Manga Classics: MacBeth - An Excellent Adaptation

Witches. Prophecy. Intrigue. Murder. Macbeth is a classic for a reason. 

Shakespeare isn't really meant to be read. His plays are scripts. They are intended to be experienced in performance. If watching MacBeth performed is the best way to experience the play, reading Manga Classics: MacBeth might be the second-best way to experience it. 

Manga Classics: MacBeth is adapted by Crystal S. Chan and illustrated by Julien Choy. It was published on Oct 11, 2018 by Udon Entertainment. Thank you Undon Entertainment for providing a copy of this ebook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

When Scottish Lord MacBeth is told a prophecy by three witches that he will one day be king of Scotland, he and his wife set in motion a bloody plot to seize the throne. But how will this treachery sit on their consciences and will they have the cunning necessary to defend a usurper’s crown?

I'm a Shakespeare nerd. In high school, I memorized Hamlet's famous "To Be or Not to Be" soliloquy for fun. In college, I took a Shakespeare class as an elective (I was the lone non-theatre major in the class). MacBeth is my favorite Shakespeare play.

This manga far exceeded my expectations. Part of the reason we read Shakespeare is for his rich language. My first pleasant surprise was that, in this version of the manga, Crystal S. Chan used Shakespeare’s original unabridged text. Chan’s decisions in how she breaks up the text into speech bubbles and panels are intentional and do a lot to clarify the text and keep the comic reading at a steady pace while retaining the entire text of the play. Rarely is the unabridged text used on stage. The pacing and length aren’t ideal for contemporary performances. The fact that this manga, on the whole, felt very well paced without cutting anything is a small triumph. 

Julien Choy's art was a real delight. I've read a few comic adaptations of classics over the years. Often, the art feels like an afterthought. Not here. Choy is a master of his craft and his attention to detail and passion for his art are readily evident. Specifically, Choy took the time to understand many of Shakespeare's metaphors and often illustrates them on the page, helping some of the more archaic turns of phrase make sense to the contemporary reader. 

A Shakespearian actor can make Shakespeare's text understandable through their performance. Chan's editing and Choy's artwork accomplish a similar result in this manga, making the story and characters leap from the page.

In terms of content warnings, there’s not a lot objectionable in this manga. The target audience is high school classrooms. There are a few innuendos present in the original text, a moment or two of implied non-sexual nudity, an off screen suicide, and some violence, none of which will be surprising if you’re at all familiar with MacBeth. There is also some scary, witchy iconography. In two places, a Baphomet head is included in the artwork. While this may be appropriate in a story that contains literal witches, some parents may be uncomfortable with this imagery.

I mentioned above that Choy often illustrates Shakespeare's metaphors. Unfortunately, the famous "Tomorrow and Tomorrow" speech does not receive this treatment and is presented only in text form. While this is likely an intentional choice to highlight the poetry alone, I was disappointed. I was excited to see Choy illuminate this famous speech. 

Really, these critiques and content caveats are very minor. This manga has a lot to offer and some really stunning moments that I can't describe without spoiling a 400-year-old play (the "Double double, toil and trouble" scene was worth the wait). I was surprised at how immersed I became in this comic and how much I genuinely enjoyed it. 

If you love Shakespeare, want to re-familiarize yourself with one of the most influential works of English literature, or are helping a student make sense of their first time reading the Bard, Manga Classics: Macbeth is well worth the read.

4/5 Stars