Double Arts

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Another Shonen manga that didnt quite gets itself going. But should you read it, short answer: Yes, yes you should.

Double Arts is for me the perfect example of a manga with awesome ideas that for some reason or another just didnt get going properly. So lets break it down:

Story:
The world of Double Arts is one in which a rampant disease kills hundreds every day. The disease can be passed on through contact with any part of the infected persons body, and is always fatal - its just a matter of time. Handily occasionally some girls are born with a resistance. These girls can absorb ... the toxin of the disease, temporarily staving off death for a sufferer though never curing it. They are called the Sisters. Of course, they still have the disease even if they will not die from it soon, so can only touch each other.
A sister can choose to keep healing until they succumb themselves, or stop eventually and live the rest of their life training the next generation. So we join El, a sister dedicated to working until she dies to save as many as possble.

When she is finally about to succumb to the disease, both terrified and glad she has saved so many a boy grabs her hand and pulls her up from her coma. At first worried shes infected him, she quickly finds that letting go of his hand for even a few seconds results in her going back into the death coma - and he apparently shows no signs of the disease itself. Now he knows hes her cure though, he isnt letting go of that hand - even though its awkward.

When the organization finds out about this they realise he is a complete cure for the disease, and they begin efforts to receive him at their home base. Unfortunatly for them there is a group hinted to be behind the release of this disease, and they plan to kill off his cure.

So does that sound good? Better motivation than most Shonen manga right? even Luffy initial motivation seems stale and kinda silly compared to this (and i love one piece)

Characters:
As ya might have guessed, this man can get our story on characters included. Elraine is adorable, but also determined and flawed and all those great things we love. she represents the feminity brought to the manga, the thing to protect for Kiri, and an obvious love interest whilst also providing a lot of the worlds backstory for us.

Kiri on the other hand is simple, fun, artistic and good hearted - and puts me into mind of essentially the ideal boyfriend material for the double that obviously seems to represent a first love sorta thing in the never stopping holding hands deally. He represents the bravery aspect, the willingless not to go back on his word at one point even though hes sure he will die and scared as hell is endearing, and marks him out as the shonen you will like for the series.

Meanwhile the background it equally well populated. Prepare to meet the ultimate definition of GARMoe - terrifyingly cute in Sui. Normally a psycho anger fuelled warrior girl with a lust for battle, the very occasional shine of adorability breaks through when she is beaten for the very first time is downright fantastic. She seems to represent rivalry perhaps, at the very least the irritant factor for Kiri.

Finally we have Fallan Denzel. Undoubtedly this man is strength. But hes an interesting variation on the whole wise master who teaches them. First of all he seems damn young, mid twenties about. Next of all he has hundreds and hundreds of rumours about him, about the numbers of people he has killed and the feats of strength he has peformed. He denies all of them and makes it seem like he is a normal person, except that doesnt explain why all the animals nearby are terrified of him.
At first it seems like he is just an overexagerated man, he is not scary really and very unthreatening. Then he jams a mans face three feet into a solid stone pavement in a panel. He also informs Kiri and El that he has made an oath never to fight for anyone but himself - but im having a feeling this is enforced by more than just a will of his own. I think if this had gone on Fallan would have represented the unpassable wall of power, being insanely strong but also not a help to Kiri or el because hes sworn not to. In short, this world meets its Kenpachi early and hes a lot scarier for having his boundaries never exactly defined...

So an impressive cast as well it seems.


Art:
Not mind blowingly impressive - but certainly better than most first tries youll see. It looks like the work of a man whos been doing manga for a long long time and doing it well. Expect a lot of varied faces, some interesting character designs, and actually quite well realised towns and villages. Seriously, youd be surprised at how good the street scenes look in this, with cobblestones, people, stores etc. its quite underrated.

The character design is also pretty good - if only hed been given enough time to get really into it im sure he could have given us greatness. The clothing is perfectly modelled for each character, the enemies dress fantastically and dangrously whilst the guy also knows how to draw our cuteness factor in.

So overall im sad this didnt get to be a full manga, but if ya want something bitesize youll enjoy and some cool characters to love, check it all out. ill be surprised if it doesnt endear to you.

Double Arts
Mangaka: Naoshi Komi
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Length: 23 Chapters, due to Cancellation
Rating: 7/10 [Would be higher if it was longer ...]

Plot: The world has been plagued with a deadly sickness, Troi, for 700 years. The Sisters are the only ones who can treat it – women who have a high immunity for the sickness, they absorb some of the poison from the patient, prolonging their lives. However, in return, eventually they will succumb to it too.

