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themtj's review against another edition
5.0
I'm now a little more than halfway through the series which is usually the make-or-break point. My question at this point is: did this series fire all its ammo in the first half and they're going to ride out the momentum? I'm happy to report that this series just gets better. Each chapter builds on and is better than the last. They're not afraid to kill of characters. They don't guild the lily every time they have an interesting plot point. This is masterful storytelling.
thisotherbookaccount's review against another edition
4.0
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We are halfway through the series! Even though the fourth volume of Urasawa’s acclaimed series continues to fire off on all cylinders on the artistic and storytelling fronts, there are some yellow flags for me as a reader. I call them ‘yellow flags’ because they are not quite red flags just yet. It’s like seeing those darker-than-usual clouds in the horizon, which may very well turn into rain clouds within the hour, but the sun is still out and the sky is largely clear. You are not worried but you bring an umbrella out anyway.
I think my main concern is that there seems to be too many plot threads going on at the same time and perhaps not enough answers along the way. We have the robot Gesicht’s investigations into the murders, his visions/nightmares and memory loss, a shady KKK-esque anti-robot organisation, a man who has a personal vendetta against Gesicht, the mysterious Persians ordering the murders, whatever happened in Persia in those flashbacks — the list goes on. Most of these were only introduced in the last volume and, if they are tied off nicely by the end of the story, then I will gladly lower the yellow flags. At the moment, I’m just worried because I’ve been burnt by one too many manga writers who confuses complexity with complication.
With that said, Volume 4 has some major twists for readers: one that’s genuinely shocking, and the other is spoilt by the cover artwork itself. I mean, the character’s face is hidden throughout the volume, and yet there he is on the cover. So when he’s revealed on the final page (complete with an imaginary ‘dun-dun-dun’ cue), I was like, “Wait, but that’s the guy on the cover.” It’s like finding out that Vader is Luke’s father in the movie trailer.
Anyway, I’ve (finally) purchased the rest of the series, and they are on their way to my mailbox. Again, we are only halfway through, so I shouldn’t be too worried. Let’s see what happens from here on out.
We are halfway through the series! Even though the fourth volume of Urasawa’s acclaimed series continues to fire off on all cylinders on the artistic and storytelling fronts, there are some yellow flags for me as a reader. I call them ‘yellow flags’ because they are not quite red flags just yet. It’s like seeing those darker-than-usual clouds in the horizon, which may very well turn into rain clouds within the hour, but the sun is still out and the sky is largely clear. You are not worried but you bring an umbrella out anyway.
I think my main concern is that there seems to be too many plot threads going on at the same time and perhaps not enough answers along the way. We have the robot Gesicht’s investigations into the murders, his visions/nightmares and memory loss, a shady KKK-esque anti-robot organisation, a man who has a personal vendetta against Gesicht, the mysterious Persians ordering the murders, whatever happened in Persia in those flashbacks — the list goes on. Most of these were only introduced in the last volume and, if they are tied off nicely by the end of the story, then I will gladly lower the yellow flags. At the moment, I’m just worried because I’ve been burnt by one too many manga writers who confuses complexity with complication.
With that said, Volume 4 has some major twists for readers: one that’s genuinely shocking, and the other is spoilt by the cover artwork itself. I mean, the character’s face is hidden throughout the volume, and yet there he is on the cover. So when he’s revealed on the final page (complete with an imaginary ‘dun-dun-dun’ cue), I was like, “Wait, but that’s the guy on the cover.” It’s like finding out that Vader is Luke’s father in the movie trailer.
Anyway, I’ve (finally) purchased the rest of the series, and they are on their way to my mailbox. Again, we are only halfway through, so I shouldn’t be too worried. Let’s see what happens from here on out.
deepfreezebatman's review against another edition
5.0
whoa! this series is blowing my mind!
my response upon finishing this volume: "oh no you didn't!"
my response upon finishing this volume: "oh no you didn't!"
angelsbutchery's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
3.5
howiedoowinfam's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0