 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | VIZ MEDIA | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | RIKDO KOSHI | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | JAPANESE / B&W | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 192 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | OT | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 03/11/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 05/29/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | SCOTT CAMPBELL |
What happens when you try to act like an anime character in real life? Well, I suppose the answer could be “Excel Saga.” Two groups of neighbors in an apartment building lead secret lives. One thinks they’re trying to take over the city of Fukuoka. The other thinks they’re trying to defend it. Only their bosses, would-be conqueror Lord Il Palazzo and obsessed bureaucrat Dr. Kabapu, know the truth behind this increasingly dangerous private game… too bad neither will let their underlings in on it! Volume seventeen continues the ongoing saga of humour and parody as the different (yet not so different) factions do battle. It's a non-stop neurotic cabaret as Excel/Teriha is targeted for assassination and kidnapping--in that order! As Umi attempts to find her amnesiac friend safe employment in a maid café, two things are beginning to return: her memory, and Dr. Kabapu's health. But just as Teriha's past is coming back to her in strange bits and pieces, the Doctor is no longer the ruthless man he once was, but a kindly old gent who's discovered the true meaning of--and that's all the spoilers we have time for now. The art style is a lot of fun, and also crazy, and also actually really proficient. For something so completely comedic and ridiculous, Excel saga is really nice to look at and showcases some mature looking art work. The varied (and sometimes hilarious) character designs are totally key, and you really get to know and love the characters for what they are worth in their strange little ways. Facial expressions and other overt effects help foreshadow all sorts of funny and/or completely unimportant, yet dramatic things - and everyone goes home happy, dieing of laughter. Another really good thing about the visuals is that they are usually pretty large, with only a few squares per page, allowing you to see more detail, etc. The artist even does some really great full page spreads for some of the more dramatic moments, and it really adds to the humour and the sarcasm. The art style being used here is nothing to shake a stick at – it gets a major two thumbs up for sure! As for extras, this manga contains stories the director himself said they didn’t dare put in the anime, plus bonus footnotes, FX glossary, and secret messages. It’s Excel Saga, so you know there’s going to be lots of crazy stuff to sink your teeth into once the actual manga portion is done. And now for an extra of my own - a little bit about the Author for your further Excel Saga education: Rikdo Koshi's Excel Saga was the creator's first professional effort and made its debut in 1997. He is also the author of Holy Brownie, published through Shonen Gahosha and Arahabaka, published in Shueisha's Ultra Jump. He lives in Fukuoka, Japan.
IN SUMMARY:
Excel Saga is zany and off the wall to the extreme – it tries to be the craziest thing out there, and for many of us it truly is the original “Wow, that’s really crazy” series of all time. Always entertaining, always funny – Excel saga is a new-age classic not to be missed. |
