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Sunday, 18 March 2007 |
 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | BROCCOLI BOOKS | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | SHINGO NANAMI | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | JAPANESE FORMAT/ BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 208 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | 13+ | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 11/30/2006 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 03/19/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
Atsuma has joined NOA to find the Scared Spirit and return it to his village, thereby restoring balance to the Kamui, Nature and stopping the destruction of the Earth. But his time at NOA is making him realize the isolation that has left him empty, wanting something…more. Anzu is an orphan who has found a home at NOA, when Atsuma saves her life; she’s latched on to him like a drowning woman to a raft. She adores him and he finds himself not impervious to the innocent girl. But others at NOA have also noticed his first attachment to this person and they will use her to get to him, no matter how they have to go about it or how evil their methods choose to be…
A captivatingly dark science fiction series, this volume begins with a different outlook as we are shown the world through Anzu’s innocent eyes. It gives us a very different perspective on NOA from her view point. For her it is a refuge, a home, a sanctuary where, when orphaned, she had found hope after having lost everything. NOA gave her something to fill that fear and loneliness. Her meeting with Atsuma is one filled with sympathy and a disarming charm in the story telling. When the story switches to Atsuma’s perspective, it only makes their meeting and swelling friendship that much more traumatic when it is possibly ripped away by the actions of the evil Hyde.
The annual ball is where the worst happens and Atsuma loses control over his powers and his grip on the Kamui within him. Unlike the agents of NOA who are only replicas of the spirit powers they are imbued with, Atsuma’s is the real thing and it wants blood. However, this outpouring of violence on both his and NOA’s sides leave Atsuma shaken and the brief sense of belonging he had is shattered under the cruelties of the higher agents working in the background testing him, trying to break him, and with this latest event, they may have succeeded.
This volume doesn’t only focus on the budding relationship between Anzu and Atsuma; it also gives us more background on some of the main players in this story. Atsuma reveals some of his childhood to Anzu and we learn about some of the hardships he suffered and more of the reasons behind why he was the one chosen to go seek the lost Sacred Spirit. There is also some revealing information about Lady Sumire and more hints about the mysterious and cruel leader Shiki.
Each of these characters is a fascinating study of traumatized and often warped psyches. Each of them seems to have scarring pasts and hidden needs secreted away in the deepest part of their angst filled souls. Although not all of the people in NOA come across as sympathetic, many of them do, which makes for a more involving emotional read. The dramatic tension is intense in this series with its deliciously wicked characters and flawed heroes and villains both. Their fragility mixed with deadly powers is riveting to watch unfold as the story progresses and each person comes closer to finding out the truth about NOA and themselves – whether they want to or not.
Extras in the manga include a full color cover page, terminology notes, translation notes, an outline of the NOA chain of command, character notes, and an English translated preview of the next volume.
IN SUMMARY:
The latest volume of this captivating and dark science fiction series sees Atsuma getting too comfortable at NOA and a terrible ambush laid out for him and any close to him. It cannot be stressed enough that if you are a fan of CLAMP’s X or Tokyo Babylon series, you will want to pick this new manga series up and taste the twisted darkness of its mystery for yourself. |