This fate is happening to Elraine, who after treating a patient, starts having the seizures that are unique to the disease. She is saved by Kili, a young boy who ... was able to stop the seizures by grabbing her hand. While the Sisters all have high resistance to the disease, Kili is the one they've been searching for – the one person in the world who is fully immune to it.

After realizing this fact, Kili and Ellie go to travel to the Church's headquarters, so that Kili can be studied for a cure. However, the assassin's organization, Gazelle, is hot on their trail ...

Analysis: If you ask me, this is a totally awesome manga. Unfortunately, it was canceled after 12 chapters, which made me pissed when I found out. This manga probably would have been about 150+ chapters, with the way that it was developing [Yes, I'm so totally awesome I can predict the lengths of mangas]. Because of the short length, there are a lot of open threads left at the end of it, which is rather annoying.

The idea for this manga is interesting. I've never seen one like it. A sickness that infects everyone it touches, with a certain group of people that can heal it temporarily? It sounds really cool [not that I'd want to have it ... but you get what I mean]. Its one of the most original things I've heard [Well ... Read ... but you get my point].

The name Double Arts [which i feel is why the manga was canceled .. would you honestly read something called like that? I read it through my random search ...] comes around in one of the last chapters. Because Kili and Ellie have to constantly remain in contact with each other, they require a new way of fighting. Martial arts is the way of fighting for one person – Double arts, therefor would be for two.

This manga also has pieces of comedy built into it. How can you not, when two people have to remain in contact ... for every waking [and sleeping] moment of the day?

The fights are also well done, although not on the epic proportion. It has the ability to do that however, and it would have undoubtedly done so as the manga increased in length [like I said ... I can predict the lengths of manga. This is one of the ways to do so – if the fights in the beginning are short, and serve to show part of a character's skills, there will be without a doubt a point later in the series where the fights are much much longer and more exiting].

Character Summary:

Elrain Figarte: One of the most widely known sisters, she has cured many patients over her short lifetime, only to succumb to Troi at age 18 [or so]. After discovering Kili, she is forced to stay with him for practically forever. She is a very kind person, and her entire life is dedicated to helping others, even at the cost of her own life [in more ways than succumbing to Troi]. However, she is a very bright and happy girl, if a bit innocent.

Kili Luchile: He is a man of many talents, only one of which is complete immunality [I don't think thats a word] to Troi. His other ability is that of Flare, in which by joining hands with another person, they share strength – in other words, if five people were all touching, then each of them would have the strength of five people. He was taught how to fight by Sui, and is by nature a very artistic [if immature] person. He can carve anything extremely fast and to extraordinary detail. He has a very strong moral code, and hates other people getting hurt. He also has a sunny disposition towards life.

Sui: A pure blooded Nagin, a warrior race, she loves to fight. She would fight anyone to show that she's stronger, and she never loses. She is also a playgirl, and dates many men at once, constantly fooling with their emotions. She's even dated Kili thrice, dumping him each time [which is very funny to watch]. Her weapon is, surprisingly, a metal hula-hoop. However, even with her strength and her playgirl mentality, she is a very immature person, who loves taking risks just to see other people's reactions.

Fallan Denzel: A genius fighter, he is the one to teach Kili and Ellie how to fight. He knows all of the martial art styles in the world, even though he is a teenager [about 19 years old I think]. He has taught many an apprentice, each of them learning a different style. He is feared by many, and there are a great many rumors about his feats. However, he only fights for himself, never to protect others [which, quite frankly, is unique. I have never read another manga character who does so – most of the time, they fight to protect SOMEONE].

The rest of the characters, as important as they might become, I cannot tell you ... because its CANCELED!!! [And I'm still very sad about that ...]


review taken from animeruwelz, check out my profile for more details

double arts is basically a typical shounen manga that starts with a chance encounter that ends up with a mix of romance and adventure.

it starts with a plot of an incurable disease with one boy holding the possible cure. the boy doesn't want others to be harmed because of him and thus, aspires to be much stronger. despite this common initial plot in every shounen manga, double arts has its own unique style that differentiates it from the others.

the art style of double arts gives off a hip look which makes, somewhat reminiscient with naruto's art, but gives of an entirely different feel. comedic plots ... are nicely developed, and the story moves at a slow pace yet is staged properly by the characters introduced throughout the series. i also believe that even the minor characters in double arts would have an impact since the story is told from a flashback point of view by el, the story's heroine.

