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Journey of Heroes, written by Stacey Hayashi and illustrated by Damon Wong, is a short and intimate history of the 100^th/442^nd, presented in comic book format.

What I liked:

• I only knew the very basics about the 442^nd before reading this book, and while it does not by any means strive to be a comprehensive history, it provides a compelling starting point for further reading. Hayashi’s notes at the beginning are especially helpful – I think I would have approached the material very differently if I had not been told all of the scenes depict actual events. Also, the idea of modeling the characters after actual members of the 442^nd/100^th is both a charming gesture of respect and an additional testament to the historical accuracy of the content. These choices immediately establish the parameters of the narrative as one circumscribed by the personal experiences of the people interviewed – we are reading real people’s stories, not a scholarly (and perhaps supposedly objective) overview.

What I learned:

• From my personal experiences meeting Nikkei born and raised in Hawaii, I’ve learned there are many differences between their communities and those of us from the ‘mainland,’ but I had not considered what these differences might have implied for Nikkei like those in the 442nd/100th. I also never knew Nikkei soldiers from Hawaii visited the camps – I wonder how those trips were arranged.

Questions I had:

• How do we, the JA/Nikkei of today, position ourselves relative to the experiences and actions of Nikkei such as the members of the 442^nd/100^th? No one in my immediate family was a member of these units, so in this sense my perspective should not be weighted over/against those of actual descendants of these Nikkei. At the same time, all JA/Nikkei currently living in the US participate in settler colonialism on some level, and benefit (perhaps more specifically phrased as, ‘have the privilege of residing in a nation which derives much of its power’) from [US] military imperialism and carceral capitalism. How do we consider this reality relative to the reality of those Nikkei who viewed military participation as the only way for their families to have safety and respect? Incarcerated JA/Nikkei had no idea when they might be released from the camps, if ever – imagine the terror and stress of wondering if even dying for the people who took away any semblance of socioeconomic security for your family would be insufficient to protect them. It is also useful to keep in mind that having access to this ‘big picture’ knowledge is a privilege – I only learned the term ‘carceral capitalism’ because I have the privilege of accessing certain resources. My grandfather, according to his NARA record (and probably verifiable by family members, if I ever remembered to ask), completed his education in Japan through the equivalent of eighth grade. He came to the US alone, not having any means of livelihood back home, and, if I had to guess, probably had more immediate concerns like where to sleep, what to eat, and how to find the money for basic living necessities. The term ‘settler colonialism’ would have meant nothing to him, though I hope the concept is one he would have understood, and acknowledged his own role in, if asked. To clarify, I do not want us, the current generation, to become the judges and/or arbiters of our ancestors and elders, without also being willing to simultaneously become the judges and/or arbiters of ourselves. This post is not about passing judgment, but rather about trying to figure out how the current generation of JA/Nikkei can move forward in a way that not only honors our community’s past efforts, but also ensures the best possible future for everyone.*

Follow-up:

• There is a wide body of Nikkei-authored literature on the 442^nd, naturally, but I think I might like to start by reading more memoirs, in conjunction with Nikkei-authored nonfiction/academic work on the war and its aftermath.

*‘Everyone’ might seem vague, but oppression does not stop at so-called national borders, and therefore, neither should resistance.