Symbol Shinboru

To say that Symbol is difficult to describe is an understatement of epic proportions. In the central tale, a Japanese man wakes up alone in a brightly illuminated white room with no windows or doors. When he presses a mysteriously phallic protuberance that appears on one wall, a pink toothbrush materializes from nowhere, clattering to the floor and setting in motion a genuinely bizarre chain of events. Meanwhile, in a dusty town, a green-masked Mexican wrestler known as Escargot Man prepares for an important match. His family gathers around him, worried about his seeming impassivity before battle. A hugely popular comedian in Japan, Matsumoto has a finely honed, deadpan approach to absurdist humor. His exuberant and audacious sophomore effort will provoke thought, laughter and some manic head scratching.