[Additional Purchase Link](https://7net.omni7.jp/detail/1100927153) (from wikipedia.ja): **Plot** - The country of Dolmania has been collecting gold coins from all over the world, even stealing them. Taro learns of this by chance and is targeted by the Dolmanians. After repeatedly running and being chased, Taro is caught and taken to Dolmania. Taro is sentenced to death, but is saved by the country's princess. That night, the poor neighboring kingdom of Crocodia kidnaps the princess to blackmail Dolmania. Taro rescues the princess and is trusted by the king, who appoints him a colonel in the army. Soon after, a certain count claims retaliation against Crocodia, but is opposed by Taro and his friends. This count is the mastermind behind the gold coin collection. The count rebels, imprisons the king and princess, and tries to become king himself. The Count wages war against the crocodile, but loses, thanks in part to Taro's efforts. The Count flees the country, forms a gang, and steals Dormania's crown. Taro recovers the crown and traps and captures the Count. Having brought peace, Taro returns to Japan with a jewel from the princess. **Overview** - Speed Taro began serialization in Yomiuri Sunday Manga, a supplement to the Sunday edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun, in December 1930, moved to Yomiuri Shonen Shimbun in the middle of the series, and ended in February 1934. Total length of 113 pages; a boxed, multicolored, gorgeous single-volume edition was published by Daiichi Shobo in 1935. The story depicts the exploits of a boy named "Taro," who, with a bear and a monkey as companions, engages in various battles with rogues in various settings, such as in the mountains and on a boat. The manga is replete with comedic action and fantastical scientific props throughout, such as Taro and his friends sliding upside down with ski boards on their heads and flying vertical takeoff and landing planes from a secret base in pursuit of their enemies. The manga used techniques previously unseen in Japanese manga, such as close-ups, long shots, and other cinematic compositions, framing, and perspective changes. For example, in the scene where the thugs try to cut the rope suspending Taro in a high place, after depicting the suspended Taro and the ground below him from a bird's eye view, a long shot from below depicts Taro in a small size to heighten the sense of fear. Then, a close-up depicts the bad guy's knife being applied to the pinned rope, creating a sense of urgency. The success of this work led to the proliferation of newspaper serialization of children's manga and emonogatari for children, and newspapers began to play a major role in the distribution of manga and emonogatari in the early Showa period. **Addendum** - As mentioned in the *Overview* Speed Taro is considered to be an early example of or prototype for what later would get called Long-Form Story Manga or simply Story Manga. What is considered to be the representative Story Manga, and one that would influence an entire generation of mangaka, is Osamu Tezuka's **[New Treasure Island](https://mangadex.org/title/63487511-434d-4a98-a1da-13bf80e9fcb8/new-treasure-island-1947)**. Story Manga can be succinctly described as a "Movie on Paper", and when today when people, both in Japan and abroad, think of "Manga" it is Story Manga that immediately comes to mind. Many Manga Scholars in Japan have discrepancy when Osamu Tezuka is the only subject of discussion in refence to Early Post-War Manga, or Early Manga period. Not to be mistaken for dismissal, Manga Scholars emphasize that many other mangaka, in addition to Tezuka also had their part to play from the Pre-War, Early Post-War period and onwards.