Sensou wa Onna no Kao wo Shiteinai review

radrachel9
Apr 14, 2021
This work sets a new standard for historical manga, perhaps because it is a nonfiction adaptation. The Unwomanly Face of War takes the brutal tales of Russian women in WWII and delivers them to readers through the lens of a cute slice of life artstyle. This makes it all the more gripping when the happy facades fall away to reveal the horrors that lie in the battlefield.

Each arc brings a series of heart-wrenching stories. The suffocating atmosphere of war hangs over every chapter like a bad omen, and as you progress, you begin to better understand its true nature. Dozens of nameless characters appear and disappear, and the story constantly reminds you that these were real people, young men and women, laying down their lives, their futures. Sometimes, their fates are unknown. Other times, they are dead.

The Unwomanly Face of War manages to almost perfectly capture the subtle yet powerful undertones of war and death. There is no lingering on this character's backstory or that character's development. Things are simply told as they have happened, and that makes them all the more impactful. It does well at capturing the spirit of the original novel.

Just like its characters, the manga does not stop to dwell. It continues to move on, pushing onwards no matter what, making it feel as if some stories have been left unfinished. But such is the reality of war. Some tales will never be told. The story of a soldier lives and dies with them. Those who survive face the bleak reality that their lives will never be the same, that they can never be normal. They live with this truth, and somehow, they cope. Through this manga, they tell us their stories.

Despite the depressing reality that sets the tone, the manga is still occasionally punctuated glimmers of joyous reunions and happy endings, scattered across the story like little gold specks, rare feel-good moments within the tragedies that unfold before our eyes. We cling to these scenes of hope as if each will be our last breath. Are these endings worth the hardship? No. But we make of them what we will.

This is a manga I do not recommend lightly. Reality can be cruel, and it is sometimes heartbreaking to realize that these stories are very real.
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Sensou wa Onna no Kao wo Shiteinai
Sensou wa Onna no Kao wo Shiteinai
Auteur Koume, Keito
Artiste