One thing that struck me about Kuroi Shiro's Leviathan is its familiarity. The tale of children attempting to establish order in a situation of chaos recalls the Lord of the Flies, the element where only one character can survive can be traced to Battle Royale, and the story's use of an unreliable narrator with a fragmented mental state clearly derives from Fight Club. Yet, like a skilled artist, Kuroi Shiro steals these ideas and packages them into an engaging work of science fiction. A story that has been skillfully crafted beat by beat, illustrated brilliantly and presented with terrific panelling and pacing. Akin to the works it may have taken from, Leviathan is thought-provoking, has enough twists and turns to keep you engaged, and most importantly, knows when to go. This is a tale that does not overstay its welcome.
Yet what is keeping this manga back is although it is a finely crafted work, one that manages to piece many familiar elements into a work of its own, the questions and ideas that it poses remain rather stilted and limited in scope. It does not extend beyond the works that it took inspiration from and instead seems content with its nicely told, but rather uninventive take on morality and questioning of humanity. Maybe more could be done with its totalitarian political setting.
