Apr 26, 2024
I have read 2 volumes (9 chapters) so far which I only bought because I was a fan of the original show and happened to bump into it in the bookshop.
So far, it is just a 6/10 (fine) read. However, it has the potential to become something really nice, both for old fans and new fans if the script writer learns how to better navigate the manga medium.
First of all, for old fans it is doing something fresh: it is delving into the characters more and re-working Yusuke Godai, as well as merging the story with Agito's so that there are two riders now.
...
I saw that there is an interview at the back of my volume 2 that the 'story planner' of the manga had the choice of working with Arakawa (original Kuuga writer) or Toshiki Inoue and he picked Inoue to experiment with the Kuuga formula. Hence it is trying to be more character-oriented than the original which might lead to some interesting story beats. The interview also mentioned lessening the amount of fight scenes as they claim it is not as impressive to see drawings beat up each other, unlike the tv stunt-work, so the manga does show awareness of the medium differences-- to a limited extent.
For new fans or people who did not care much about the show, it is arguably a strange read. It feels a bit more western like a marvel comic, and it has a very tv-like pacing. Like in the first 5 chapters there is an ongoing 'Seigan posture' metaphor (a posture in Kendo, which one of the protagonists practices) that later motivates the first mini-power up the other protagonist attains, but it is not a very strong motif because it doesn't translate well into drawing as it is literally a small posture mainly related to someone's hands (and general posture too but thats too complex to discuss here). If there was a camera to zoom and emphasise this, would have worked, but there isn't. Choices like these make it clear that it is written by a tv script writer rather than a manga script writer.
The manga is also quite brutal, even though the original TV show also had quite a death toll as it was aimed at older teens, yet there is definitely a certain edge to the manga with drawings of gore and more detailed deaths. Kuuga (tv show) did not feel as edgy, but this does, for better or for worse.
Even though the manga is aware of its differences from a tv show, it still is obvious that it is adapted from live action and falls into the pit falls of an adaptation. I think the show is still the better option, but for what its worth it has good dialogue and interesting interactions for old fans. It just needs to shed its identity from the tv medium.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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