Song of the White Peacock
1959/09/15
STORY
Yuri is a young girl who lost her father, who was killed in action in New Guinea. To remember him, she keeps a white peacock named Piko-chan. One day, Yuri appears on a television program with Piko-chan and unexpectedly plays the piano along with the peacock’s dance performance. Soon after, an entertainment broker named Masukomi notices Yuri and approaches her with an offer to make her a star. Struggling financially, Yuri signs a contract with Masukomi and indeed becomes a star. However, she soon discovers what awaits her afterward.
DESCRIPTIONS
1959/09/15 Appeared in Nakyoshi Summer Vacation Additional Issue (Kodansha)
At any given time, many girls dream of becoming singers or actresses. The entertainment industry is closely associated with shoujo manga, and "Glass Mask" is a successful example that highlights this connection. The story features a talented, genius girl, a mean rival, and an unethical producer. All those elements are easily exploited in shoujo manga.
Although this is a short story, it satisfies many of these conditions to a certain degree. No rival bullies the main character; however, the spiteful producer Masukomi is played by Ham Egg in an insidiously slimy manner, showing off his skill as a superb supporting villain. The way he fawns over someone while they are popular, only to coldly abandon them once their star begins to fade, is a brilliant satire of the mass media’s nature.
The idea that the peacock is a keepsake from the father who died in the war is also a uniquely charming setup. The white peacock that brought happiness actually carries a significant secret, but that part of the story is only touched upon briefly. If that aspect had been expanded to its fullest, it could easily have become the basis for a feature-length work; yet Tezuka left it, almost wastefully, as a mere sub-episode. Perhaps it might be fun to imagine and develop this area in our own minds.
