Strange Pictures: Volume 1 by Uketsu & Kikou Aiba - Blog Tour

 

'From Japan’s breakout horror sensation comes a chilling new manga experience. Strange Pictures is the spine-tingling manga adaptation of Uketsu’s bestselling novel, brought vividly to life by artist Kikou Aiba. Uketsu – the enigmatic masked writer who has become one of Japan’s most talked-about authors – first captivated readers with a novel that sold in the millions. Now, the terror unfolds panel by panel.

'At its core lie nine childlike sketches. A pregnant woman’s doodles on her blog conceal a dire warning. A boy’s simple drawing of his home hides a message no child should know. A murder victim’s final sketch becomes a clue that drags an amateur sleuth into a labyrinth of secrets. Each picture is innocent at first glance ­– yet when pieced together, they reveal a web of unsolved mysteries and shattered psyches.'

I wasn't aware of Strange Pictures, originally published as a prose novel in Japan in 2022 by surreal YouTuber Uketsu, or its new manga adaptation until I was offered a copy from Titan Manga. After having my interest grabbed by the blurb I went and did a little looking online and thought that it might be something that would interest me due to its surreal, horror, mystery vibes. With only a small part of the original novel adapted into the first manga volume I wasn't sure just how well it would draw me in; but I soon found myself trying to solve the mystery alongside our protagonist, and am now patiently awaiting the next instalment.

Strange Pictures begins by introducing us to Sasaki, a university student who we're introduced to during a lecture about art therapy. The lecturer talks her students, and the readers, through the significance of a drawing made by a ten-year-old girl who was arrested for killing her mother. We have the features of the drawing explained to us, how the smile that was erased and redrawn over and over reveals the girl's feelings of having to pretend to be happy around her abusive mother. The house with no doors tells us that the girl felt trapped in her home, unable to escape the cycles of abuse she was living through. And that the tiny bird sitting in the middle of the spiky, dangerous looking tree tells us that she has an instinct to protect others, showing us that she's not an evil killer, but a girl who killed her abusive mother to protect herself and other people. This lecture isn't just a throw-away scene, but introduces us to some key concepts for the book; that pictures hold hidden meanings, and that in order to understand things fully you'll need to delve deep into them.

Following his lecture Sasaki meets a friend of his, Kurihara, from the uni's paranormal club. Kurihara mentions a strange blog he's discovered, and passes the information on to Saski. That evening Sasaki checks it out, finding what first appears to be a very ordinary blog by a man named Ken who writes about his wife, Yuki, and their life together. After Yuki falls pregnant the young couple of excited for their first child, but some complications through pregnancy puts them through some difficult times. During this period Yuki draws five pictures, pictures that Ken believes shows their child, and their possible future selves. Unfortunately, Yuki dies during childbirth, and shortly after the blog comes to a close after a cryptic post in which Ken mentions how he finally realised what the strange pictures really mean, and how he can't forgive Yuki, but will never stop loving her. 

With Sasaki's interest in the blog piqued he discusses it with Kurihara, who reveals more strangeness within some of the blog entries. Believing that there is more to find within the blog, and knowing that the illustrations Yuki created holds some kind of key, the two of them set out to discover more and get to the bottom of the mystery.

Strange Pictures begins as something of a slow burn story, and I'm not entirely sure at what point I'd become invested in the narrative; something that is reflected in the story itself when Sasaki reads Ken's blog and starts off not thinking much of it but soon realises he's fully invested in the lives of these people he's never met before. The slow set-up works in the books favour, and I like how it gives you the mystery without you really knowing that's what's happening. The slow reveal of the five titular strange pictures definitely has a slightly unsettling edge to it, thanks in part to the somewhat unusual framing and the change in art style, but it's only when Kurihara reveals more that these pictures take on a different feel, becoming much darker.

I won't say much about what the pictures are, or how our protagonists use them to find the next piece of the puzzle, but it's definitely an interesting series of deductions that leads to a chilling twist in the tale. As I have no knowledge of the original story, beyond a small blurb describing it, I don't know if this is the end of Sasaki's part of the story, as the final chapter of the manga introduces a new protagonist and another strange picture with possible sinister implications, but I certainly hope that it's not as whilst a twist in the initial story presented in the blog posts certainly seems to have been presented it by no means feels conclusive or complete. If there is more of this mystery to come, along with the one introduced in the final pages, I'm more than happy to continue reading on and learning more; however, if this isn't the case it would certainly feel somewhat lacking and half finished. 

The art on the book, by Kikou Aiba, feels fairly standard, with nothing about the art seeming to set Strange Pictures apart from other books on the shelf. Characters and environments are drawn cleanly and crisply, with it being easy to tell who everyone is and what's going on in the panels. However, it's when Aiba draws the titular pictures that the book begins to stand out. The art in these pictures has a very different feel to it, with the clean, dark linework replaced by faded, light illustrations, appearing more messily hand drawn, created with pencils and other physical media that gives it a rougher, more tangible feel. Delightfully, Titan Manga sent along art cards of each of the pieces, presenting them in colour, which really emphasised this aesthetic as the grain and shading in the manga changed to show where some parts of the paper had more pressure applied when colouring, creating darker and lighter areas, picking up rough details from the surface beneath the paper in places. These illustrations are so different from what else is in the book that you can't help but find yourself drawn to them in a similar way to Sasaki.

Strange Pictures is one of those manga's where I wished I had the next volume already as just one wasn't enough to satisfy me. I want to find out more, to see just how far this mystery goes and how surreal things will get.

Strange Pictures is available now from Titan Manga for £9.99.

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Yan: Vol 3 by Chang Sheng - Manga Review

 

'Golden Comic Award-winning series Yan returns with its most haunting chapter yet. In a comic landscape where Taiwan’s graphic novel scene continues to flourish, Yan Volume 3 stands as a bold testament to the heights of storytelling the medium can reach and genres it seamlessly fuses. 

'Still reeling from revelations about her family’s brutal murder, the resurrected Peking Opera performer Tieh-Hua delves deeper into a tangled web of supernatural vengeance and time-warped conspiracies. As she closes in on those responsible, her bond with Higa-Mirai—a missing Go prodigy cursed with visions of the future—grows, complicating her pursuit of justice. Meanwhile, Detective Lei wrestles with a reality shattered by ghosts, time travellers, and corrupted power structures, forcing him to question everything he thought he stood for.'

