Train+Train Vol.#04

By: Matthew Alexander
Review Date: Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Release Date: Tuesday, October 30, 2007



Creative Talent
Writer/Artist:Hideyuki Kurata / Tomomasa Takuma
Translated by:Christine Schilling
Adapted by:Christine Schilling

What They Say
Arena wakes up in the aftermath of the explosion, unharmed but down one traveling companion! Reiichi has been taken hostage by a terrorist group who demand entrance to the Special Train. Principal Michelle is determined not to submit to their demands, even if it means Reiichi's torture. Arena certainly isn't one sit back and watch - but will she arrive in time to save his life?

The Review
I mostly read manga to escape everyday life; work, my crappy apartment, and the horror strewn across the news everyday. Because of this, I wouldn’t expect to enjoy a story examining both sides of terrorism as much as I enjoyed Train+Train volume four. Reiichi has left the train in search of the person behind his AI tutor. But in a town as dangerous as Aldacc, it doesn’t take long for him to get in some serious trouble. During the chaos caused by a terrorist explosion, Reiichi is taken hostage by a mysterious group. The group’s leader is none other than Reiichi’s Internet Sensei and she hopes to use Reiichi as a bargaining chip. Sensei leads a group of about thirty children who have lost their parents during various terrorist attacks and they want out of Aldacc. She also lives with mechanical legs, the result of a botched terrorist attack that blew up her high school instead of the intended target.

This begins an impressively executed chapter examining the reasons behind why people go to extremes to get what they want. Kurata also plays with the idea of Stockholm syndrome as Reiichi finds himself unable to hate his Sensei no matter how much she tortures him. Torn out fingernail anyone? Even then, he refuses to help her convince the Special Train to meet her demands. But at the same time, he still can’t bring himself to hate her. Reiichi is one of two main characters in Train+Train, so it’s natural to side with him against his captors. However, this becomes a lot more difficult when we learn how Sensei and her gang got to where they are in life.

Not too surprising, in all this chaos the Special Train refuses to meet Sensei’s demands. Arena can’t just stand by while Reiichi dies, so she sneaks off the train and tracks down Sensei’s hideout. Will Arena find Reiichi in time? Why is she risking her life for him? And why is the last short chapter about P’Ko so enjoyable? You’ll just have to pick up this volume for yourself.