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Apr 7, 2021
Transhumanism enveloped in horror and a bit of an irony. Desire for advancement backfires, and reduces humanity to -- survival driven -- monstrosities devoid of basic human values. Author is concerned little with insertion of philosophical undertones, or admonitions on the matter, instead we are presented with the final product of such dark ambition. This is primarily heavy-action oriented story that doesn't bother with how and why.
This journey is filled with vexation and potential disappointment, as the presentation is as idiosyncratic as it can be. Story is literally depicted for the most part, and characters have little interest to provide us with explanations. The
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information is spoon-fed via intricate details that remain somewhere in the back, and could or could not be an important factor for the story. Whichever it is, they pertain to creation of an ubiquitous sense of mystery, and offer free interpretation for the reader. It feels voyeuristic in a sense, as if we took a peek inside this unfathomable world that ran rampant and continues to operate even when the book is closed.
Killy is sent on a Sisyphean task, and is basically a futuristic version of Clint Eastwood's character. Goal he aims to accomplish would be rather simple if it wasn't for the perilous paths which lead towards it. The same way Blame! would be a simple work if it wasn't for the sublime approach Nihei decided to take. Characters in total are more or less consolidated in their primary roles, except that in this particular case it cannot be taken into account as a major flaw. More precisely because their lack of development is justified by their very nature. Risky move, verily, because attempts at humanization usually sit well with audience, but like this it could be seen as too cold.
Actual main character of this work is the city itself. It evolves continuously and features all kinds of architectural oddities. But, the true brilliance hides in how this "sentient" colossus is controlled; with uncanny sense for space and size. At one moment we are left in awe by stupendous structures that ominously overshadow characters and diminish their relevance, while at the next we're reduced to claustrophobic spaces that draw a thin line with burial places. Killy traverses settlements which feel humanly familiar, only to find himself in some sort of alien-human symbiosis environment that invokes dread.
For all its uniqueness it does have certain redundancy to it. The action scenes seem one too many, and twists have sort of monster-of-the-week format to them, despite that these monsters are pinnacle -- or at least close to it -- of body horror. Even so, it is an exemplary work of fiction, with a style that holds unequivocal relevance within the medium itself. Certainly will cause divisive opinions, but there is a certain refreshment and sense of respect for an author whose panels scream passion instead of accessibility. Nihei doesn't care if the reader will persist to move upward or fall and be swallowed by the abyss below.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Apr 2, 2021
Concept of a reality slap tackled by the creative madman himself, Jiro Matsumoto. Certainly not the best of his artistic & intellectual deliveries, albeit it does scratch the surface of the brain a bit. Just plenty to make you utter a mere "Huh?" upon realization it is not that intricate as his other works.
What if Snow White was sexually abused by the prince before he woke her up? What if Peter Pan forced Tinker Bell to participate in a death tournament versus other fairies? Life is no fairy tale. Hope of a happy end works better in dreams since reality has plethora of saliva
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to drown it in. It is nauseous, verily, but the sooner one learns to swim, the sooner they can cope with the merciless currents.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 31, 2021
Heavy incorporation of author's own sensibilities into an already sensitive topic makes this a questionably preachy journey. As far as believability is concerned it suffers from fluctuations; at some points, the raw realism resonates stupendously only to be dulled by the timeworn twists any experienced reader will be able to predict. Ironically, a major positive element is the lack of any sort of unorthodox turnaround, sort of teases one's expectations but always remains down to earth in that respect - as opposed to its philosophical innuendos.
Infamously drawn "clones" offer distinction on a personality basis at least, but more or less are victims of your
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everyday survivalist devices. They do succeed as proxies of the author's own standpoints, even make you ponder over some existentialistic dilemmas and sanctity of life itself. However, their naivety is pushed to the extreme for the sake of convenience and therefore drowns in absurdity. At a certain point, it feels as if they'll free themselves from the author's moralistic clutches, develop autonomy to break the fourth wall, and ask the reader: "Do you really believe this?"
