Katte ni Shiyagatte

Katte ni Shiyagatte, which translates to Do As You Like, is a seminal manga series created by Katsuhiro Otomo, published in the late 1970s. Emerging during a period of significant artistic experimentation in Japanese comics, the work reflects Otomo’s early interest in the mundane and the absurd, often exploring the lives of ordinary individuals caught in surreal or socially stifling environments. Unlike his later, more expansive cyberpunk epics, this collection serves as a foundational example of his mastery of cinematic framing and character-driven storytelling.

The design and narrative structure of the collection demonstrate Otomo’s keen observation of contemporary urban Japanese culture. His illustrations during this phase moved away from the traditional, rounded aesthetics of the manga industry at the time, introducing a sharper, more detailed realism that would eventually define his influence on the medium. Critics and readers alike recognized the work for its psychological depth and innovative use of space, marking it as a critical bridge between Otomo’s early short-form experiments and his eventual international success.