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Manga Mein Kampf Sweeps Japan
Comic adaptation brings Hitler's manifesto to Japanese audience
By Rob Quinn
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Posted Oct 1, 09 2:36 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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A cartoon version of Hitler's Nazi manifesto and early autobiography has been a hit in Japan since its launch late last year. The manga-style Mein Kampf is the biggest seller in the publisher's "learn with manga" series of adaptations of historical classics and political tracts. It has sold 45,000 copies, compared with 35,000 for Karl Marx's Das Kapital and many others.
The manga's success has reignited debate in Germany on whether the state of Bavaria, which holds the copyright to Mein Kampf, should stop refusing publishers permission to reprint it , reports the Telegraph. The Japanese publishers say their version isn't covered by copyright protection, and stress that their aim is to give readers an insight into Hitler's twisted way of thinking instead of glorifying his ideology.