I read a lot of comics; my weekly comic reads cover most of what Marvel and DC put out, with some of the smaller publishers mixed in too. My comic tracking App says I'm at just shy of having read 15,000 comics (though I know not everything I've read is listed on it). I love comics, manga, manhua, webcomics, pretty much the entire medium. With all of those amazing books I read the past year my most anticipated read has been Yan by Chang Sheng, and going forward these three volumes are going to be books that I recommend to anyone who's looking to either break into the medium, or who wants to know my all time favourites. 

The second volume of Yan took an initially quite small and mystery focused story and blew it wide open. The story went from being about a mysterious woman, Yan Tieh-Hua, who's apparently back from the dead and has super-human abilities, and made it a sprawling story involving time travel, multiple universes, robots, and super-advanced AI villains. This focused story about one woman's revenge suddenly shifted to being about fighting to save the world; and then they killed the hero. The final chapters of volume two saw Yan Tieh-Hua having been killed in combat with the cruel AI Thirteen, and her allies failing in an attempt to bring her back; and discovering that their escape had shunted them forwards in time two days to a point where Thirteen had seized the city, turning it into a warzone.

Things looked grim going into the third volume, and whilst I was pretty sure that Yan wasn't gone for good considering the series carries her name and her face is on the cover, I wasn't sure how Chang was going to manage to her return. It turns out, brilliantly. The opening of the book not only deals with our heroine's miraculous resurrection, but finally answers the mystery as to how she's not aged in thirty years, and what happened in the destruction of the facility she was being held in. Despite the multiple theories the previous volumes gave us, such as time travel, super powers, her actually being dead, the real explanation as to how she'd not aged is so wonderfully simple and done with so elegant sleight of hand that I couldn't help but love how much the readers had been tricked up to this point. I won't say what the explanation is, but it's one that not only did I not see coming, but is so obviously the best one that anything else would have felt wrong in comparison. 

Once Yan returns to life the rest of the book focuses on our team of heroes having to find a way to stop Thirteen; something that is made even more difficult by his evolving abilities. This is where the format of the book, it being double to size of a regular manga, really pays off, as Chang Sheng gives us huge panels filled with action and detail. The sense of scale that the book is able to capture just from the sheer size really goes a long way to show the scope of the story it's telling. I've said this in my reviews of the previous volumes, but having such big panels, huge single and double page splashes makes Yan feel like the equivalent of watching a movie on an IMax screen instead of your TV. Every piece of destruction feels huge, every punch feels like it hits like a train, and the emotional moments are given so much more room and impact. I honestly think that seeing this story in this size is going to make other manga releases struggle to impress me as much as this has.

Yan also does something pretty bold, it ends. Or at least I think it does. The third volume closes out with the word 'End' printed boldly on the final panel; and I don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand having a self contained, short story in three books works really well, and things move with a wonderful sense of pacing that I cannot fault. However, I really want more. It doesn't help that there are a couple of teases at the end as to how things could continue, with Yan and her friends off on a new adventure in the final moments, and the tease of a villain in the shadows; but this could just be the reader being told that these characters stories aren't over, even if we're never going to see them. Whilst I love that these three books tell a solid complete story there's a part of me wishing and hoping for more, and I don't know which scenario I want more.

It's not very often that I come across a piece of art that forever changes how I look at an entire medium, but Yan is one of those. Other manga are going to feel small in comparison, both physically in my hand and in scale thanks to the confines of the page. Other manga are going to feel slowly paced, and even overly long. Yan has reshaped what I want to see from this medium, and I honestly don't know if anything is going to be able to compete with it. Weirdly enough, I discovered three pieces of art across different formats that have done changed how I view those mediums in the last year, having recently discovered Twin Peaks and the work of David Lynch, and having played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. They changed how I judge television and video games, and Yan has changed how I judge comics and manga. It is transformative, elegant, thrilling, and just so wonderfully itself.

Yan: Vol 3 is available now from Titan Manga £19.99.

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Unemployed Killer Support Group by Rio - Blog Tour

 

'Locker is a nearly-blind sniper, and after losing his job, he joins a support group for unemployed assassins. All of the members were once feared, but now they're losers who help and hinder one another. After overhearing a conversation at a restaurant, Locker believes he's identified the man that took his sight. Finally he has one shot at revenge - hopefully this is one he doesn't miss.'

Losing your job because of health reasons sucks, and it's something that I personally have been through, and so the opening scenes of Unemployed Killer Support Group were ones that allowed me to instantly connect with our lead character, Locker. Though I've never been a hitman for hire I have found my life turned upside down by a sudden and unexpected health issue, and Lockers frustrations of his life changing drastically without warning, of not knowing if you have financial stability, of feeling lost, all felt incredibly true to real life. Fortunately for Locker, he doesn't have to go through things alone. 

After losing his job as a sniper thanks to his failing eyesight, Locker finds himself in the middle of a specialised support group, one where other hired killers come to try and help each other through losing their job through a variety of reasons. Locker is the only disabled person there, but other members of the group are facing their own struggles, such as Maze, who lost her work after a job leads to her killing the wrong person and learning that her husband was cheating on her. Everyone in the group has their own unique and unusual story, and discovering what these are and how they came out is a big part of the fun of the book.

As Locker tries to adjust to his new life he overhears someone in a restaurant, a voice that's eerily familiar, talking about how he attacked a guy, hitting him over the head and taking his customised sniper rifle. Convinced that this is the man who blinded him Locker realises there's not much he can do in his newly disabled state, and chooses to let it go. However, when fate brings this man across Lockers path a second time he comes to the realisation that he can't move on from this, and sets out to find out who his attacker was and get revenge.

Unemployed Killer Support Group is a wonderfully dark comedy, a book that doesn't take itself too seriously; just look at the concept and tell me that it's going to be a serious tale. There are a number of moments that will make you laugh out loud, twisted jokes that somehow never come across as gross or mean, but end up being quite charming because our core cast of characters are presented as pretty decent people; despite the murder. It helps that our core cast of characters are all broken, kind of pathetic people, and so you end up feeling sorry for them more often than not, and by the end you're rooting for them to come out on top even if most of them should be in jail for their crimes.

