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YU-GI-OH MILLENNIUM WORLD (VOL. 5) |
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Tuesday, 06 March 2007 |
 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | TOKYOPOP | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | KAZUKI TAKAHASHI | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | JAPANESE FORMAT/ BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 184 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | T | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 01/02/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 03/07/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | CHRISTOPHER SEAMAN |
But it’s only a card game …
YU-GI-OH! has been one of Japan’s more popular exports to North America in the last few years. Cashing in on the interest among young teens for adventures with a structured game-like quality that is rich in marketing tie-in opportunities, YU-GI-OH! has struck a balance with incorporating historical elements- the age of the Egyptian pharaohs- with magic and fantasy motifs unique to the creative mind of Kazuki Takahashi, the manga’s creator. With the manga series from Viz, we are given a chance to see YU-GI-OH! as it was created by the author/artist. This manga purports on the cover to contain the original storyline with elements considered too intense for North American television, (which no doubt gutted the anime to fit timeslots and the young teen market). While the anime series has been of little interest to this reviewer, reading just volume of the manga has made it clear why YU-GI-OH! has been so popular. It is one wild ride, with zany stylizations and a plot that is easy to follow but clearly built on a carefully thought out plan by the artist/author.
In Volume Five of the Millennium World series, Yu-Gi-Oh finds himself fighting a battle from his past, which for this reincarnated spirit is about 3,000 years ago. The enemy is Bakura and his much feared Diabound. With floridly named attacks like Thousand Poison Fangs, Summon Lightning Shot, and Dragon Flame- all shouted out in large bold type against a background crazed with action lines- the carnage in this tomb robber’s underground lair is considerable. Yu-Gi-Oh has to tread carefully, not just to save his friends, but also to not change the past, and hence, the future. Realizing at one point that the whole setting is another game world, and not just a memory, Yu-Gi-Oh literally has to step outside of the problem in order to see exactly what he is facing. Meanwhile, Yu-Gi-Oh’s human host, Yugi and his friends are placed in mortal danger as they land inside a maze and find out that a spy from Bakura has been amongst them planning their doom.
Always with the doom…
This manga is filled with sound and visual effects, being mostly a combat story by nature. The frames are large to accommodate the action, pushing the reader through the book at break-neck speed. Action lines, slashing frames, and *****-eyed angles pretty much make up the look of the book, as befitting to its nature. The characters themselves are drawn with a variety of styles, with Yu-Gi-Oh and his human hosts, in addition to many of his enemies like Bakura, are drawn with highly stylized features and sharp angles all over their faces. Other characters look less so, and the scenes in which the action takes place is toned and somewhat muted to offset the hectic battles taking place within it. As for the dialogue, it is appropriately written for the target audience, and is brief and to the point- most likely there is not a lot of time for exposition in the plot when the dueling monsters created by these card-carrying heroes are at work. Readers are looking for action, and Kazuki Takahashi delivers it in spades.
As an extra feature, most graciously appreciated, is a review of the story so far at the beginning of the manga, with pictures of the characters and a brief synopsis of the perils facing the title character up the point we pick up the story. It is concise, but well written and helps put the rest of the tale into context.
IN SUMMARY:
Full points to Kazuki Takahashi in this lightning fast paced, thrilling manga featuring one of Japanese pop culture’s most popular creations in the last ten years, YU-GI-OH! It’s tensely written, boldly drawn, and full of wildness and wonder. |
