TO COMMEMORATE  the 125th death anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Japanese Embassy in Manila unveiled copies of the first manga centered on the national hero’s life, work, and values.

The embassy said it added the Manga, autographed by the writer Takahiro Matsui and artist Ryo Konno, to its Sentro Rizal Library.

The library holds details and information about the country’s national hero.

“Dr. Rizal’s life, work and values should be shared with generations of young Filipino and Japanese students alike. As a teacher before joining the diplomatic service, I know for a fact that asking students to remember dates, names and events is not sufficient,” Philippine Embassy in Japan Charge d’affaires Robespierre Bolivar said.

“As such, the publication of this Manga presents a creative way to capture the interest and engage younger generations, who are fans of comic books, to learn more about our national hero,” he added.

The Manga narrates the key events in Rizal’s life through flashbacks, beginning with a scene depicting his execution at Bagumbayan, now Luneta Park.

The story then revisits his childhood in Laguna, and retraces the different stages of his education, writing, and pursuit of far-reaching reforms of the Spanish rule in the Philippines.

Matsui expressed his admiration for Rizal’s work, life, and perspective.

“I wanted to impart the message that there was once an honorable man in the Philippines who devoted himself to the cause of human dignity and freedom,” Matsui said.

He expressed hope that he can share Rizal’s inspiration to children of Filipino descent living in Japan through his work.