As a disabled person I also really liked that Rio, the writer and artist on the book, didn't use Locker's disability as a joke. Yes, it's used to some comedic effect at time, but Locker himself is never the butt of the joke. You're never told to look down on him or feel bad for him because he's somehow lesser now that he's blind, instead you look down on him for being a fuck up, for being a killer, and for failing to get his life together way before going blind. It's also nice to have a disabled character as a lead where their disability isn't something that makes him special, nor is it something that gets cured or altered in some unrealistic way. Locker's blindness is just a part of him now, and he's having to adapt and change to live with his new normal. Despite the absurdity of the book his disability is never an absurd factor, and for that I appreciate it.

Unemployed Killer Support Group is a wonderfully fun, self contained manga that feels grounded and realistic, whilst also managing to be farcical and ridiculous. It's a fine line, but one that the book walks wonderfully. It reminds me of some of my favourite comedy film, and I could see the story getting adapted to film someday, as there are times it feels like it's more structured like a movie than a book, and I think that's something that really helps you to connect with it and read it in one sitting because you just can't put it down. Easily one of the most delightful manga books I've ever read, and one that I'd recommend in shot.

Unemployed Killer Support Group is available now from Titan Manga for £9.99.

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The Raven Dark Hero Volume One by Tonkye & Akira Mitsuya - Manga Review

 

'In a world where superpowers are a gift to protect the weak and fight evil, Suou Kouki has always dreamed of becoming a hero. But when his moment of despair awakens a hidden power, his dream quickly turns into a nightmare. Now, armed with a dangerous ability, Suou finds himself on a path he never expected—one where the line between hero and villain is perilously thin. The Raven Dark Hero is a gripping manga that explores the dark side of power, ambition, and morality, as Suou’s journey forces him to confront the consequences of becoming the very thing he once sought to destroy.

'Created by the elusive Tonkye, known for his work in crafting complex, character-driven narratives, and brought to life by artist Akira Mitsuya, The Raven Dark Hero delivers intense battles, emotional depth, and a fresh take on the superhero genre. Mitsuya’s dynamic artwork perfectly captures the raw conflict within Suou as he struggles with his newfound abilities. With stunning visuals and a morally complex story, this manga will keep you questioning: what does it truly mean to be a hero?'

Adapted from the web novel by Tonkye, which has yet to be translated, The Raven Dark Hero takes audiences to a future Japan where super powered beings are now a part of society following a devastating global war, and drops us into the middle of a complex political conflict that will see the young Suou trying desperately to be a hero, but skirting the line of becoming a villain instead.

Set decades after the Phenom, grotesque creatures with amazing powers, appeared and wiped out most of the world's population, we meet Suou Kouki, a depressed and withdrawn teenager at a Tokyo high school. Following the appearance of the Phenom, humans began to exhibit amazing powers and abilities, and were named Specialists. Most Specialists live normal lives, using their gifts to better society, and some joined the National Defence Force. However, those who skirt the law, who use their powers for cruel and terrible ends are outlaws of the state called Firz. Suou, who has yet to develop any powers, dreams of one day joining the National Defence Force and serving his home.

Despite this dream, Suou has almost resigned himself to the idea that he will never develop an ability, and that he will live a normal, uneventful life; something that has caused him to become withdrawn and quiet. It doesn't help that his best friend, Hiro, is outgoing and popular, surrounded by pretty girls, and that he seems to achieve in every way that Suou wishes he could. Then the day comes when Hiro tells him a secret, that his powers activated, and that he's secretly been training with the National Defence Force as an exceptionally young recruit. Now that Hiro is living Suou's ideal life, yet again, the angsty Suou falls deeper into despair.

He doesn't have long to fallow in this, however, as that same night Suou gets attacked by a Firz after Suou beats up a few thugs. The Firz uses his powers to punch Suou through the chest, killing him. It's then that Suou's powers activate, a resurrection ability that not only brings him back to life, but gifts his the powers of the person who killed him. Suou is overjoyed by this, believing that his perfect life might be able to finally begin, until he's attacked by a murderous member of the National Defence Force. 

Now Suou learns that despite their public image, the National Defence Force are little more than murderers, killing anyone whose powers aren't registered with the government, even if they've done nothing wrong. With his view on life shaken, Suou makes the choice to forge his own path, becoming a rogue super hero, helping the people of Tokyo; but will this make Suou a hero, or will he find himself becoming a villain?

The Raven Dark Hero is not the lightest read, though not because it's particularly dense or long. The book's got a very depressing tone for the most part. There's very few moments of light to be found here, with the majority of the book having readers hear Suou lament over how awful his life is, how many of his dreams he's failed to achieve (whilst still a teenager of course, so end of the world), and how he has no future worth a damn. Suou is all edge, he's angsty and angry and if I'm honest not hugely enjoyable to follow around even if there are some parts of this world that are interesting. 

That brings us to the other thing that makes this a bit of a dour read, there's practically no good people. The revelation that the National Defence Force, who have been made out to be super heroes, are little more than a government sanctioned gang of killers and lunatics isn't as shocking or surprising as perhaps the creators were hoping for, as it fits the tone the book had created up to that point. Readers get nothing to give us hope that there's a whole lot of good during the early parts of the book that when the revelation comes that the heroes are bad it just feels like the logical next step, rather than some kind of twist or surprise. 

This is something that bothers me in these kinds of 'super hero deconstruction' type stories, things like The Boys, or Injustice where the main question is 'but what happens when the heroes are awful people?', and the result is just violence, gore, and nastiness. These kinds of stories tend to offer very little hope, it doesn't posit that if the heroes aren't good an actual good person would come along and do better, it instead goes with the notion that everyone is terrible, that being awful is something that every person is in some way. And it feels like The Raven Dark Hero is kind of falling into this trap too. 

Yes, Suou is trying to be a hero in this volume, trying to be better, but considering the book ends with him being taken by a terrorist group with them welcoming him, it seems like this is going to be yet another story of a world of terrible people pretending to be good, and a good person trying to be better but ending up just as bad. And I'm kind of tired of that story. Yes, I'm going on assumptions that the story is going to continue down this route, but so far it's done nothing to suggest it's not going to do this, and so I'm meeting it with some scepticism that it's going to do otherwise.

