 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | TOKYOPOP | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | NATSUMI ITSUKI | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | JAPANESE / B&W | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 360 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | T | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 08/01/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 08/30/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
The first of a three volume manga series, Jyu-Oh-Sei is a serious science fiction series for sci-fi fans. Its backbone is strong involving story telling and impressive world creation. It begins with murder. Eleven year old Thor and his shy twin brother Rai live a privileged life in the Vulcan colonies. Their father is high up in the government federation and all seems right with the world. That is, until they discover the murdered bodies of their parents. Horrified, they have no time to grieve when immediately they are abducted. They wake up in a capsule and learn they are being sent to a secret planet, one unknown to exist on any map or by anyone. There they must learn to live like beasts, kill or be killed, if they want to survive and get revenge upon those who have so horribly wronged them. But for a young child to become the king of beasts on a planet where even the vegetation is murderous seems a tall order. Can Thor and his brother Rai survive and uncover the secret behind their parents’ murder and the secrets of this planet? This is no simple tale of survival, although it does evoke Lord of the Flies as it also heavily draws on theme of the thin line between “civilized” and “animalistic” when it comes to humans and how they de-evolve in order to survive. Thor must decide if he will retain his humanity or sacrifice it in order to survive the dead planet and gain his revenge. A tough choice for anyone let alone a boy. The author doesn't make anything easy for Thor and Rai. The planet in and of itself is an enemy with dangerous high and low temperatures, violent vegetation and a nearly uninhabitable and definitely inhospitable surface. They also must beware of the planet’s other denizens. Groups of humans live in “rings” which are the equivalent of gangs or tribes. They are based on one’s skin color. Being white, the two young boys find themselves odd people out and must forge their own road if they can. Armed only with a laser knife and meager supplies, the odds do not look good. Quickly though the story turns from being merely one of stark survival. Separated from each other, Thor fears the worst has happened to his brother and makes some hard choices. When he gets involved with a ring he must also deal with odd and primal politics as well as a girl who has taken a liking to him. Duels must be fought and at every turn Thor must defend his life. His choices however to save others is one that will either serve him well in order to gain allies that are sorely needed, or it will prove to be his downfall. The handsome Third of the ring Thor lives with is a sly and cunning man. He has plans for Thor but are they for good or ill? Meanwhile Thor is discovering clues as to why this planet might be kept secret. A place for political assassination? Or could it hide something that could turn the tide in Thor’s favor? The only way is for Thor to become the King of Beasts. But to do so he must kill and kill again. His youth and innocence work against him. But so too does his age. It seems that the people not from Earth must have an age guard procedure or else they suffer advance aging and die by the time they are thirty. There are several ticking bombs in this story which will serve to fuel Thor’s actions and decide his fate. It is a compelling epic with a lot of intrigue and no small amount of imagination. The author has created interesting cultures with the various rings and how life on the planet works. In addition there are also the politics and mystery behind Thor’s plight, his family’s murder, and the larger mystery about those controlling the system and what they are really up to. The story boasts nearly four hundred pages of epic sci-fi adventure and intrigue and it packs a lot of both in this first volume. The art is an appealing style bordering on shojo with a wind swept look to some of the characters. With the primal planet a lot of the landscape is like a wasteland, harsh and unforgiving. However in some aspects of the ring life there are flying vehicles of a small nature and the details to the machinery, even the goggles are nicely done. The manga also includes a planetary map and timeline. The author does a good job both in storytelling and in imagery to give just enough information and visuals to allow the reader to discover the planet and its people just as Thor does.
IN SUMMARY:
Jyu-Oh-Sei is a new three-part manga series that is serious science fiction for fans of strong storytelling. It is an involving sci-fi series. |
