Abstract

This thesis argues that manga as a medium is a remarkably appropriate way of exploring the continuous thread of Haraway’s theorization of kinship and filiations without blood relating. Manga, per its formal characteristics, has an inherent intricacy, drawing from words, illustration and cinema to create a whole that is more than the sum of its parts. To demonstrate this, we explore a case study of science-fiction manga (I Am Shingo) through the lens of Donna J. Haraway’s body of work. More specifically, it uses the concept of “ oddkins ”, borrowing from Haraway’s Cyborg theory and her Companion Species theory, to articulate these rich, loaded relationships. Additionally, we invoke Haraway’s later works, where the focus is not only on hybridity and heterogeneity, but on the links that develop within the different beings inhabiting a common space and their inevitable interactions. This thesis is constructed around one case study, looking at Kazuo Umezu’s I Am Shingo (1982). Through this tale of a robotic offspring trying to reunite its star-crossed lover parents, we explore examples of oddkins as Shingo encounters allies from various walks of life and interfaces with them. Addionally, we will discuss the benefits Haraway’s body of work can have on manga studies.