The art on the book is pretty decent, though there are times when it's not the easiest to understand during fight scenes. The book is visually very dark, often set at night, either on dark rooftops, alleys, or old buildings, and when things get frantic and frenetic it's not the easiest to follow. Character design seems fairly basic so far, with only a few characters who stand out. Most of the characters are either regular looking people, or they wear military uniforms, and so there's not a whole lot visually interesting about them. The big 'villain' presented towards the end of the book stands out because they look like some kind of knight, but they're so dark that it's not the easiest design to read. There's a weird werewolf who at least stands out, but looks like kind of a mess most of the time. And whilst there's a couple of women in the book the only one who stands out, or is given any real time, is given the biggest breasts possible, and looks more like a teenage boys lust fantasy than a real human being. 

The Raven Dark Hero isn't a terrible book, but there's nothing here that makes it stand out to me amongst other books with the same themes and ideas. It's dark and dour, it's practically all edge with no substance presented yet, and whilst I'm sure it will appeal to teenage boys who think Edge Lord is a complement I think that it's not going to appeal to a hugely broad audience. This is only the first volume, so this might change as the story progresses, and it could end up doing a great bait and switch on us, but at the moment there's nothing here that makes it stand out to me, or that really encourages me to read more.

The Raven Dark Hero Volume One is out now from Titan Manga for £9.99.

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Isekai Metaller Volume One by Kasuga Ryo - Manga Review

 

'In Isekai Metaller Volume 1, meet Alexi: a die-hard metalhead who, after getting electrocuted during his band’s farewell gig, wakes up in a world full of dragons, werewolves, and monsters that are just begging for a guitar solo. And no, the “shock” he gets entering this new world isn’t from the electrocution at his gig—it’s from realizing that, somehow, the afterlife isn’t quite as he imagined. Instead of a peaceful resting place, he’s been dropped into a land where metalheads would literally die for the chance to live in.

'With his trusty “Flying V” guitar, a level 999 power boost, and a heart full of rock ‘n’ roll, Alexi decides it’s time to crank the volume up to eleven and save this crazy new world. Dragons? Perfect for a shredding solo. Werewolves? Time to headbang into battle. This isn’t just any isekai—but one where the magic flows like electric riffs and every battle feels like a rock concert. 

'Kasuga Ryo combines hilarious comedy, epic fantasy, and metal madness into a totally unique adventure. If you love high-energy action, laugh-out-loud moments, and a protagonist who’s just as ready to throw down with a dragon as he is to rock out on stage, Isekai Metaller Volume 1 is your new go-to read!'

The isekai genre, in which a character is reborn into another world, usually as some kind of super powered being or chosen one, has become a staple of manga, to the point where there's an isekai that can cover just about any kind of character or theme that you can imagine. The popularity of the genre also means that there's going to be an isekai out there that is absolutely going to suit your particular tastes, even the really wild ones. Isekai Metaller feels like the kind of book that comes along when a genre gets so big, when the market becomes so saturated, that it feels like the creator is throwing a wild card into the mix to stand out, and to have a bit of fun with things.

Isekai Metaller tells the story of Alexi, a heavy metal rocker who fell in love with the music genre as a child as a way of escaping from his worries and trauma, who dreams that one day he might be able to use heavy metal to unite the world and bring about world peace by showing people that heavy metal music is the ultimate uniting force. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like many people share his views as we see him being harassed in the street by police simply because he stands out in his leather gear, and the other members of his band tell him they want to quit because they think it's time they move on from heavy metal now that they're getting older.

Frustrated that others can't see heavy metal the way he does, Alexi plays his heart out on stage on his own, a final gig to show his detractors how wrong they are. During his performance, Alexi is electrocuted and killed whilst on stage, and whilst this may be something he'd consider metal as hell, it does end his existence. Fortunately, it seems that death is not the end for Alexi, as he wakes up in another world, one filled with monsters, magic, and adventure.

Picked up by a band of mercenaries and adventurers, including the young mage Lizzy, and the beastman Tyro, who see something special in him. When Alexi discovers that his rebirth in this new world has granted him amazing powers (with a power level of 999!) he decides to use his magical guitar to solve the worlds problems by putting on a concert to convince the Demon King to calm down and stop using monsters to hurt people. Joined by Lizzy, Tyro, and the young thief Tuck, the motley crew of adventurers set out to find the Demon King, and save the land. 

I'm not a big music person, I do listen to a wide variety as I've got something of an eclectic taste, but I'm not really into one particular genre or artist, and would likely struggle to name many artists I like if asked because I tend not to think about music much. As such, I was a little unsure what to expect with a manga so centred around one particular musical genre. Would I be able to understand all of the references? Would it make much sense? Luckily, Kasuga Ryo doesn't seem to rely on the reader having extensive knowledge in order to engage with the book, and whenever references are made they tend to be explained in the moment. It also helps that a lot of the named bands and artists will include very well known people such as Ozzy Osborne, Kiss, or Iron Maiden, so even someone who knows as little as me can get something out of it.

Isekai Metaller includes a number of tropes of the genre, with Alexi having a power level so much higher than everyone else, and setting out on a quest to save the world over returning home. The group he builds around him feel very archetypical too, with the magic user, warrior, and thief classes. Whilst the book refers to Alexi as a Metaller, he's more like a bard, or a wizard who uses a magic guitar rather than a staff or wand, so even he feels understandable even if the aesthetics are very different. For those who are coming to the book with little music knowledge but a love of the fantasy genre it'll feel very relatable; and the use of levels on characters and monsters gives it an RPG flavour that will appeal to the gamers too.

The plot is silly yet enjoyable, with a simple mission and characters with broad archetypes that feel like they can be fleshed out in later volumes to give us something a bit meatier if Ryo wanted to, or they could remain the rather simple versions we have here and still be enjoyable to read. Whilst the plot is fairly easy and fun it's the art where the book really stands out, with some amazing moments throughout. Once Alexi is in the fantasy world the book comes to life, and it's delightfully odd to see a leather clad heavy metal musician in a world with cartoonish monsters, magical witch girls, and talking animal people. 

