KAMUI Vol.#01

By: Julie Rosato
Review Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Release Date: Wednesday, November 30, 2005



Creative Talent
Writer/Artist:Shingo Nanami
Translated by:Satsuki Yamashita
Adapted by:

What They Say
Spirits known as kamui are thrown into chaos when the sacred spirit Okikurumi is taken from Atsuma’s village, and the imbalance threatens to destroy Earth. Infused with the spirit of ancient sword, Atsuma must leave his village to reclaim Okikurumi.

He encounters NOA, an organization of youths who wield the power of the kamui, and who may hold they key to Okikurumi. Atsuma is recruited into NOA but Sumire, a young woman with an empty soul who years for a miracle. Atsuma and his new companions must work together to find Okikurumi before the world is destroyed.

The Review
Packaging:
With each release they put on the market, Broccoli reminds us that their presentation is among the best on the market. The cover is stylish and eye-catching, matching the design, artwork and logo to the original. A heavily accessorized Atsuma graces the front cover while the back features Lady Sumire surrounded by butterflies. Inside we get a couple of color plates; the first of Lady Sumire and her right-hand woman Aika, followed by a collage of Shui and Atsuma images around the table of contents. Extras include character introductions, author’s afterward, translation notes, a terminology glossary, and a preview of the next volume. Several pages of Broccoli ads and a questionnaire redeemable for a limited edition dust jacket close up the book.

Artwork:
If you like the cover, you’ll like what’s inside. The character designs are thin and angular (in particular the faces), with proportions in general a bit on the long side. There’s plenty of style in here though and form fitting clothes with billowing coats are all the rage. Those concerned about a bishounen overload can rest assured; there are also a couple of hotties of the female persuasion (check the color plate if you don’t believe me), and Lady Sumire isn’t a conservative girl by any means. The action scenes are nicely-choreographed and easy to follow in well-paced, consecutive panels. It’s worth mentioning that there is some violence and bloodshed, but nothing really inappropriate for the “teen” age-rating. There is a nice mix of pan shots and character close-ups, with plenty of background art present, and there are a lot of solid inks for contrast in addition to the tone work. The art reproduction by Broccoli is unsurprisingly excellent.


SFX/Text:
The translation reads smoothly with no noticeable errors and the SFX have all been translated. Broccoli uses a combination of the overlay and subtitle methods for the SFX depending on their placement in the panel, and it is clear that great care has been given to maintain the integrity of the art and the flow of the panel as much as possible. This is another excellent release by Broccoli.

Contents:(please note the following may contain spoilers)
This story opens in a post-apocalyptic Japan, where two great earthquakes have left the country devastated. In an area known as Eden – once a part of Tokyo – a small band of people survive, facing an uncertain future. They live in fear of another earthquake and the Atanan, monsters that suddenly appeared after the second quake. At the center of Eden is a great tower, once a government research facility, its mysterious barrier all that spared the city from total annihilation. In this facility live and work the members of NOA (the Noble Offensive Academy) – young people who have assumed a self-imposed rule over the area thanks to their inhuman powers and abilities to fend off the Atanan.

Their powers come from spirits called kamui and are the result of paranormal experiments conducted by the research facility. NOA members themselves don’t even know the details of the experiments, or the origins of their abilities, only that afterwards they gained the power to make their own way in the world. NOA is led by the powerful top three commanders -- General Shiki, Lady Sumire and Lord Hyde -- but a hedonistic corruption has spread throughout their ranks, facilitated by the heady weight of their power.

A young man named Atsuma happens upon Eden while trailing Okikurumi, the great Earth Spirit, which was somehow stolen from his village. Atsuma himself wields great spiritual powers and intervenes in a battle being fought by Lady Sumire. Impressed by his abilities and intrigued by his mission, Lady Sumire tries to recruit him for NOA. Atsuma doesn’t approve of the “artificial” powers used by NOA and is not keen on joining up, however he senses Okikurumi nearby and is curious about the mysterious research facility.

Under the direct supervision of Lady Sumire and in the care of second lieutenant Shui, Atsuma attracts plenty of attention at NOA and his prowess earns him an immediate reputation. General Shiki and Lord Hyde aren’t sure what to make of him, but it’s clear they don’t intend to let Sumire have all the fun. What is the miracle that Atsuma is searching for and can he prevent the destruction of the world? Will the NOA brass be a help or hindrance to his mission?

Comments
What we’ve got here is a battle for salvation, in which the proponents fight using supernatural powers, while the world teeters on the brink of destruction. I’m not entirely certain at whom this story is aimed as it’s one of those genre-crossing deals that original publisher Square Enix seems so fond of, but those with a soft spot for post-apocalyptic stories may take a shine to this one. Fans of Juvenile Orion will likely enjoy this title (it even ran in the same magazine for a time), but there is definitely a sense of mixed audience with the artwork and story.

Though short on introductions there’s a fair bit of development in the characters already, and a relatively satisfying mix of angst and intrigue between them. There’s a lot of interplay and more than a few ambiguous undercurrents, for those who like to read into them. Atsuma is meant to be the mysterious focal character; we know little about him aside from the fact that he has a different – and assumably purer - relationship with the kamui and something in his past causes him great anguish. But the bad guys are often more interesting and I found the NOA members no exception; they clearly all have their own agendas and baggage and I want to see how they play out. I liked Shui best, his carefree attitude and chemistry with Atsuma most entertaining.

To be honest, I had a little trouble warming up to this book. I’m happy to support Broccoli’s top-notch work, but I’ve seen this story before (to be fair, in a title that isn’t yet licensed, but still one I’d rather read) and despite having a deceptively large amount of content buried here, style still won over substance. Also, with the pacing of this first volume I can’t imagine the series continuing for more than half a dozen volumes or so, and yet it’s still running in Japan -- at 10 and counting. I don’t know if it will get to where it’s going without getting stale, or if it will manage to do something less derivative than I’m seeing here (I hope so, on both accounts), but it did pick up towards the end so I’m game for sticking with it to find out. At the very least it actually held up better on the second reading and, domestically speaking, there isn’t a lot like it, making this a pretty solid release for a boutique publisher like Broccoli.