stringent effort on his own part. Exemplified throughout his Jojos Araki shows what it means to be a manga artist. There is really no telling what it must be like to come to such an understanding. One thing is for certain anyone who dedicates such an overwhelming period of their lives to any sort of practice is to be commended. This is not to say that everyone who does so is destined to reach their own metaphorical peak of Mt. Everest I merely say this because it takes a very special person to employ themselves and buckle down for the sake of their own art particularly when the results of such an endeavor are so unpredictable. Regardless of how one feels about his work it is clear that Hirohiko Araki is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to manga. His time working at his craft has already been established. The oneshot Rohan at the Louvre is striking evidence. To me it demonstrates Arakis expert craftsmanship and it shows his ability to facilitate the finer details of a story for the sake of guiding the audience through the narrative. He is evidence of the beauty of manga he demonstrates that this is a creative medium which stands out from the rest of the mold. It truly is something special. In his Manga: Theory Practice Araki points out the guiding elements of manga. He does begin by saying that this applies to any creative medium which relies upon the story but I digress. Each and every story depends upon the following: Character Story Setting Theme. In addition he lists these traits of manga in order of importance. This is something that must be emphasized and categorized. Whenever manga or any other creative work for that matter is capable of capturing all four of these separate but essential elements in an effective way then there is no telling how it will pay off. Major Fundamentals of Manga Structure The four separate elements I have already mentioned can be viewed as the four major fundamentals of manga structure as this is how Araki lists them. In order of importance they are as follows: Character. Story. Setting. Themes. These are not separate elements as each one of them largely relies on one another for the sake of suceeding within the context of their mangas narrative structure. This is certainly the case within other types of creative mediums as well but as Araki puts it the art is then the ultimate tool to expand and unify these elements aided by the dialogue. This much may be obvious given the nature of manga but it nonetheless is relevant to understanding how a mangas narrative works and builds itself upon the foundations laid by its four different structural elements. I would like to touch base upon the quality of character found within the confines of Rohan at the Louvre. The titular protagonist Rohan Kishibe is one that will be familiar to fans of Jojos. First appearing during Part 4 Rohan is an eccentric young man who happens to be a mangaka. During his initial appearance he is a calculating coldhearted individual who is willing to do whatever it takes for the sake of creating manga. Like many characters within the Jojos universe he experiences a sudden change within himself as a result of his encounter with a Joestar. The nature of his character is not limited to this a development such as this though. Knowledge of these aforementioned developments i.e. his journey from antagonist to JoBro etc. are not vital parts of enjoying Rohan at the Louvre though I would happen to recommend reading/watching Jojos first. Rather this foreknowledge will be helpful in determining the course of Rohans journey which is illustrated throughout the course of this oneshot. It will add further depth to the worthwhile journey that is the reading of Rohan at the Louvre. I believe that manga is the most powerful multidisciplinary art form because it is capable of simultaneously expressing the four major fundamentals and art and writing. Rohan at the Louvre is a fantasy story at its core. Led by Rohan Kishibe the young manga artist the manga depicts his travels in aims of developing and discovering a story for his manga. Given the nature of his desires to capture the authentic in his work he finds himself traveling in search of events worthy enough to capture in his art. During these travels of his he encounters a beautiful woman. Smitten with her he attempts to converse with her. At some point she begins to tell him about the mysterious origins of a painting that was created using dark ink ink which was taken from a tree thats a millennium old. It is told that the painting was saved and kept in the possession of a curator from the Louvre Museum in Paris. One of the underlying premises of Arakis approach to manga is the fact that characters and setting are indispensable. There is and/or should be a balance between each of the major fundamentals i.e. character story setting theme in order that they may all work together for the sake of meeting presupposed aims thereby becoming a successful manga. I call attention to this for the sake of letting readers know that Rohan at the Louvre is an indispensable product of this understanding of Arakis. Character: Rohan Kishibe manga artist. An eccentric young talent with a thirst for creating manga will go to whatever lengths necessary to accomplish his goals. Story: Rohans life changes the day he meets a young woman who introduces him to the world of art. She tells him about sculpture music and painting particularly a cursed painting by a Japanese artist long ago acquired by a curator at the Louvre. Then the young woman suddenly disappears. Ten years later Rohan now a mangaka decides to conduct his own investigation at the Louvre to find the painting that just might lead him to the young woman. What is its secret? Setting: Rohans Grandmothers Inn Morioh Louvre Museum in Paris Theme: This tale is about the quintessentially human struggle both intrapersonal interpersonal whose end seeks freedom from the chains of hatred. These themes are developed through the motif of the dark ink from the tree which could be viewed in albeit metaphorical way as well. To sum it all up it should be stated that Arakis art is the glue that holds these underlying elements together. His penmanship works in a way that directly affects and accentuates each and every element together in a deeply personal way that highlights each of them in a cooperative manner. This is noticeable not only in the characters themselves but in the thematic elements as well. Final Thoughts This is something that is definitely worth reading. Rohan is a character that has grown on me. Unsurprisingly upon his initial appearance I was not fond of him by any stretch of the imagination. Seeing his progression both as a character and in my own personal feelings toward him is pretty cool. Regardless of how much I ever liked or disliked him I have always viewed him as interesting. This thought of mine stands to this day and it is part of the reason that Rohan at the Louvre currently sits on my bookshelf at home. For what it is as a oneshot/short story I feel that it is worth the rating that it has been given. It is a pivotal example for the medium. But what do I know? Anyway if you have yet to give this a read give it a whirl. It is the work of a master craftsman. 400https://i.ibb.co/C8Sjt4m/5DDC2EF697A843A190E5398B5913A9FF.jpg Cheers Arakisensei.