On Their Frontlines: The Lives of Japanese War Brides Vol. 1

After Japan lost the War, the country was thrown into devastation. And no one felt this devastation as much as its women, who were forced into menial jobs, fell into sex work, and pawned off as war brides to American G.I.s. In their affecting graphic novel debut, Marina Lisa Komiya follows the lives of two Japanese women and the American soldiers they marry in this tumultuous time period.

Best friends (and possibly lovers) before the War, Haru and Yoriko are separated in the evacuation of their town during the air raids. As they search for each other afterward, Haru gets by as a waitress, while Yoriko sells her body at a brothel. Their fortunes change when they each meet respectful American soldiers, who take their hand. Arthur, a Japanese American, grapples with the inner conflict of his dual identity, while Scott is at once fascinated by Japanese culture and wracked with guilt over the destruction American forces have wrought.

Amidst the postwar desolation, love and understanding finds a way, in this powerful work of manga that explores sexuality, identity, and unlikely cross-cultural connection.