one thing that interests me in double arts is how it began as a flashback, with el as the narrator, and how it would eventually reach el's timeline where either something good/bad turned out from heir journey. with a lot of people involved and a lot of events that happened, el was able to narrate it vividly stating the mystery on what circumstances made her treasure such memories.

character-wise, aside from el and her partner, kiri, newer characters are being introduced throughout the story, with each of them having impact on the main ones involved. though it is stated on almost every shounen manga, kiri and el learn a lot from their encounters. from their first battle up to their first fried, their defeats and their victories and i believe that the fact that el tells her experiences in a flashback style of narration implies how important these experiences are and how it affects their future. that in itself is a mystery that perks up a reader's interest and would make them want to read more of the manga.

the combat techniques shown throughout are very much stylish, very much comparable with soul eater. kiri and el fight with such synchronized movements that it really amazes me how they perform uppercuts, spin kicks and heel drops while maintaining hand contact. even the simple taking turns in the bath is very much organized and well thought of. sui's fight style uses, but is not limited to i suppose, an iron hula hoop which she carries and assembles when needed. she can use her weapon perfectly that it covers her offense and defense as well as able to "ride" with it when delivering devastating blows. overall, i believe that double arts wouldnt fail to deliver, if not, satisfying level of action that would make itself competitive with other shounen manga.


so far, this manga holds much promise and have gained much of my respect. i do hope this would go on a long way, continuously proving itself to the readers of its potential of a good manga to boot.

Mod Note: This is a review for the one-shot, "Island", now included in the Double Arts entry.

AHEMHM;

First of all this manga is a wonderful example of hope. It's also irony in itself. It, for me, was a refreshing new veiw of the very concept of hope. It was new and nothing about it was dull. In a fictional sense, extremely realistic. People can understand that over it over and it's hard to come to that facture. But when you try and take a good look around you, realize that as long as were on this earth, yes there is. I smiled real large when the ... two girls held hands and walked across the water. (Which was about a couple inches deep) For that was like the realization. Naoshi is a very VERY refreshing artist, he illustrates things that really just get to me. Both characters spark opposite personalities that in such ways pertaining to her dreams are so much alike, dropping those diffrences and creating a whimsical, yet heartwarming bond. Marue, having known before Aria, yet still going on like there was something left was something else.

Think of it this way; Marue was the seeing hope. Maybe a bit dim, but something was there, difidentally. Aria was the aspiring hope. Blind to the truth....but it really didn't matter. The townspeople were the doubts. Living on and basically waiting to die...simple and careless. The water was like the false realization, drowning the truth. The walls were like the lies; hiding the hope. And of course; the ground was the truth. Maybe still covered with water and sealed off by the walls and sinking under the water...but there all the same. And when Marue and Aria saw that....Then it al came together. ;)

Thats what I saw. It was beautiful and the fact that it was all snug into a oneshot proved amazing talent.

The story, because it is still in it's beginning stages, seems pretty basic, but it holds much promise, and it seems like there are many secrets to be revealed, like the story behind Troy, and the individual histories of all of the characters.

Speaking of characters! Kiri, our protagonist is extremely likable, and though he seems like our typical shounen hero, there is still much to be found out about him. Elraine is also a very enjoyable character, and Sui, Fallen, Kiri's parents, and others come together to make a great cast.

Overall, it seems like Double Arts will be a fun ride.

I would have rated this series higher, but due to it's abrupt ending due to cancellation I have to knock it down a notch. It's still very worth the read though.

Story: Nicely balanced with aspects of shounen and shoujo mixed nicely throughout. There's some romance, some comedy, some mystery, some drama, action, adventure... A little bit of many different things. It was a very interesting concept that the two had to hold hands or else Elraine would die, and it was developing really nicely! The author handled the abrupt ending really well--he gave Kiri x Elraine fans hope, and he left it in a way ... that if given the chance, the series could continue for a really long time.

Art: The arts starts off kind of iffy, but it gets much better as time goes on. The way the more comedic scenes are drawn is really funny! No annoyingly proportioned characters can really be found here. Everyone's feet are a bit big, but oh well.

Character: A nice cast of characters: Farran, the series, brooding, quirky guy. Kiri, the laid-back, talented teen. Elraine, the polite, gracious, kind girl. and Sui, the tough, fiery, independent, playful playgirl. There are more of course, but those are the main ones.

Enjoyment: 10/10. One of the most enjoyable and refreshing series I've seen in a long time. Such a shame the Japanese fans are losing their taste for these kind of story...

