Black Ships: Illustrated Japanese History–The Americans Arrive

Award-winning comic book writer Sean Michael Wilson and manga artist

Akiko Shimojima team up in a graphic novel that tells the compelling story of the four American oBlack Shipso that arrived in Japan in 1853 under the command of Commodore Perry to force Japan to open up to trade. The dramatic narration and striking images capture the fearsome scenes of military power, the dark might of the Black Ships, and the anxious response of the Japanese Shogunate, which struggled to reach an agreement under the threat of violence and unwelcome change. Historically accurate and with an easy-to-read format, The Black Ships brings to life the characters and events that sparked this pivotal moment in Japanese history, one that transformed the culture and opened up the country to the modern period.