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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
Perhaps the most exhausting series I've read so far.But at the same time exciting.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Three years had passed between the release of the third volume and this one here in 1987. And it shows.
The first three books are full of exceptionally fast paced action. And they were fun to read. But they're also lacking in terms of depth and likeable characters.
With this volume, now set in a Neo-Tokyo that's lying in ruins, Otomo adds several layers to his storytelling. But unfortunately those are more on the weird rather than on the conclusive side.
He traded action for mythology and a grim view of society in a post apocalyptic world. It wasn't a good trade. While the addition of nudity, violence, drug-induced fever dreams and several attempted rapes might be fitting for such a scenario there's just no exploration of human behavior, no deeper meaning, nothing that makes the reader really think about it. It's all just there and it doesn't mesh well with the still somewhat juvenile dialogue in this series.
On the plus side, he has a strong main character now with Kei (thank God) instead of Kaneda. I just wish he would have made more of it.
And Akira basically doesn't do anything in this one. That was a huge letdown.
I wouldn't necessarily say that the previous three volumes were better books. But they were better executed and certainly more fun to read.
Only two stars this time.
Two more books to go.
The first three books are full of exceptionally fast paced action. And they were fun to read. But they're also lacking in terms of depth and likeable characters.
With this volume, now set in a Neo-Tokyo that's lying in ruins, Otomo adds several layers to his storytelling. But unfortunately those are more on the weird rather than on the conclusive side.
He traded action for mythology and a grim view of society in a post apocalyptic world. It wasn't a good trade. While the addition of nudity, violence, drug-induced fever dreams and several attempted rapes might be fitting for such a scenario there's just no exploration of human behavior, no deeper meaning, nothing that makes the reader really think about it. It's all just there and it doesn't mesh well with the still somewhat juvenile dialogue in this series.
On the plus side, he has a strong main character now with Kei (thank God) instead of Kaneda. I just wish he would have made more of it.
And Akira basically doesn't do anything in this one. That was a huge letdown.
I wouldn't necessarily say that the previous three volumes were better books. But they were better executed and certainly more fun to read.
Only two stars this time.
Two more books to go.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Very good, but I’m seriously warning you when I say it is inappropriate.
I'm not completely sold on this. There are themes I like, characters I like, but major plot points and devices I find incredibly annoying. Significant plot armor and deus ex machina protecting our protagonists, in ways that I find annoying. Dialogue is sometimes cumbersome as well, though part of that may be cultural/related to translation. Art work is great though the more action based scenes can be tough to decipher. We shall see.