Aggression Management Manga

Guest review by Claire Jacqueline Kozik, student in the “Comics Narratives: Illness, Disability, & Recovery” course, Art Therapy Program,  School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Aggression Management Manga by Rinko Endo is a read I would recommend to anyone working in the field of psychiatric health. While exploring Endo’s own experiences with great stylized artwork, we learn the challenges involved in the life of a caregiver at a psychiatric ward. To explore this world, Endo uses witty humor (albeit a bit twisted) as well as charming characters; a personification of herself and a rather erratic feline. Humor finds balance, however, with an abundant dose of educational knowledge.

This is not a comic directly for those battling their own mental illness and aggressive tendencies, but rather those on the other end. It teaches methods of dealing with aggressive situations, ranging from a mild situation to a potentially dangerous. The pages are chock full of advice for assessing the intensity of the aggression, how to speak neutrally to a patient, and even self defense techniques if things go awry.

What stood out most to me was Endo’s message about how our individual culture shapes us in situations of aggression. This idea is revelation as to how we deal with and interact with others in various scenarios as well as how to direct our behavior and create a new culture for ourselves to react to aggression in an appropriate manner.

Overall, this comic is a wonderful, entertaining read while not giving up on informative explanation.