![]()
Abara is a fascinating kind of manga, something that heavily appeals to me and the kind of story I enjoy. Nihei Tsutomus best works are the ones where his stories take a back seat for the visual splendor that his paneling displays, in works like BLAME!. Dead Heads, and Biomega that can definitely work for the better' but in Abara it's almost to a detriment. To be blunt, there's hardly even a story in this manga and I'm frontloading this review with that information if you go into reading this manga with the hope of getting similar levels of visual story telling the BLAME! contains. Instead of getting a rich and nuanced story in Abara, displayed through strong visual style and gorgeous art you only get the latter. In a way it makes the story feel like a short form poem, with more to be pulled from it by the reader than is displayed by the author them-self. Like you're reading an artbook, it presents lavish visuals with a barebones story that adds very little to it's body. However, given Niheis phenomenal artistic direction in this manga it lead me to enjoy it to an extreme amount; but that it obviously a problem that other people may find with this story.
Another point worth noting is the characters in this story. They're just kind of there. Sure they do stuff and progress the "plot" with their goals, but it's irrelevant for the most part. You don't get attached to nay of the characters, their goals in the short time you're reading, or frankly what happens whatsoever. It's enjoyed predominantly for the visual and atmospheric spectacle Abara inhibits.
To me, that's fine. Abara is very experimental which is to be expected from this era of Niheis work. very experimental, using environmental and visual story telling to facilitate the plot and characters, with an extreme emphasis on space, gritty detailing, visceral action, and masterful art. It's not a masterpiece, and it's story and characters are sub-par, but if you enjoy that sort of feeling that BLAME! exudes then this will be right at home for you. If not, and you desire a very story heavy and character rich story, Abara will leave you dissatisfied and seeking far more than what it's trying to do.
All in all, it was a phenomenal read and a manga that I hold near and dear to my heart.