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 9, 2021
Thematically wise packs more of a punch than its animated counterpart, albeit still fixated on style over all. Too bad, because it had a solid basis to tackle various sensitive topics, be it the universal ones or America-Japan specific.
Afro's path is depicted by black & white panels, more than often splattered with the red color of blood. It looks beautiful and evocative in wider frames, however, most of the action blurs out in smaller ones and becomes unclear. Usually not a problem, but in a work that relies heavily on visuals, it becomes a rather prominent one.
What it does better than anime is
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how it portrays Afro. It villainizes him as a person who doesn't refrain from the most despicable of methods in order to accomplish his quest. He moves forward with inhuman determination, blind to all the admonitions, and ultimately pays for it in the most poetic way.
Okazaki drew inspiration from samurai and blaxploitation movies of the 70s, albeit only scratched at their surface. In return, we have a work set on a narrow path of vendetta, ridden with questionable cultural idiosyncrasies. Shame that there was such a -- presumable -- lack of vision, or perhaps inexperience for better execution. After all, this is his first work.
If anime left you unsatisfied then this could serve as a suitable add-on or improvement even.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Mar 9, 2021
"Samurai, Motherf*Cker, Do You Speak It?"
Chanbara meets blaxploitation for a quick hookup instead for a more profound relationship. The result is obviously a short-lived stimulus.
Incorporation of elements borrowed from Eastern and Western cultures is done artlessly. In order to work believably they should've been thematically conjoined. It is an improperly blended mix that will make you ponder whether it is cool or just asinine.
It is more or less devoid of characterization. Afro himself is a man on a set path, which is what defines his entire character. The only trait that sets him apart from other vacuous characters is that his conscience manifests
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in a humanoid form. And what makes him memorable within the medium itself is his uncanny appearance.
Voice overs are a cheesy reminiscence of 70s trashy movies, therefore suitable to the overall tone. Music on the other hand -- at moments -- feels completely out of place and works better when listened separately from the anime.
The style over substance platitude cannot even be applied here since aim is clear; to make an adrenaline filled - cruise control story. It is precisely what it wants to be. However, this won't redeem it in the eyes of viewers who will notice its wasted potential and lack of a more palpable ambition.
Gateway anime, really. Will suffice if you just want to dip it in, but I doubt you'll call it anytime soon after that.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Mar 6, 2021
Given how it is a tribute and sort of a continuation/revival of work which preceded and inspired Kamen Raider, appreciation for it will be heavily impacted by ones familiarity with life and work of Ishinomori Shotaro, or the lack of thereof.
Those who fall into the latter could find themselves repelled by wonkily executed, run-of-the-mill story. Similar to early Batman comics, albeit with more of anti-heroic vibes to it. Sadly, more profound themes are tackled only desultorily, thus the story never reaches its full potential; as opposed to art style which is stupendously cinematic. Transitions from panel to panel are done impeccably, be it for
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action sequences or more meditative moments. Kazuhiko's art is reminiscence of Shotaro's yet still possesses individuality of its own.
All in all, a work of questionable quality for its own time, even more so for today's. It certainly has a heart to it, but its beats are only for select few.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Feb 27, 2021
Horrifically relatable exploration of societal system with deadpan humor attached to it. Will probably be more impactful for mature readers, especially those who found themselves at the bottom of class structure.
Sense of alienation is present from the start till the end, either caused by characters' own limitations or those imposed by the system itself. They are never exploited for the sake of shock factor but eerily humanized. Our hero is you and me, and any person you see out on the street. His appearance is identical in every chapter. Not because of the artists' laziness, but because he's supposed to symbolize the mass
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and offer a sense of resemblance and connection for the reader.
No one draws streets and cities like Tatsumi. There is a certain dichotomy at play between characters and the environment. Whereas the first is drawn bleak, the latter radiates with details. The way it claustrophobically towers above characters and diminishes their individuality creates a certain dread. Idiosyncratic art style remains questionable for today's standards, but the universal way in which the subject is tackled eliminates any reason to call it anachronistic.
