HANAWA KAZUICHI

Doing Time

2020-10-11

In 1994 the mangaka Kazuichi Hanawa was arrested on firearms offences and sentanced to three years in prison. Once released, Hanawa set about creating this autobiographical record of his life behind bars. The first few chapters relate to his incarceration in jail whilst awaiting trial and the rest of the work covers his actual prison sentance. There is no ongoing plot but, rather, each chapter relates in minute detail the customs and rituals of prison life - food, clothing, rules, work, exercise, bathing and so on and so forth. The only things omitted are the background of the author's crime, trial, sentancing and release but an interview with the author and a commentary by the anime critic Tomohide Kure (who was involved in Hanawa's defence) are included to shed some light on these aspects.