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BANYA: THE EXPLOSIVE DELIVERY MAN (VOL. 1) |
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Thursday, 25 January 2007 |
 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | DARK HORSE | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | KIM YOUNG-O | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | KOREAN FORMAT / BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 184 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | 16+ | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 09/20/2006 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 01/26/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | BLAKE WAYMIRE |
Banya starts out spectacularly enough. A vicious battle is being fought at the gates of what seems to be a city. With a quick flash, out of nowhere comes a daring warrior who strikes and kills all in his path. Safely landing besides the defenders’ general, he pulls out a container and finishes his delivery. This is what Banya is, pretty much from start to finish. One of the members of the Gaya Desert Post Office (usually Banya) gets a delivery and makes it, escaping peril over and over. Normally, this would get formulaic and rather dull, but the story and world hold the reader’s attention, as do the myriad of characters introduced.
Banya’s artwork is typical Korean. Detailed hair, clothes, and faces that are still very Japanese-style in appearance are the hallmarks of manhwa, and here is no exception. A majority of the time, this detail lends itself well to the excellent action sequences and ordinary calm scenes alike. This is not always true, though, as the story does hit its low points, and the art works with it appropriately, but these are few, and are always followed by segments that remind you why you are reading this in the first place. The extras are nothing special and rather sparse.
Really, there is not a lot one can say about a book like Banya. The story brings a fairly unique twist on the typical shounen story, the artwork flows well most of the time, and the characters are likeable at the least. The same kind of charms are here as found in Bleach, and Banya should be read for the same reasons. It’s fun, and that’s all that matters when it comes to this one.
IN SUMMARY:
Although suffering from occasional low points within the manga, its great artwork and quirky story make Banya a winner. |