But this mismatch isn't jarring. If anything, it gives the book its own unique flavour that a pure fantasy manga might be missing. The weird seriousness of Alexi when combined with monsters that look like they're from a Saturday morning cartoon makes for a delightful combination, especially when we get full page splashes of Alexi unleashing some powerful attack by playing his guitar.

The first volume of Isekai Metaller does a great job at setting up the world, introducing us to our core group of protagonists, and even introduces a fun evil villain that feels like they're going to be a continuous threat for Alexi to deal with. It manages to pack a lot in without feeling bloated, and is never boring. It's a delightful mashup that I didn't know I wanted, and one that might get some readers listening to some new artists. 

Isekai Metaller is available now from Titan Manga for £9.99.

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Sanda vol. 1 by Paru Itagaki - Blog Tour

 

'In a future where youth is preserved as a means of survival, there is no time for trivial celebrations like Christmas - until Kazushige Sanda awakens the legendary power of Santa Claus. He teams up with Shiori Fuyumura and Hitoshi Amaya to find their missing classmate, but they must keep his powers and their investigation a secret, all while navigating the terrors of middle school.'

In the UK Santa is something that most of us would take for granted. He's been a part of the mythology of Christmas for so long that it would be hard to think about the Christmas season without him; he's become so central a figure to the holiday that losing him would destroy Christmas more than losing the religious side of it. And this seems to be one of the key plot points in Paru Itagaki's Sanda. 

Set in the year 2080, we meet a group of young teens at the Daikoku Welfare Academy, a huge boarding school in Japan. In this future something has happened to decimate the birth rate, and we learn that there are less than 50,000 children under the age of fifteen, and that as such kids are kept in huge educational facilities to be kept safe, and are treated with so much care and concern that adults will pretty much let them do whatever they want. The reasons for this change aren't revealed in the first volume, but based on some other facts we could perhaps make some theories.

Another unusual thing about this future is that despite it being the middle of December there are no Christmas decorations, that the weather is warm instead of cold, and that the kids are at school as normal on December 25th. Christmas seems to be a thing of the past, a long forgotten thing that some of the kids are only vaguely aware of as a story passed down over the years. 

In the middle of this we're introduced to Sanda, a teenage boy who's one of his class reps, and has a crush on Fuyumura, the slightly odd, very tall girl in his class with some pretty spooky looking eyes. We're introduced to the two of them as Fuyumura is chasing Sanda around their classroom with a kitchen knife, threatening to stab him. It seems that Fuyumura is a bit unstable, and perhaps her creepy exterior is a sign that there's something a bit darker to this girl. However, she has a valid reason to try and kill Sanda; you see, she's convinced that Sanda is a descendent of the legendary Santa Claus, and that she needs Santa's help to find her missing best friend, Ono.

Through some schenanigans, Fuyumura is able to prove her suspicions correct, and reveals to Sanda that he is indeed a descendent of Santa, and when the young teen wears something red it transforms him in the huge, buff, bearded form of Santa (or Santa by way of a fighting game character). With Sanda's new power to transform into Santa unlocked, Fuyumura must try to convince the freaked out boy that helping her is the right thing to do. This proves easier said than done as Sanda has to contend with figuring out all of his strange powers, a terrifying old principal who may be sucking life out of students, and a shadowy conspiracy to hunt Santa.

Sanda is a hard book to describe. It's part high school drama, part dark comedy, with a mystery story focus, and transformation shenanigans and bizarre super powers thrown into the mix, all with a Christmas theme. It's the kind of book that when you hear it described sounds like some kind of fever dream, or a plot created by throwing random words together; and this was a big part of why I wanted to pick up a copy of the book because I had to see just how it all actually works. And despite how weird it sounds, Sanda is an incredibly charming, funny, and enjoyable book.

One of the things that instantly stands out about Sanda is just how different it looks. There is a lot of variety in manga art, and different artists produce some varied and beautiful work, but there's something about Sanda that stood out as different to others I'd read almost straight away. The first thing that made me feel that way was the eyes. Itagaki has a way of drawing eyes that gives the characters a spooky, sometimes crazy look to them that feels different to other manga characters. This slightly off kilter quality is present in other ways too, such as the overly creepy school principal, and the way that Santa is always presented on the page, looking over everyone, drawn as if the reader is looking up at him, with proportions feeling skewed and off. Sanda has a vibe to it that I think could be described as 'manga by way of Tim Burton'.

The tone of the story works wonderfully with this strange art, and there's a very dark edge to the events in the book. There's a violent stabbing, a classroom gets blown up, someone's face gets slashed, and there's an almost constant feeling of danger and unease, yet the book never goes into horror territory, and thanks to its humour lands more as quirky. Things are dark, but not made to frighten, it's silly but not slapstick. To make another comparison to a piece of western media, Sanda has something of an Addams Family kind of flavour to it where it has those darker trappings, but designed in a way to delight rather than to offput. 

The books central characters definitely create this feeling too. Sanda himself is a pretty normal kid for the most part. He has a crush on a girl, he enjoys sweets, and he's just trying to navigate school the best he can. He's a nice kid who finds himself in a weird situation. Fuyumura on the other hand is absolutely weird. She's always intense, she's fairly withdrawn, and she's quick to violence. She's the complete opposite to Sanda, and the two of them make a wonderful double act because of this. Introduced a little later in the first volume is Hitoshi, one of the other boys in their class who comes into the narrative somewhat antagonistic, but ends up a part of the team as we learn he's not all that bad, and that actual villains are around too. I think it's a bit too early to really know what kind of character he is and what his dynamic with the other two is like, but he's a pretty enjoyable character too.

Volume one very much feels like set-up, of introducing us to this odd future and establishing the rules for the Santa transformation, as well as setting up the pieces of the the initial mystery. There are hints at a bigger narrative to come that makes it feel like things could get even weirder, and definitely make me interesting in seeing what comes next. I also love that despite Sanda having a crush on Fuyumura in the beginning the book doesn't make anything creepy with that, especially when Sanda transforms into an adult, but also heavily hints at a queer romance dynamic in the series too.