Overall: 8.9/10

Mod Note: This is a review for the one-shot, "Island", now included in the Double Arts entry.

Island, being a one-shot manga, is a very short read. But in spite of how short it is, the story gets everything it wants and needs to out there, and then wraps it up nice and neatly. The characters and story are fantastic and heartwarming, everything being developed very well and smoothly over a simple 45 pages.

The story starts with two young girls, both of whom are unique, and quite fun to read. They live on a stretch of land that is guarded from the outside world by a ... large, towering wall. Their dreams and goals are to one day scale the wall and leave their small village behind. One of the girls, a very scholarly type, is the only one on the island that's left who can read, being that the population is so small and that the group of people have been cut off from the rest of the world for hundreds of years.

She speaks of many things outside the large walls that protects them, and thus fires both of their dreams to new levels, as they have nothing like what's spoken of in the books inside their small circle of land.

What lays outside the walls, however, is a mystery. Once revealed, the short manga continues to go on being just as heartwarming as it had started out as being, leaving you with a sense of questioning what happens to the two girls, and the villagers within the walls. It leaves you satisfied, however, and content with how the story was told.

Two young girls, in contrast to the many older residents of the town, become amazingly motivational and enthralling. They give inspiration, and hope, to the other villagers. Everyone has a dream, everyone has a wish or goal. It's heartbreaking to have those dreams, hopes, and wishes crushed.

It was cute, and amusing to see what happens, when an idea that you can regain those hopes and dreams, comes back, sparked by young girls with a large imagination and the youngest girls desires and knowledge, that there could just be something more, there might be a chance. .

Wrapping up this review. The art was interesting and cute, it went along with the female characters quite well, and did a very good job with scenery and landscape. Though minimal in some places, this being a one-shot, and the type of story that it was, it felt fine and flowed quite smoothly, though was nothing too special.

As this is a very quick read, if you have twenty-minutes or so to spare, you should most definitely read this manga ( if you haven't already ).

Double Arts a manga that ended abruptly due to cancellation.

Story- 8/10
The story is quite intriguing. Troy, a disease with no cure and once infected you are doomed. Sisters are able to delay the disease but at the cost of their own lifespan. One day a sister named Elraine starts succumbing to the disease, but a boy named kiri is able to stop her seizures, is he the cure? A different kind of story with many mysteries to be unlocked.

Art- 7/10
Good art for a first time serialized manga. The characters are neatly drawn and the backgrounds have a nice amount of detail, when they ... are seen.

Character- 6/10
The characters were not by any means weak, but they were not able to develop due to the cancellation of the series. The male protagonist is a cheerful, happy, go lucky guy with little to no concerns until he met Elraine. The female protagonist has been dealing with the disease since she was a child, after some events she ended up becoming a sister, although knowing that one day she would die to the disease.

Enjoyment- 8/10
I was quite satisfied with this manga, the premise was good the characters, likeable.

Overall- 7/10
If you're looking for a short read Double Arts is a good choice but it is unfinished.

Title: Double arts
Compared to: Magico


Review:
The story of Double arts is about a boy that will face an bizarre adventure to save the worlds. He is accompanied by a cute girl that cannot let his hand no matter what, a crack (and cute) childhood friends and badass pacifist warrior.

The story is good as it blend the drama and action perfectly. Sometimes it becomes slice of life stories, sometimes it become a cool shounen manga and other times it became an awkward romantic comedy. The way the author sway the stories were really wonderful.

The art also were good and you may read it several time just ... to enjoy it to the fullest. If only this manga were not axed..........

Favorite character:
Luchile Kiri: He may create his own deadly harem with all the Sisters if he play his card right

Figarette Elraine: I don't care if I die just to touch her hands

Sui: A crack female hoolahoop warrior. But she's cute.

Fallan Danzel: Totally badass. Kinda pacifist. A little bit interesting

End note:
Double arts is a tragic tale about a good stories that can go far but been axed when it still growing, making some of it helpless fans (me) cry. A truly tragic tale in manga reader's world........

The main story of Double Arts starts off as somewhat interesting, and quite funny, and continues along this way for quite a while. I was so enthralled by it, i waited for each new chapter. Overall very good, but what brings me down is how the series ends pretty much halfway through the series, so you never really see how it ends, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of even writing it. In short, good story, funny at times, ending ruins it all.

Totally love double arts... protagonist kinda reminds me of naruto... and the two main just make this story sooo great! I was sad when it ended eariler then it should... left too many unanswered questions for me.. but i still loved it.