The stereotype of a "maverick cop who won't play by the rules" is pretty well established in fiction, but never quite has that been done in a story about investigating tax evasion and embezzlement. But thats just what Nakabou Rintarou is, splitting his time between smoking cigars, bedding beautiful women, beating up Yakuza, and uncovering the shady financial dealings of Japan's industrial and political elite. The whole notion sounds kind of ridiculous, but the story takes itself seriously enough that it somehow all works.
Story: 8. With late 1990s Japan severely beset by economic problems with the popping of the economic bubble, the public is none too happy with the close alliance between money and politics. Thus we get badass police officers investigating these dealings to establish financial transparency and restore order to the world economy. The story isnt very long, but its very unique and consistently interesting, while also exploring the seedy underbelly of Japan's byzantine ruling class.
Art: 10. Tetsuo Hara is one of the greatest manga artists of all time, not really up for debate, and his skill is on full display here. His use of shading and dark tones makes every manly character look like theyre about as strong and heavy as a black hole, and is just a pleasure to look at.
Character: 7. A little forgettable with the exception of the cigar chomping Nakabo Rinataro, who makes Kenshiro look like a 98 pound nerd.
Enjoyment: 8. Just alot of fun to be had reading, once you get past the occasionally boring segways into financing and such.
Overall: 8. Would recommend, good work done by Hokuto no Gun scanning it.
