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_saturnsrings_'s review
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cherokeewinslow's review
2.0
I’m torn. The original Battle Angel Alita was quite incredible, however I feel Kishiro really stumbled when he allowed Nova to live on and kill Alita at the end of those books (I mean, Nova’s motivation to bring back Alita from the dead thereafter feels so unmotivated and purposeless). I say all this because what ends up emerging from those ashes is a mutant. You either have to accept the rushed poetic non-canon ending told in the deluxe edition or choke down this rambling elongated start of the canon ending as told by Last Order.
Alita’s character arc felt whole and complete and now it feels stretched and directionless. The build up to discover the city of Zalem/Tiphares falls short of expectations and honestly as Alita discovers more of the city in the sky and upwards into space the less important the plot, characters, and story we grew to love in Battle Angel Alita seems. It’s always a shame when an author blows up their previous masterpiece for the sake of continuing a story.
Further, Last Order just feels different. It revels in excessive violence and introduces a host of characters that drift off into the void of importance. Also the continuous monologues from characters describing the “science” of what was going on (mostly Nova talking while he watches Alita fight) gets so boring and just feels like an anime/manga cliche.
The light of redemption only briefly shines through the character Ping Wu towards the end of the omnibus as well as through the completely unrelated short stories that are included at the end.
I’m disappointed to say the least.
Alita’s character arc felt whole and complete and now it feels stretched and directionless. The build up to discover the city of Zalem/Tiphares falls short of expectations and honestly as Alita discovers more of the city in the sky and upwards into space the less important the plot, characters, and story we grew to love in Battle Angel Alita seems. It’s always a shame when an author blows up their previous masterpiece for the sake of continuing a story.
Further, Last Order just feels different. It revels in excessive violence and introduces a host of characters that drift off into the void of importance. Also the continuous monologues from characters describing the “science” of what was going on (mostly Nova talking while he watches Alita fight) gets so boring and just feels like an anime/manga cliche.
The light of redemption only briefly shines through the character Ping Wu towards the end of the omnibus as well as through the completely unrelated short stories that are included at the end.
I’m disappointed to say the least.
readingsofaslinky's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wowowowowow!!! What a fully formed, intricate, badass, post apocalyptic sci-fi!! I’ve become so obsessed. After finishing the first run of Battle Angel Alita, I was wary that the sequels wouldn’t add much to my experience of the Gummn world. But damn, Kishiro followed up with an even bigger world and story. I feel like I was living in the Scrapyard with the edges of my world not passing the soil of the earth and the piles of forgotten tech and metal, but SIKE! There’s a whole planetary society/federation/conglomeration that adds even more depth to the story. This series has a very fleshed out scientific basis, great Black representation (more than any other manga I’ve ever read), badass ladies, and action and gore galore. If you haven’t read Alita, you’re truly missing out. It is my dream manga. I love it with all of my heart and I’m so excited to continue the series. READ THIS SERIES!!!!!
adamjcalhoun's review
3.0
The first collection of a "reboot" of Battle Angel Alita (the original). The original was inventive and WEIRD, WEIRD, WEIRD, even if it occasionally had somewhat uninspired plotting. This version moves the location from the dusty slums on a dying Earth to the clean domain of the elite living in space. Somehow this new setting sterilizes the creativity of the original. Even where there is a lot that could be expanded - for instance, the idea of having multiple clones of Alita running around, this time of nebulous morality, is passed off with a shrug instead of existential angst.
This collection has some minorly interesting new ideas but its peaks are below the troughs of its predecessors.
This collection has some minorly interesting new ideas but its peaks are below the troughs of its predecessors.
sarahc_98's review
I shouldn't have jumped into the back end of a story. It seems to be well written and drawn, but I don't know enough backstory to care about the characters. Fatal flaw for me...
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