As a lover of all things pop culture, I’ve picked up a few things about astrology along the way. For instance, I’ve learned that my sign is often associated with a desire for peace and harmony. There’s even a somewhat clichéd notion that it rules the East, the birthplace of zen, yoga, and other practices centered around balance.

So — unsurprisingly to anyone familiar with astrology — I found myself thoroughly intrigued by Shintaro Kago’s “Banji Taihei”, a manga where peace is portrayed as the norm, albeit by mandating that everyone wear masks to hide their negative emotions. 

I was so into it that I made that fan art at the top of the page. Just another one of the many self-portraits I’ve done in my life.

Dark, surreal, explicit and thought-provokig. The nature of peace and the price it demands. The kind of story that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading.