Umami[1], it’s the kind of album that grabs you by the collar from the first pages to immerse you in a totally crazy neo-Tokyo. Visually tangy and narratively robust, this story offers a unique journey to the heart of a dreamy, supercharged and completely offbeat Japan of the 80s.
The plot opens in the footsteps of Tabako, a private detective at the end of his rope. Alcoholic, riddled with debt and usually confined to the sordid spinning of adulterers, he is pulling the devil by the tail. But his gloomy daily life is turned upside down when he finds himself involved in an extraordinary case: investigating the origin of a deadly ramen soup that is wreaking havoc in the city’s underbelly.
About the author
Published by Éditions Dargaud, the manga is signed by Guillaume Clairat, alias Willy Ohm in the style who has already published Bao battle, Bestioles, Donjon parade. Ohm stands out when he draws his characters who have round faces, large eyes full of expression and neotenic silhouettes which give them a “kawaii” aesthetic with the scent of false naivety.
Amir Benkoula (15 years old)
[1] Umami | OHM (Scenario, Drawing, Colors) | Dargaud | 2026 | 168 pages
