'It's the era of the High Repubic and expansion across the stars is at its height. As trusted guardians of peace, the renowned Jedi protect the Republic and shine their light on those exploring the darkest reaches of the galaxy.
'In the aftermath of the Hyperspace Disaster, young Jedi knight Lily Tora-Asi is assigned to help displaced civilians relocate to Banchii, a newly inhabited planet in the Inugg system far in the outer rim. Banchii is the site of a new Jedi temple led by Master Arkoff, Lily's Wookiee mentor, who imagines the temple a place of peace for new inhabitants and for those who are travelling beyond. While balancing the arrival of incoming settlers with the strange mysteries of this remote outpost, Lily wonders if she's doing enough to bring peace to the galaxy. But when hidden dangers begin to emerge, the young Jedi will face her greatest challenge yet...'
This isn't the first time that a Star Wars story has gotten the manga treatment. There have been a number of stories that have been adapted over the years, but this is the first time that a new story has debuted as a manga, with a whole new story and new characters being introduced. Instead of taking a story readers are familiar with and simply giving it a new visual style we're treated to a story that feels very much made to be a manga, rather than just a new twist to something that already exists. As such, the story, its structure and the way things play out have an energy that feels unique and special.
The story follows Lily Tora-Asi, a young Jedi knight who is assisting a group of refugee's displaced after the Great Hyperspace Disaster. Travelling with them on a small ship, she and her former master, the Wookiee Arkoff, are bringing them to make a new life for themselves on the beautiful and untouched world of Banchii.
Lily is being haunted by nightmares about the Disaster, but is looking forward to returning to Banchii and the peace that will bring her, even if it does mean that she'll once again have to begin training her padawan, Keerin, as well as the two younglings Nima and Viv'nia. Whilst Lily isn't the most comfortable around children, she understands that it's important to pass her wisdom onto the next generation of Jedi, as well as learning to become a better Jedi from teaching them.
Shortly after settling back into daily life at the temple, training the young Jedi, Lily's routine is disrupted when they discover destruction deep within the forest, as well as one of the farmers having been turned into wood. They've barely got time to process this before the settlement comes under attack from the monstrous Drengir. Now Lily and the others will have to fight to protect their new home.
I really enjoyed this story, it feels like a great introduction to a new batch of heroes, ones who feel very different to some of the others in the High Republic series. These aren't big important Jedi like Avar Kriss, or Stellan Gios who are making huge, far reaching decisions in the fate of the galaxy. They're not travelling around space learning to become Jedi from Master Yoda like in the High Republic Adventures comics. These are just regular Jedi. They're the kind of Jedi who do the small jobs, who help people and live a relatively quiet life. As such, when things started to go wrong on Banchii it felt really bad, because this didn't seem like a group of big heroes left to face it, but folk who like a quiet and simple existence.
Speaking of a quiet and simple existence, I really liked Master Arkoff, the Wookiee teacher who spends his days watering his garden and imparting knowledge upon the younger members of the temple. I've got a soft spot for Wookiees, and Wookiee Jedi are definitely thing I want to see more of. But even then I like how different he is to ones we've had before. Gungi from Star Wars The Clone Wars was impatient, and struggled with the Jedi teachings; Burryaga in the High Republic is older, but is still very much learning to be a Jedi, and is at times worried and overly sensitive. Arkoff, in comparison to both, is full of calm confidence. He's grown into the role of being a Jedi, he's found an inner peace and strength that shows what a Wookiee can accomplish once their training is complete; and he's an absolute delight to read.
Whilst the book has connections with the wider High Republic series this is very much a story that feels like it can exist on its own, a book that someone who's not read anything else in the series would be able to pick up and enjoy. Other than a brief appearance by Stellan Gios, every character in the book is new, Banchii is a place we haven't seen before, and the Drengir are given enough of an explanation to not feel confusing to new readers. Because of this, the book feels like its going to be the most accessible of any of the other titles; which I suppose is a big part of the aim here, to attract people who may not pick up a comic or a novel set within the High Republic.
I've seen some people complaining that Star Wars was making manga, that it was trying to draw in fans of the medium into a story that isn't suited for manga, and whilst I'm sure a big part of the aim of this book is to draw in new fans I don't think its a bad thing in any way. Star Wars has always had strong connections to Japanese culture, especially their entertainment. George Lucas was heavily inspired by samurai stories, and other creators in the Star Wars universe over the years have been as well. The franchise is so obviously inspired by Japanese entertainment that it feel strange that its only really been in recent years that we've gotten manga, as well as anime in the form of Star Wars Visions.
The art on the book, provided by Mizuki Sakakibara is wonderful, and everything looks so great. The characters are all distinctive and immediately jump out of the page, they manage to make Banchii look like a beautiful and peaceful world, and the action scenes are wonderfully drawn and look dynamic. Everything here looks perfect. I loved how the Jedi temple looked, and think that it's one of the best ones I've seen, and Miziki's take on the Drengir is so different from the rest, yet so obviously still the Drengir, that they add a fresh take on the creatures.
Star Wars The High Republic: The Edge of Balance has some brilliant new characters, ones that I very quickly became attached to and want to see more of; Arkoff and Viv'nia need to be in my life more! The story unfolds at an enjoyable pace, and the characters use their inteligence and their spiritual connection with the force to help them win the day. Plus, the extra story at the end is so incredibly cute and fun, I want more of that in the future. I was deeply impressed with this first volume, and can't wait to see what happens in future ones.
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