Jan 19, 2019
Right. So you're wondering whether this manga is worth your time or not, huh.
Well, my answer is an absolute YES. But you won't be satisfied with only that, will you... really, you'll only find yourself reaching the same conclusion as I did. If you must insist however, here goes:
The manga introduces the plot and one of the main characters right off the bat. It's a historical fiction that tackles topics like war, gold hunting, crime and ethnic issues in rather realistic and gruesome ways. But while it does start off depicting events of the Siege of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese war from the perspective
...
of a Japanese soldier dubbed "Sugimoto the Immortal", the reader is gradually acquainted with the untamed yet beautiful wilderness of Hokkaido and the culture of its inhabitants, the Ainu, through the 2nd main character: a cunning, young girl named Asirpa. The two pair up in search for hidden gold, with the task of acquiring pieces of code from escaped convicts.
All in all, I would give the story a 7/10 (good). While it did not quite impress me at first, it immediately stood out from the usual world-saving, annoyingly linear plots out there. Not only that, but the various factions it introduces, the conflicts that develop between the characters through sudden and unexpected turns of events throughout the manga and the fact that it gives no obvious, omnipotent villain (which, let's admit, we've all grown rather tired of) make it out to be a crazy, enjoyable ride. And damn, the author is exceptionally good at balancing out dark and appalling scenes with comedic moments - sometimes ridiculous(ly good), sometimes simply wonderful and heartwarming.
The art is really good. Besides the fact that it took a little getting used to, there's no denying that the author does an outstanding job combining comedic and unforgettable features with realistic, well-researched elements. You'll learn a lot of interesting facts about war, hunting, Hokkaido and the Ainu people by reading this manga!
The characters are, I must say, on another level. They have depth given by interesting backgrounds and origin stories, each with their own beliefs, morals, ambitions and goals - thus making it nearly impossible to paint them only black or white. And that's where things really get interesting, because given all that, it'll be up to you to decide what to make of them...
If it's enjoyable...? All that, and you still ask? I have never been so invested in a story before in my life, so go figure. I could honestly go on and on about it but I tried to keep it as brief as possible.
Overall, I'll give it a 9 out of freaking 10.
...
9.5.
The abundance of fan service has really, completely won me over... you'll see what I'm talking about :^)
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
