Publisher: Titan Comics
Writer: Hijame Segawa
Art: Hijame Segawa
Translations: Motoko Tamamuro & Jonathan Clements
Letters: Cale Ward
Synopsis: A mysterious cataclysm blankets Tokyo, turning its populace into rabid zombies. Amid the chaos and panic, middle schooler Tsuranuki Tsutsuki is separated from his sister and lost. Stranded, and armed with a gun, Tsutsuki embarks on a quest to save his sister and make it safely to the rendezvous point. Infested with zombies on every corner, Tsutski encounters a strange high school girl carrying a mystical sword called the Corpse Blade! What awaits them on their journey is a fate not for the faint of heart.
Writing/Story: The book starts somewhat with a familiar premise of a mysterious event that causes a post-apocalyptic landscape that a protagonist has to traverse. That tends to be common with most post-apocalyptic stories within comics, manga, and other media. Though that may be the case, Segawa puts a different spin on the zombie action genre by imbuing it with supernatural action to complement the survival horror tone of the manga. Combining these genres, Segawa enhances the story with plausible stakes, zombies of different calibers, and unexpected twists that cement the reader’s investment to see where Tsutsuki and Karina Karina’s journey takes them. The characters are likable and charming enough for the story to be worth a reader’s while, and the motivations, the surmounting circumstances, and the mysteries are enough to amp the stakes for readers to enjoy along the way. Cale Ward did an exceptional job lettering the book based on Motoko Tamamuro and Jonathan Clements’stranslations, creating a smooth reading experience that complimented Segawa’s illustrations.
Art/Verdict: Segawa has a somewhat clean yet scratchy art style, which isn’t a bad thing as it services the look and feel of the book, balancing elements of shonen action, and seinen violence without overly dense detail. That isn’t to say there isn’t detail to be found in Segawa’s art style, more so that he does a good job at visually providing the reader with enough information to make sense of what is occurring within the story without getting lost in densely detailed imagery. Segawa’s compositions are effective when illustrating action set pieces, and depicting horror. Though one of Segawa’s biggest strengths is showcasing character moments and levity when the story requires it, that makes Tsutsuki’s story worthwhile. Corpse Blade Volume 1 is a solid book through and through that has me intrigued to see how the story unfolds for Volume 2. If you’re a fan of zombie action, supernatural storytelling, and heroism, then I’d highly recommend picking this book up and adding it to your manga/comic library when it’s released on December 17th.
Newsdesk