Innocent series by Shin-ichi Sakamoto, translated by Michael Gombos
This series was originally published as a nine-issue manga series and has been published in English in 3 omnibuses: Innocent 1, Innocent 2 and Innocent 3.
Blood, death, and duty–the title bequeathed to the heir of the royal executioner becomes a burden too heavy to bear.
Born into a family of executioners, Charles-Henri Sanson must take up his father’s mantle as the Royal Executioner of Paris. Conflicted between his desire to honor the family name and rebelling against the longstanding practice, he chooses to follow tradition, but vows to be the last executioner–the last Sanson to spill blood in the name of justice.
By Vika
I absolutely love the theme of the French Revolution, and I was really surprised to find a manga about the executioner who actually beheaded Louis XVI and his wife.
Innocent is quite a unique manga. It is very aesthetic and has a fittingly eerie atmosphere. The artwork is gorgeous, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.
Innocent is a benchmark for other historical manga. The main characters are the Sanson family, hereditary executioners. The focus is primarily on Charles-Henri and his sister Marie. The author takes us through their journey as executioners, while also giving a brief overview of France in the second half of the 18th century. The country’s unsuccessful participation in the Seven Years’ War, its rapid impoverishment and the decline of the royal authority—these events all set the stage for the French Revolution, which plays a significant role in the lives of all the characters.
Throughout the story, themes such as the value of human life, social inequality between classes and genders and the issues normalized at the time—such as rape, pedophilia, executions for the sake of bread and circuses and the inviolability and sanctity of monarchs—are explored. The drama is intense, and each execution is deeply moving, leaving a sad aftertaste.
In a few words, Innocent is a historical horror masterpiece.