Gritty with little hope on the horizon; not a work that sticks to optimistic and vapid promises such as "it will be better". Consider it a perverse window into the lives of ordinary people depicted by an author who's well aware of how asinine that sounds. Who knows, maybe you'll see your own reflection in the windowpane.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Feb 19, 2021
In order to appear heroic main character doesn't have to face an adversary which is their polar opposite, sometimes all they have to do is face the nemesis we all know too well; life itself.
The pace fluctuates frequently between dreary, action-packed, emotional, very subtle horror; with all of it encapsulated in cynical humor. Minoru understands that life is capricious, and this is reflected in his narrative structure. It is simply wild - borderline directionless, with side characters and motifs that show up with apparently no intent. Not every lesson exists to be learned.
The general style is detailed and polished, while comical moments are
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enhanced by caricatures which are the author's trademark. It never feels out of place but rather suitable to the overall tone, or perhaps better put, as a break from its heaviness. Tension is built via various visual tricks often used in horror works, albeit they are never incorporated fully, but instead used to subvert the reader's expectations; they offer a paranoid point of view only to unexpectedly pave a way for a humorous twist.
Primarily a character-driven work, but only one character is behind its wheel. That results in side characters who receive no development, and just like in real life disappear quicker than they appear. However -- under scrutiny -- they serve their purpose for juxtaposition in order to display the main character heroically. Because next to all of his fear and self-doubt, his moral choices prevail. Or do they? Because that's where this work is most clever, in constant refusal to present its hero as an impeccable avatar of virtue. Just like in reality, moral is often a shaky code of conduct; carried out justly but with earthquake-like consequences.
Foremost a dark comedy that succeeds in most of its areas. Nevertheless, the reception is questionable as it is unmerciful in its introspectiveness and ridden with ordeals which we experience in daily life. Venture into it with teeth clenched, and leave with a new perspective.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Feb 16, 2021
Tribulations of love are often immense, yet in this work, they're of cosmic proportions. Our -- sort of -- villainized hero is sent on a metaphysical journey which serves as a punishment for his atrocious sins.
It is a blend of psychopathy and sexuality which is supposed to explore love as the primary theme. Not the romanticized form of it much, but more like a raw view of it, even atavistic at some parts. Given the time in which it was written, it is to be expected, albeit probably won't accommodate some of the more open-minded masses of today.
The overall pace is chaotic, conveyance
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of desired themes is done without any superfluousness to it, albeit the narrative structure has its hiccups. Panel to panel transitions are not ideal and conversational fluidity tends to suffer due to clunky translations. Tezuka's art is mostly clean and polished, however, it has to be noted that it's a period piece by contemporary standards.
Side characters serve as mere mechanisms to roll the plot forward. On the other hand, the development of the main character is done somewhat believably. Despite that his chances for redemption are already spoiled at the very start, it pertains to the overall pessimistic tone and stays loyal to the source material Tezuka drew inspiration from.
An effective piece, honestly. Whereas that same effectiveness is heavily determined by one's belief system.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Feb 7, 2016
At Na-chan's is a quick excursion inside of Usamaru's mind. It isn't as incoherent as his other works but still contains a certain dose of perplexity and offers free interpretation. It has evident raise awareness tones but it ventures deeper than that.
The very start is drawn as if we are invited into the main character's life which consists of stuff other people have thrown away; it immediately makes us think of the cliche idiom (One man's trash...). Artistically wise it may not be the best eye candy out there, but style itself reflects Natsuki's childlike innocence while the composition of colors plays in favor
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of morose atmosphere.
Usamaru subtly dances between -- for me -- two of the most probable explanations; which would be the brainwashed Natsuki and her fanatic dad, or dysfunctional, albeit -- in Natsuki's eyes -- stable and only family she knows of. We as the readers are the ones to decide whether the dad is the " villain " who affects her mental state with his fanaticism or just a not so ordinary parent. Do his attempts to raise her awareness prevent her from adaptation to society or is she really the " small stone " ?
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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