Osamu Tezuka—yes, the god of manga—wrote a story in 1970 that was so raw, so unflinching, that it practically vanished from print. Until now.
Nagai Ana (Long Tunnel) has been republished for the first time in over half a century, thanks to a young editor who refused to let this forgotten gem stay buried.
A Story That Hit Too Close to Home
The 50-page short manga follows a man named Moriyama, an ethnic Korean who’s obtained Japanese citizenship and climbed the corporate ladder—all while hiding his origin for fear of discrimination. But no matter how high he rises, the deep-rooted prejudice of Japanese society eventually catches up, plunging him into agony.
It’s a heavy read, and it was never included in Tezuka’s complete works anthologies—except for a brief appearance in a 1972 short story collection. For decades, it remained known only to hardcore fans and scholars.
How It Got Resurrected
Enter Ken Akahane, a 34-year-old editor at Hosei University Press. While researching depictions of minorities in media back in 2023, he stumbled across Nagai Ana—and was floored.
“I think there is no other manga that features an ethnic Korean as the protagonist and depicts the realities of discrimination against ethnic Korean residents and their agony in a straightforward manner the way it does.”
He took the idea to Tezuka Productions, got the greenlight, and made history—this is the first manga Hosei University Press has ever published.
Why It Matters Now
The story doesn’t pull punches. Moriyama endures hard labor in an underground bunker during WWII, is jeered at with the slur “senjin,” and watches companions die around him. It’s a fictionalized reflection of very real war-era atrocities—including the construction of an underground factory at Mount Togariyama in Gifu Prefecture.
And in today’s climate, where xenophobic rhetoric floods social media, the manga feels painfully timely. Akahane hopes readers will step into Moriyama’s shoes and feel the weight of discrimination, not just observe it.
More Than Just a Reprint
This new edition isn’t just the manga—it comes with commentaries from six experts, including historians, comparative literature scholars, and Japan-Korea relations specialists, to provide context and historical depth.
Source: Asahi Shimbun