Sanda is a weird book. Half the time reading it I had to make sure I was actually seeing what I was seeing because it felt so bizarre, but there wasn't a single time when I was bored with it. Paru Itagaki has created something that feels pretty unique, with some artwork that I find genuinely delightful in how boldly different it is. I'm looking forward to seeing the series continue, and to seeing buff, shirtless Santa Clause fight some villains.

Sanda volume 1 is available now from Titan Manga for £9.99.

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Speed Grapher vol 1 by Tomozo - Manga Review

 

'The first volume in the hit GONZO anime of the same name, in the seedy underbelly of near future Tokyo, the famous Roppongi Club is shadowy hall of secrets. When photojournalist Saiga manages to infiltrate this elite association he discovers Kagura, a young girl whose touch bestows incredible and horrific powers. Now, anyone Saiga captures on film is doomed to die: the click of the shutter as sure as a trigger pull!'

Super powers are a staple of comic fiction, with the biggest comic book companies in the world making super powered heroes their main thing. And manga is often no exception to this, whether it's overt super powers, ki energy, chakra based ninja skills, or abilities bestowed by eating special fruit, super powers are a part of this medium across the world. The thing that often makes these powers different is how people get them, and origin stories are some of the most popular works in comics. Speed Grapher is a story all about people getting unusual powers, and this first volume makes for an interesting new twist on the formula.

Set in a near future Tokyo, the book follows photo journalist Saiga, a man who's willing to go up against organised crime and to put his life on the line to help get his story. When investigating a corrupt politician Saiga discovers a dead body, tortured and mutilated, and an inhuman killer responsible for the crime. Getting a tip about a mysterious club, Saiga manages to sneak his way inside, and discovers a building filled with bizarre sexual fetishes and twisted members. However, when he sees a ritual involving a teenage girl he steps in and gets caught; when the girl touches him, however, it bestows him with powers that allow him to cause destruction whenever he takes photographs, able to kill anyone in his viewfinder. Saiga takes the girl and goes on the run, but the powers behind the club will do whatever it takes to get her back, and end Saiga permanently.

From the very beginning it's clear that Speed Grapher is not not going to be your ordinary kind of super power story. If anything, the powers and the more outlandish elements are more garnish for the main dish, which is a psychosexual thriller. This is a much more mature story, one that features violence, horrible deaths, and lots of sex and fetish. Having gone into the book knowing nothing about it, I was somewhat shocked at the tone and the adult nature of the book. However, I'd since learned that the manga is based upon an anime series that was marketed towards adults.

Whilst the tone of the story was something of a surprise, it actually works very well, and created a reading experience that was different to other manga that I've read. It was darker, had more disturbing elements whilst avoiding going into the realms of outright horror, and it made some parts of the book uncomfortable to read. The main reason that it's uncomfortable at times is the second lead character, Kagura, the teenage girl who grants Saiga his powers. Kagura is only fifteen years old, but is incredibly sexualised throughout the book. 

In the early chapters she's having strange dreams about men in fetish wear, dreams that imply sexual acts were done to her. Once she's in the club she seems to be in a trance like state (something confirmed later in the book), wearing next to nothing. She makes mention of having vague memories of men 'doing things' to her later in the book. So we have a teenage rape victim, a young girl barely more than a child, and she's also being sexualised by wearing lingerie and being shown naked in the shower. It makes for an uncomfortable experience, especially as these scenes are balanced with others where she's very much just a kid, going to shops, playing with plushies. The result is that you feel connected to Kagura in a protective way, wanting Saiga desperately to keep her safe from the people who will return her to her sexual slavery.

The powers in the story are also a bit different and weird, and give Speed Grapher its own flavour. Kagura is able to grant people their deepest hearts desires, things that they themselves might not even be fully aware they want. Saiga, it transpires, wanted to capture a photo of someone in their moment of death, and as a result is able to cause death with his photography. There's another character who is able to turn their body into diamond (kind of a mix between Emma Frost and the T-1000) and becomes a beautiful but deadly killing machine. The fact that most of the people who have gained powers from Kagura are part of this twisted criminal underworld also guarantees that future volumes are going to include some very bizarre and monstrous foes for our lead duo.

Speed Grapher vol 1 is a great, fascinating introduction to this world. I actually read through the book twice before writing this review, something I don't normally do. I was entertained by the book the first time round, and was intrigued by the story it was creating. The second time round I found that I was understanding it more, that once I wasn't surprised by the content I was able to appreciate it more and found it to be even more interesting than I first thought. Because of this, I'm very much excited to read the second volume. 

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Three Exorcism Siblings Vol 1 by Shinata Harekawa - Manga Review

 

'In the mountains above Japan, Mamoru Yamaemori spends his days tending to his family shrine, fighting Tengu— monsters who feast on human flesh—and, making sure his two younger brothers will never have to pick up his mantle. Unable to escape the life forced upon him by his parents and a dark ritual involving Tengu blood, all he knows is that his existence is a curse: he is destined to die young in the service of others.

'But to fight monsters, Mamoru must dance that line between loving older brother and mindless beast – or else he risks becoming that which he is sworn to destroy.'

Three Exorcism Siblings opens with a grim image. Deep in the woods, something huge and monstrous eats the head of a child whilst another lays nearby, unconscious, with the warning that 'Deep in the mountains... Dwell the Tengu.' This is something of a dark, horrific beginning to a story that isn't as frightening as this first page would have us believe, as whilst there are indeed monsters to be found within these pages, there are also brave young warriors whose mission is to stop them.

In the mountains there lies a remote shrine, watched over by three siblings from the Yamaemori family. The youngest of them is fifteen-year-old Yu, who loves sports and doesn't really do well at his academic studies. The middle brother is Kei, a seventeen-year-old student who is almost the opposite to Yu, and is incredibly smart and studious. And looking after both of them is twenty one-year-old Mamoru. Mamoru is the first of these three siblings that we meet, and the first time we see him he's killing the monstrous Tengu with a sword, saving a child's life. As the elder sibling, he's sworn to protect the shrine and the surrounding area from the Tengu. This would lead you to think that Mamoru is going to be a grim, perhaps even haunted kid of young man; where in fact he's something of a mother hen to the others.

