 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | VIZ MEDIA | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | MASAHITO SODA | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | JAPANESE FORMAT/ BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 216 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | T | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 03/18/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 03/02/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | CHRISTOPHER SEAMAN |
Firefighters have always been popular among youngsters. The engines, Sparky the dog, the images of heroic men and women saving lives have ‘fired’ the imagination of many wide-eyed children, and have inspired more than a few to want to follow in the footsteps of these brave people. The tragic events of 9/11 only cemented that reputation in the eyes of many in North America. So it should be no surprise that others around the world share this fascination with the profession, and a manga about the exploits of one rookie firefighter named Daigo has appeared on our shores.
FIREFIGHTER! Volume 18 is an engaging read from beginning to end. Not having had much prior knowledge of this series before reading and reviewing this volume, one must say Viz has a great little property in this story, for it is easy to like, even if one is only introduced to it so far into the tale. This series, following 18-year-old Daigo as he joins the community of firefighters, passes his exams, conquers a childhood fear of fire by saving his favorite teacher from a blaze at his old school, and takes on all comers with his new found courage, continues to explore the growth of this young man in his profession through Volume 18. Cocky, reckless, and yet always able to pull his tail out of the... well, you can figure it out, Daigo emerges from the aftermath of a vicious blaze at the Sengoku Coast Airport humbled and wondering if his luck in saving lives is making him more of a risk than an asset. His captain, who Daigo saved in the blaze, was still seriously injured. Daigo’s best friend wants nothing more to do with him. Additionally, Daigo has now been placed in a training program for an elite squad of rescuers in Japan, and must decide on his future when the group is prepared for mobilization to Sumatra to aid the locals in putting out a blaze that has put his teacher- there on a scientific expedition- in mortal danger. Is he going to quit to save her himself? Is he going to try and fit in with the new group and hope that the mobilization will happen before it is too late? If he does stay, can he earn the trust of his fellow firefighters, who see him as a loose cannon?
The manga reads really fast, and is easy to follow. Masahito Soda is a great storyteller, knowing all the right ways to sustain a narrative beat, develop characters quickly, and make a reader comfortably engaged in reading the story. The art work is well drawn and easy on the eyes, with healthy spacing in the gutters, and a use of tones that is helpful to the design of the work, and yet not showy or distracting to the reader. The characters designs themselves are fairly typical in manga, with Daigo looking pretty much as one would expect him to in the story- like an unmade bed. The women are curious, with a couple of the characters having almost masculine faces with well-developed chins, and severe eyes. It is pleasant to see an artist trying to develop females that don’t look more at home in a capsule toy container, but the appearance here is a little jarring at times. Still, none of this distracts from the story nor the impact these characters may have on you as the reader.
IN SUMMARY:
FIREFIGHTER! reads like embers on the wind- hot, glowing with energy and moving really fast. Dynamic characters, terrifying brushes with death, and yes, even love, heat up the pages and stoke the plot from beginning to end. Fans of the firefighting service will enjoy this manga immensely.
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