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Followers of the Chinese science fiction scene and fans of the new Netflix series 3 Body Problem will no doubt be familiar with the name Cixin Liu, whose short story of the same name served as the source of inspiration for the manga "Taking Care Of God". Personally, however, I have mixed feelings about this connection, especially after taking a closer look at the author's political views. The manga adaptation, supervised by the "Future Affairs Administration", a group of science fiction authors with the aim of establishing China as a leading force in the global science fiction genre, also raises critical questions.
The manga was realized by Jun Yokoyama under the name "Kamisama no Kaigogakari" from June 2022 to January 2023 in Comic Hu. The best-known publication in the magazine is the manga adaptation of "Elden Ring".
How was "Taking Care Of God"?
Despite my reservations about certain backgrounds, it is undeniable that "Taking Care of God" offers a fascinating reflection on a variety of social issues that lend themselves perfectly to a manga adaptation. This story is no ordinary tale of alien invasion: the aliens are not coming to plunder or destroy Earth, but to ask for help.
Zhihan, a lively second grader, lives with her mother and grandmother in a small village while her father works far away. She is prone to impulsive actions, such as when she climbs a tree over a deep chasm to reach a strange doll and falls into the depths. At the bottom of the ravine, she encounters a strange old man whom she throws a stone at his head in her panic.
When Zhihan returns home, she sees old men suddenly appearing out of nowhere all over the country on television. They turn out to be aliens, but they have not come with hostile intentions. They claim to have created the earth. A pact is made with the governments of the world: In return for their advanced technology, they want to be looked after in their old age. The "gods" regard the earth as their retirement home and expect humanity to provide for them. Numerous families are financially encouraged to take in one or more of these beings, and one of the gods soon moves into Zhihan's family too - much to the annoyance of the very person she threw the stone at.
Neither Zhihan nor her stressed, overworked mother are thrilled at the prospect, but over time they learn to appreciate their new roommate.
Behind a seemingly innocuous story about a childlike fascination with an alien invasion, the challenges of a population with an overwhelming proportion of older people are addressed. Age is a recurring theme in this narrative, whether it's the childlike duty of the younger generations to support their elders, or the acceptance of the fact that everything is subject to a natural aging process. The gods are aware of this, they realize that they are nearing the end of their lives, that they have lived so long that they can no longer procreate and start families. The creation of the earth was a last attempt to secure their future.
But then the story takes a dark turn, and humanity becomes a kind of petulant child, acquiring the knowledge of the old gods, but only tolerating their presence as long as it does not cause any inconvenience. I don't want to go into this part of the plot any further for spoiler reasons.
Jun Yokoyama manages to skillfully tell the story in one volume. Although the ending is left relatively open, this is cleverly used as a stylistic device to make us think about what we have read for longer. Yokoyama lightens the sometimes serious narrative with humor and uses it skillfully without it seeming out of place.
The single volume is published in large format by Yen Press. There is a color page at the beginning, but it does not show any illustrations.
Conclusion
Behind a seemingly simple alien invasion, the manga "Taking Care of God" unfolds a profound examination of the challenges of a society with a growing proportion of older people. Anyone who is not interested in the people behind the project will find a thought-provoking story about dealing with old age.
Taking Care Of God GN Vol 01
€16,50
One strange day, roughly 20,000 otherworldly spaceships flew into stable orbit around the Earth. After six months with no contact from the mysterious spacecrafts, in a certain Asian village, a young girl named Zihan discovers an old man who fell… read more