In a delightful twist on the expected formula, Mamoru spends much of his time cleaning the home, making dinner for his brothers, and acting like a loving parent to them. He's even unafraid to cry and show is emotions over how proud he is of his two younger brothers. He's a wonderful subversion on the warrior with a sacred duty archetype that you can't help but instantly like him.

Unfortubately, things can't stay nice and happy for our three protagonists. When his brother is in danger, Mamoru heads out into the woods to fight the monsters that are threatening his family. Whilst he manages to save Yu, he's seemingly killed in the attempt, but comes back as a Tengu-like creature himself. Somehow fighting off the full infection, Mamoru must learn to control his new abilities and find a way to use them for good, lest he turn into one of the very monsters he has sworn to destroy.

Three Exorcism Siblings has a really interesting start, with a nice mix of very relaxed, enjoyable slice of life style scenes with a family that care about each other and get along well, along with some very bloody and horrific moments that feel like they belong in a horror title. Plus, there's a load of action thrown into the mix too to keep things exciting. Shinata Harekawa does a great job at balancing all of these different tones, and gets you invested pretty early on. By the time Mamoru becomes infected by the Tengu you're already on board for this story, and you care for the siblings, even though you've barely begun the story. 

This investment in making likable characters definitely keeps you on board as Harekawa spends the rest of this first volume diving into the history of this family, the mythology around the Tengu's, and this secret world of shrine protectors that exists hidden from the regular world. Like with most good Urban Fantasy books, you get small peeks of the strange and unusual before diving headfirst into the fantastical elements, and the first volume keeps racking up the stakes throughout so that by the time the first book comes to a close you're desperate to find out what happens next. 

Harekawa's artwork looks fantastic, and the action and horror moments stand out as some of the best parts in the book. The very first page feels incredibly visceral, and the image of the Tengu biting a child's head off in a single bite is shocking and rendered in a way that doesn't revel in the blood and gore, but conveys the horror of the imagery well enough that it feels haunting. There are several moments like this throughout, where it almost feels like the reader is a perverse watcher, peeking in on awful, depraved events that we shouldn't be looking at. Thankfully, the action that's in the book acts like a nice palate cleanser for these moments. And the scenes in which Mamoru gets to cut down a monster with his family sword are drawn beautifully. 

If you're looking for a new manga series that manages to juggle world building, likable characters, great action, and horror, then Three Exorcism Siblings is a book that you're going to want to pick up. It's a very addictive read, and if you're like me you'll end up finishing the entire thing in a single go and be ready for the next volume already.

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The Great Yokai War: Guardians volume 1 - Manga Review

 

'After giant kaiju threaten to destroy Japan, the guardian spirits of the nation, known as 'Yokai' appear before the young boy Kei... They tell him he is the descendant of the legendary monster slayer Watanabe no Tsuna, and may be the only person who can stop the catastrophe.'

I recently had the chance to watch and review the entire Yokai film series, a really fun experience for a collection of movies that are incredibly charming. That collection included a newer film, directed by the famous Takeshi Miike, who turned his hand to family adventure films after a career of vicious, bloody movies. This new manga series, The Great Yokai War: Guardians, is based upon his second Yokai film, a film that has not had a UK release, and wasn't part of the blu-ray collection. As such, when I learned that the film had been adapted to manga form I was excited to see what this franchise had next.

The Great Yokai War: Guardians begins with Japan in trouble, with a giant snail-like monster causing earthquakes that begin to threaten the country. Knowing that if nothing is done about it, the nation will face destruction, the guardian spirits of the land, the Yokai, seek out a young boy who can help them.

This introduces us to Kei Watanabe, a sullen, moody teenager who spends most of his time in school listening to music, and tormenting his teachers. We learn that Kei recently lost his father, and that his role as the big brother to the younger Dai is causing him stress and making him retreat away from his remaining family. Despite his grumpy demeanour, the Yokai approach Kai, revealing to him that he's the descendant of a legendary swordsman, and that he can command the various Yokai and lead them to save the country. 

Kai, however, doesn't really want much to do with this, and just wants to keep to his quiet life, mourning his father in his own way. However, when Dai is kidnapped by dark forces it forces Kai to set up and become the hero that Japan needs. 

The book has been adapted from the original film script by screenwriter Yusuke Watanabe, who seems comfortable in adapting his own work. The book reads well, and if you came to it not knowing that this was an adaptation of a film you wouldn't know, as it fits nicely into the pacing and style of various other manga stories that fit a similar theme of a young boy learning he has abilities and answering the call to adventure. Where the book does stand out in some ways, however, is that Kai is kind of unlikable at times. 

The first introduction to the character is him being such a pain in class that he reduces his teacher to tears. We see him being cold and distant towards Dai, a younger brother who clearly idolises hi, and it makes you somewhat weary to like the character. However, over the course of this first volume we learn more about him, we discover his recent family tragedy, and the trauma that it has caused him. Whilst it doesn't forgive some of his actions it at least gives them important context; as well as humanises him.

Outside of the character work, Watanabe keeps the story moving as a strong pace, and throws a lot at the readers in this first volume. We learn about the world of the Yokai, their roles, the wider world of monsters, Kai's family history, and internal Yokai politics. This does mean that there's a lot to take in, and there are times where the book feels a lot longer than it actually is. The masses of info, coupled with the real lack of any action in this first volume of what's supposed to be an action adventure series, it makes for a first volume that's entertaining, but might not feel completely accessible to new readers, or those that don't already have an investment in the universe.

The art on the book is done by Sanami Suzuki, and it's a style I'm not too sure of. Kai, and the other human characters are drawn very simply. They have a slightly cartoon-like style, and fit the family friendly adventure story style well. And this style is reflected in some of the Yokai too. However, there are several of the monsters that feel very different in presentation, with a lot more detail and a darker quality to them. There are parts of the book that are so detailed, and so dark that it felt more akin to a horror manga than anything else. I guess this tone does reflect the theme of the book of a kid finding himself drawn into a different world, one darker and more strange than his own, but it does take a little getting used to.

