"Even in death... Your acts will not escape and that can even lead to something more later. What actually happens when this and otherworld combine..."
Mangaka: Mark Crilley
Volumes: 2 (4 more are out to come)
Genre: Adventure, action, slice of life, fantasy, sci-fi
Year: 2010+
Ever heard of Mark Crilley? Well if you haven’t now it is the time. He is the author of this manga style book and first that you will notice, is that it’s pretty different than other ones,
from how it looks, the size, position of the pictures and also the way of reading it.
It is made to be adopted more to the Western public and that’s what actually can be good. By doing that many can more easily get hocked up to it and actually start reading some other manga later on.
Now other thing is, you probably wonder why I said manga if this looks more like a visual novel? Well actually it looks more like a manga and the main reason for it is the drawing style. It is manga Japanese one with some of his personal details added there. What this makes different than most of mangas are the details on surroundings and environment that the world is set.
Set in the futuristic kinda Japanese set world, you will notice many Easter eggs like “Youtube” logo on a random building, some random kanji like for dragon “Ryuu”, as well as people walking around or the crushed cars, boxes of Mark’s other manga… You know, I could go like this forever . They are just so many details in the background that goes well in understand the world that this book is set it and making you more into it as you read more and more.
One another good thing about it is how the book moves you and holds to read it until the very end. Like you can’t stop after a page and rest, you are always curious to see what will happen next. And what about cliffhangers? Oh yes, even they are presented there. Each volume finish on the way it should and makes you wonder what will happen next.
And how can we forget the actually genres that are suited here. What to call it? I call it an adventure. Now don’t get me wrong, at first you might get confused. You would actually find it a little bored on how the story goes and actually wonder where it might lead. The typical guy who has nothing, but actually appears to had. The backstory is not very well presented here, but actually it is not even meant to be. To some it might be a problem, those who like to go into detail. Others will understand it and continue with focus on what is presented there.
The romancing part may also appear to be a little slow. Yes, it is also shown here and now let’s say few things about that.
The romance is nice and builds away slowly. You can even see that it has usual manga influence and style on the beginning where it goes from lovehate relationship between the two main characters to actually something more later on. There is also a small backstory there with another girl that Brody is with.
Keep in mind that I review only two volumes that have come out, meaning that it will probably become more dramatic later on as it goes, but by now it was only typical a guy messes up and the girl leaves him. To what will that lead? We don’t know, but we can just watch and suspect.
This series tends to be humorous, but that’s one of the weaker sides of it. Effects are there, but just for some comedic relief mostly between Brody and Talia. And they are good, but some may have wanted to see something more of for example, his master there that teaches him, like they are usually old and with just random things in mind, but still do they work as training masters. Here these parts are more from the serious aspect, but you will still find some relief even in the, especially from Brody’s reactions on how he takes the things that are given to him.
The probably most bad thing that some of you may notice is that the book looks empty on some way, like something is missing. It could be because of the few characters, or not much of the back story there or the fast grip of the story telling, but actually not processing any further.
So what I will say about that at the end is that this review is mostly based on the first impression, because I have only reviewed two volumes out of six, so four more are yet to come. For now, it has given a good impression on me and I believe that all the missing and bad things that are here will change with the next volumes as I have noticed, since many of that changes even between the gap of first and second one. Yes, the difference is notable and while the first book may look average and fast reading to someone with a slow start, the second book is where the things start to get really complex.
I definitely recommend this for anyone and especially those that just started getting into mangas or graphic novels.
The graphics or better to say the overall drawing might come at a bit surprise to some of you. It would come as the not so traditional type manga is actually using that style of drawing,
though also adopted more to the western audience. Though I like more how even then the style is actually pretty traditional and follows those patterns. Like I said, to some it might be a surprise from that side, to others it might be to actually see a true Japanese manga style being used. Will you be surprised in a good or bad way, that’s left for the audience.
One thing that is really worth mentioning here is the background. So much details are placed into it you won’t actually believe to see in this type of manga. It is also really fun just browsing through the manga, stopping and analyzing them all that and see all the randomness author had in his head while drawing all this.
Now the backgrounds have a lot of details, but what may come as disappointment to some true manga fans are the ones of the characters. The front page give a good detailed impression, but actually the overall characters are like set for our imagination to invest in it. It is however understandable cause most of the time something is happening in the background and characters are placed there, so from the higher point of view all of them may look somewhat bold and hard to catch for the eyes.
There is a positive thing here that you will actually find details at most random things, like from the weapon he uses which is actually normal, but some may that not even notice while going through the book.
Now when I talked about the overall characters I also have to notice expressions. Here you won’t understand them half of the time for the supporting characters, but then again for now there aren’t that many. As for the Brody and Talia (two main characters that story follows) you will actually find it funny how they are always making their faces and reactions at most random things and usually when Talia brings something that Brody doesn’t like. That’s the good part. The only thing that might be missing for some manga fans are extra sound effects and moves written next the characters when they shout or just look confused. But don’t worry, there is plenty of that left for the combat and action parts.
Speaking about the story, let’s go like this… What first comes on your mind when you see the title? Some ghostly story or maybe an even horror one? Or even better when you actually look at the cover and see that background there. Looks like a futuristic world set in chaos. Maybe, but what actually is it about. You won’t be even to guess until you open the first page and start reading. It begins fast but then goes slowly building up the whole storyline here. Even in the first book you can easily get hocked up to the story, but not as fast as later on. You will however come at a big surprise that this is maybe better that you originally expected.
Even if to some it might look pale and weak, story is actually one of the stronger aspects of this book. The first two books are more like a preparations for the next story , but a good thing is that even the characters that were shown at the beginning make their appearances later. What we shall see more, is yet to be discovered.
Now I have to praise this one thing. This is after all manga styled graphic novel no matter how you look at it and as such it has to have some Japanese stuff in it, right? Well it is! It actually has as even during the first book you will come to notice that Talia is taking Brody to an old Japanese temple where a secret awaits him. What secret? Read to find out and that’s what this keeps on going. The story is pale and probably already seen to some just in some different manner, but it still keeps you on reading it. Why? Again find that for yourself.
Even if this is something already been seen, this still has its own elements. Mostly you will notice them by Talia. She is a ghost and she has some her own special powers. Though at first she will be nothing more than a small supporting character that goes with Brody, but later they actually go and work as a team. The story still hasn’t come to the most interesting parts where they are seeking the main depth of why Talia is a ghost, but that you will find out and more will come later during the volumes .
As for now it is a very addicting story, but may not be liked by everyone cause of the lack of some elements that they might find pleasant. Even so, I think that everyone might find something they really like inside this.
Graphics: 8/10 – some may find characters not so much detailed, but the backgrounds are just stunning
Story: 7/10 – Lacking some of the elements of the genre as well as already seen acts, it is well taken for it’s uniqueness over the others.
Entertainment: 7.5/10 – to some may appear as a short book, but is actually made very well and you will enjoy a read through this
Presentation: 8.5/10 – The timeline goes well as well everything around it. It might even come better than you originally expect
Overall: 8/10 – A manga book well worth of reading and trying it out, even for or no original fans
First two volumes
