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Andrew Walsh
ENGL 3050, Dr. Burmester
Application of the Sublime
11 December 2013
Tekkonkinkreet: Taiyo Matsumoto on the Sublime
Longinus defines the sublime as the transporting effect of elevated language on an
audience. Sublimity may be created from great thoughts, noble feelings, diction, lofty
expression, or arrangement; regardless of the source, Longinus asserts that the sublime
evokes a unanimous response or reaction from an audience. Common genres of work that
elicit such responses are historic speeches, poems, novels, and early nineteenth century
paintings. Should the union of image and text be done correctly, the comics medium also
has the ability to produce intense sublimity. Comics allows authors and artists to
experiment with the sublime in less traditional ways, though they transport the audience
just the same. Taiyo Matsumoto’s Tekkonkinkreet, a Japanese manga, is sublime as a
piece of literary fiction and as a work of art.
In general, comics is a fitting medium for the sublime. In Scott McCloud’s
Understanding Comics, he discusses the concept of masking. When the background is
drawn realistically but iconic (or cartoon) characters are placed in the environment, the
reader is able to mask himself. McCloud claims masking allows a reader to “safely enter
a sensually stimulating world” (43). The concept of masking parallels Longinus’ idea that
sublimity allows the reader to go outside himself.
Matsumoto studied art in France and learned many techniques from French
artists; the artwork in Tekkonkinkreet is heavily influenced by French art. Specifically,
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Matsumoto’s use of masking is borrowed from the style of Hergé’s The Adventures of
Tintin. This imitation of style is sublime in itself. Matsumoto also emulates the styles of
great authors such as Aristotle and Longinus. He borrows ideas from Aristotle’s theory of
tragedy. One of the main characters from Tekkonkinkreet, Black, can be viewed as a
tragic hero. Aristotle’s definition of tragedy includes the tragic hero’s change from good
to bad, arousing pity and fear. He articulates that this change is not due to any moral
defect or flaw, but rather a mistake. Black’s mistake is leaving his naïve partner White
alone, returning to find him severely injured. They are separated due to the injury (White
is brought to a hospital and later taken into police custody) after which Black’s change
becomes very obvious. His dress becomes more sinister, and readers become aware of a
swift psychological degeneration. Aristotle’s definition says that after the hero’s mistake,
there is a revelation or recognition. Towards the end of Tekkonkinkreet, Black and White
are reunited and Black is able to understand things as he used to. Catharsis follows; in the
last several pages of Tekkonkinkreet, Black and White find themselves in a beautiful
paradise filled with bliss and beautiful surroundings. The cathartic ending leaves readers
with feelings of joy and pride. Matsumoto’s use of tragedy along with the scenery at the
end effectively produce sublimity.
Matsumoto seems also to borrow ideas directly from Longinus’ On the Sublime.
Matsumoto introduces the sublime through the use of many techniques, and it is apparent
that he has a firm grasp on the concept. He uses literary techniques as well as artistic
techniques to produce sublimity, but when they are brought together their effect is much
greater. The entire story appeals to ethos. Matsumoto communicates such highmindedness and grand conceptions through the dialogue and overarching themes of the
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story that the readers are drawn into the world of the novel. The story is full of strong
emotion and passion, which manifests itself in the text as well as the beautifully
illustrated panels. The novel also appeals to logos. Matsumoto’s diction and lofty
expression produce immense sublimity. He uses the apple as an extended metaphor for
truth throughout the entirety of the text, however its meaning is not fully revealed until
the end of the novel. Tekkonkinkreet is also sublime in its arrangement. The panel
arrangement is often unlike typical American comics, and creates tension and emotion
through implied action.
When Black makes his tragic mistake, according to Aristotle’s theory of tragedy,
Matsumoto makes an incredibly deliberate reference to Longinus’ On the Sublime. He
seems to visually quote Longinus when he says, “a well-timed flash of sublimity shatters
everything like a bolt of lightening and reveals the full power of the speaker at a single
stroke.” In Tekkonkinkreet, a lightning bolt strikes (373), and then Matsumoto juxtaposes
an image of White with a sword through his torso—the result of Black’s tragic mistake—
with a blooming flower. (374). Matsumoto’s reference to On the Sublime is the single
most beautiful sequence in the entire novel, and the sublimity it evokes has great
transporting power. At this moment, readers are not only filled with emotional shock, but
also left in awe of the striking images. With this sequence, Matsumoto appealed to both
ethos and logos; he produced strong and inspired emotions as well as admiration through
the use of panel arrangement and design.
Tekkonkinkreet could be picked apart panel by panel and one would find it hard to
uncover an instance where the sublime is not present. After several read-throughs, one
would still find an increasing amount of wonderful, imaginative symbolism and
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metaphor. The overarching themes of the novel are complex and Matsumoto’s reference
to such great scholars as Aristotle and Longinus only adds further depth. The sublime
seeks to enthrall the audience and move them beyond rational thought. Matsumoto titled
his masterpiece with this thought in mind. “Tekkonkinkreet” is a play on Japanese words
meaning “a concrete structure with an iron frame,” and it suggests the opposing images
of concrete cities against the strength of imagination. Matsumoto’s Tekkonkinkreet is a
timeless work that is an extreme example of the sublime.