By Cedar Goto
Uncoiling: A Japanese-American Family’s History
Yoko OK
“What even is true history?” comic artist Yoko OK asks while looking at the family writings that informed her book Uncoiling: A Japanese-American Family’s History. It’s a question that persists through her journey of crafting a story from her ancestors’ narratives. As a yonsei (fourth-generation American of Japanese descent), Yoko begins to untangle her family history, which is intertwined with immigrant dreams and struggles.
Her great-grandfather Nakajiro was a larger-than-life figure: daring, creative, adventurous. Yet he was also an abusive alcoholic, frightening to his own family. To unpack this legacy, Yoko introduces her deceased family members in the style of a talk show, bringing the past into conversation with the present. It’s a charming conceit that beautifully shows Yoko’s affection for her relatives.
Through their stories, Yoko’s great-grandmother, great-uncle, and great-aunt share their recollections of Nakajiro’s life, from his scandalous birth in Japan to his many narrow escapes from death during his wanderings, including a stint in the US Navy, on through his eventual passing in an internment camp during World War II. In between, Yoko shares personal reflections on storytelling and intergenerational trauma.
It may sound like heavy stuff, but Yoko applies curiosity and compassion throughout her comic. Often humorous, though never flinching from the darker aspects of her family history, she invites the reader in with her friendly writing and lively cartooning.
The art is playful and emotive, risograph printed in deep green and vibrant pink. While there is a lot of text on every page, Yoko keeps a balance of words and images, guiding the eye and keeping an upbeat pace. It’s a delight to see her drawings flow across the pages, sometimes bursting through panels with scarcely-contained energy.
There’s an unfussy, earnest quality to her art that makes the book feel infused with love. It’s a very personal story told in a very personal way, and seeing Yoko’s hand in every line and letter creates a wonderful connection to her.
She captures the feelings of joy and pain together, acknowledging the contradictions and complications of Nakajiro and the echoes of his life across her family. It’s an inheritance “full of beautiful and terrible moments” and one that she continues to reckon with today. In the endnote of the book, she talks about the difficult work of unpacking generations of family pathology, which in this case includes alcoholism and mental illness. She recognizes the negative tendencies in her family but also the positive ones—being brave, strong, resilient—and looks to build on those qualities, imagining her ancestors rooting for her.
I’m grateful to Yoko for opening up her family archives and her heart so generously. Reading Uncoiling was like having a conversation with a good friend, the kind of intimacy that feels so easy despite the sometimes difficult topics. It also made me think about my own family history. I’m a yonsei also and I’ve heard some wild stories about my grandparents and other older relatives, but how much remains that was never told? What could I learn about myself by learning more about them? What could I do to keep their stories alive?
And what even is true history? After reading this, I would say it’s less facts and dates, and more what we remember and what we carry with us. Yoko’s comic challenges us to face the bad and strive for the good, that we can better understand where we came from in order to move forward toward courage and healing.
CEDAR GOTO is a recovering artist with a background in illustration and comics. They currently work for the nonprofit that supports Wikipedia. They have written book reviews for the International Examiner and Sirens Conference and really should get a proper website for their writing. They enjoy libraries and baked goods that aren’t too sweet.