The Malaise of the Modern Family: Examining Depictions of Child Abuse in Manga

This chapter examines Sasaya Nanae’s Frozen Eyes (Kōritsuita me) and Sone Fumiko’s A Person Begging for Love (Ai o kou hito) to investigate how the social issue of child abuse is addressed in the form of manga. Sasaya’s manga showcases physical abuse, neglect, and sexual violence, which are narrated in the journalistic tone of voice. Sone’s A Person Begging for Love, on the other hand, explores the inner psychological worlds of abuser and abused, a mother and a daughter who suffer the trauma of past tragic experiences. The use of monologues in diverse visual forms characterizes this work. This chapter demonstrates how manga functions to serve as an effective means for the authors to provide readers with knowledge on support systems, to show the mechanisms of child abuse, and to invite readers to contemplate this serious social issue together through the presentation of violent scenes.