Farmers in Fukushima try to convince skeptical visitors that their crops are safe from radiation. Blood trickles from the nose of a reporter who visits the area.

These are two story lines found in manga — those ubiquitous comics for adults and teens — that have taken up Fukushima on an unprecedented scale even as Japanese film largely avoids the topic.

"Ichi Efu," which centers on workers at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, has sold 170,000 copies in book form in nearly two months, a rare success for a debut manga. Another comic book set off a furor that sparked angry responses from the government, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.