As it stands, this is a decent introduction to the series, one that lays out a lot of stuff for the reader, and doesn't really slow down or hold your hand. Without seeing more, however, it doesn't feel particularly fantastic, nor bad. It feels like the next volume is going to play an important part in how I feel about this one. I'm hoping that it has some more action and adventure elements, and if it does this will be a decent start to things; but if it carries on in the same tone as this volume the series might just be a bit too dark and dull for my liking. Hopefully volume two will help shape this into another excellent addition to the Yokai series. 

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The Poetry of Ran vol 1 by Yuske Osawa - Manga Review

 

'Torue is a young bard looking to make a name for herself, when she encounters the monster hunter Ran at a sleepy village. Ran is a 'child of impurity' capable of slaying monsters called Karma; taking their evil into himself so it doesn't pollute the world. Ran is feared and shunned, but always puts his own life on the line to do good, so Torue decides to write a poem about him...'

The Poetry of Ran takes readers to a fantasy world where monsters called Karma can draw into themselves the souls of the dead, taking on all of the cruel and evil deeds a person has done. This energy transforms them into even more powerful, and twisted creatures that are more than regular warriors can handle. The become the targets of children of impurity, specially trained fighters who upon killing the Karma, take their evil into themselves to stop its spread.

The story begins in a small town, where a young bard named Torue is trying to earn some gold with an old ballad. Unfortunately, most of the people in the village either know the song, or just don't care, and she's struggling to get by. Torue doesn't know many songs, and is finding the bardic life tough. It's then that a huge pile of coins are dumped in front of her, as a thank you for her song by a mysterious hooded figure. Torue soon learns that this figure is a child of impurity, named Ran, and who's been hired to destroy the Karma that's been tormenting the village.

An outsider herself, Torue is shocked when she sees how the villagers treat Ran, a man who has come to risk his life in order to help them. Parents warn their children not to go near him, lest he somehow infect them with darkness, and some in the village question their leader as to why they even need him. Torue follows Ran, and spends some time talking with him on the village outskirts. She learns that Ran is lonely, that whilst he's a kind and caring man he's often treated with suspicion, and even outright hatred. He doesn't even know how to smile properly. Torue decides that she's going to travel with Ran, to give him a friend on his journey, and to compose songs and poetry of his brave adventures.

The first volume of The Poetry of Ran is split into three adventures, told across its four chapters. The first one is an origin for our characters, it deals with the meeting between Ran and Torue, and shows us how the two of them end up becoming friends travelling together. It starts small, and focuses on the character more than it does the monsters or the action. We spend much of the chapter with Torue and Ran sitting around a camp fire, sharing details about themselves and building a rapport. It's a nice intro to the world and the characters, and it means that when the action does start you're at least a little invested in these lonely, kind of broken people.

The second chapter takes us to one of the bigger cities in this world, Lillbit, where the children of impurity come to help suppress the power of the impurities they draw into themselves, as well as lessen the pain they experience. It's here that we meet another child of impurity, the elf Mina. Mina seems to be something of a friendly rival of Ran's, with her treating their work as a friendly competition where she competes to see if she can beat more Karma than she can. The competition seems to be a little one sided, with Ran not really appearing to care too much, but it's a fun dynamic between the two of them. It's in this chapter that we also learn that some Karma have been appearing in the middle of cities, and that some children of impurity have been killed fighting them.

Of course, we've not long learned of this when the city bells begin to toll, and a Karma appears. This horrible amalgam of insect and chameleon begins attacking the town, forcing Ran and Mina to have to jump into action in order to save people. We get hints at a bigger plot at play here, as a mysterious robed figure with a horrible skull-like face watches over things, making cryptically evil comments to himself about needing to wipe the children of impurity away.

The final two chapters deal with one story, of a huge dragon that has become a Karma. The monster is wiping out entire villages, killing hundreds. The Knights of the Black Wolf have been sent to try and stop the monster, but need Ran's help to do so. This is by far the best part of the book. It's big and epic, and Ran basically has to fight a kaiju. the Knights of the Black Wolf begin somewhat antagonistically towards him thanks to Jill, a fierce fights with an explosive hammer weapon, who wants to take down the monstrous Rampage herself to avenge her father, who died to it a decade ago.

Jill is an interesting character, a bit weird at times sure, but she seems to be focused on killing the monster and saving the day, so she's not all bad. Whilst she does treat Ran with little respect, and is quite dismissive of him she eventually comes to admit they need his help; and her and Ran leading the cavalry charge against the monster is a really awesome moment. As is how the creature is finally defeated.

However, before Ran can absorb the curse from the Rampage's corpse the mysterious figure appears once again, this time announcing his presence to our heroes. He takes the curse and uses it to create a monstrous creature of his own, something that looks similar to himself that he calls his kin. The book ends with the skull faced man announcing that Ragnarok is one step close. It's a hell of a cliffhanger for the volume, and absolutely makes me want to read the next one as soon as I can. A lot of manga series can take a few volumes before the big story really kicks in, but The Poetry of Ran seems to want to get readers hooked quickly, and this volume certainly does that.

My only slight criticism with the book is the focus on breasts. Torue has very large breasts, something that's made a point of on the third page of the book. Ran ends up staring at her chest a few times, and there's a point in the book where they're riding horses and the art depicts her breasts bouncing up and down, once again grabbing Ran's attention. It's not just her, however, as both Mina and Jill wear costumes that show off their chests, even if it's impractical for warriors to have little to no armour. When Jill meets Torue she picks up the smaller woman and hugs her into herself, smothering Torue's face with her breasts. It just feels a little bit much. I like breasts as much as the next person, but the repeated focus on them and use of them as humour does sometimes feel like it messes with the overall tone of the book a little.

Yuske Osawa's art is really nice, and everything is crisp and cleanly presented, with some cool character designs. Where the book really looks the best is in the monsters though. The first creature they fight is a nightmare manta ray type thing made up of bones and flesh with screaming skeletal faces. Osawa has spent some time designing some really cool creatures, monsters that draw upon familiar things, such as reptiles and insects, but mashes them together in horrible ways. I really like the small pieces that we get to see of the big bad too, and the designs for these creatures are as much something I'm looking forward to seeing as the story that revolves around them.

If you're looking for a cool fantasy action manga, one that has some fun characters and some extra heart to it, but also packs in the action, then The Poetry of Ran is absolutely one that you're going to want to check out. 

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