Ten no Hate Made – Poland Hishi (Japanese: 天の涯まで~ポーランド秘史, Polish: Aż do nieba: tajemnicza historia Polski; lit.
'Poland's Secret Story: To the Borders of Heaven') is a historical manga by Riyoko Ikeda depicting the life of Polish Prince Józef Poniatowski in the turbulent last days of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the dawn of the Napoleonic Wars.
Ten no Hate Made blends historical events with fictionalized and romanticized elements, often drawing from Polish romantic myths.
The work has been praised for its depiction of Polish history and culture, including architecture and costumes, though it has also faced criticism for its historical inaccuracies and melodramatic portrayals.
Małgorzata Rutkowska, in Załącznik Kulturoznawczy in 2014, believed that the choice of this manga as the first title published by Japonica Polonica Fantastica was deliberate, given its Polish theme.
In her analysis, she stated that "the author does not depict real events in her manga and even embellishes history for the sake of the title", but at the same time "presents authentic costumes, architecture, and locations from the era".
[25] According to Czaja, the manga offers a simplified history of Poniatowski, based on Polish romantic myths (such as legends of the Uhlans and Napoleon) and pop culture elements.
Czaja concludes that "Ikeda shows how mythologized biographies of heroes and national history look when filtered through the pop culture lens" and describes the manga as "a melodrama with a patriotic character".
He was also not impressed by the application of the manga art style to the Polish setting, stating that "the depiction of a young Kościuszko with a mongoloid appearance reminiscent of 'Sailor Moon' will astonish even the most resistant".
[3] The review highlighted the significance of relationships between historical figures, such as "the lifelong romance of Józef with Henriette de Vauban [pl], his friendship with Tadeusz Kościuszko, and the hostility between his brother and stepmother".
The reviewer, who identified as a historian, also noted that while the manga has educational value and depicts Polish history relatively accurately, it includes some deliberate historical inaccuracies for narrative purposes.