Customer Reviews

Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 5: Angel of Redemption

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Of the earlier "Battle Angel Alita" series, volumes one and two were excellent in all areas, and volumes three and four were still good but a step down in the quality of story-telling. This volume, number five, "Angel of Redemption", raises the quality of the plot back to where it should be.

The story of "Angel of Redemption" takes place two years after Alita's motorball stint, when she has gotten over her loss of Hugo and has regained her life with Ido and other friends. But as we all know, Alita's past won't let her live in peace for long. With teriffic pacing and use of an exceptional story, Yukito Kishiro creates beautiful scenes where an old enemy of Alita resurfaces and where she ultimately discovers loneliness and abandonment.

Kishiro's art is still as good as ever, filled with spectacular atistry that immediately draws the reader into the story. The high violence and gore factor is also still here, so this is still a series for mature audiences. The pacing and quality of the story returns from the slight slump of volumes three and four, back to the level of volumes one and two.

There is, however, one thing that makes volume five totally unique, and in a few ways better, than volumes one and two. The first two volumes don't have very powerful cliffhangers, so while the stories in these volumes are teriffic, they don't give the reader something to look forward to in the next volume. Volume five does have a powerful cliffhanger (although it's not a major plot twist kind of cliffhanger), and the reader will desperately want to know what will happen in volume six.

If you've read the first four volumes, you won't be disappointed by volume five. If you haven't read the first four volumes but enjoy beautiful art, beautiful story-telling, and can stomach high levels of violence and gore, then "Battle Angel Alia" is for you.

Wonderfully written, and beautiful artwork. Truly Yukito Kishiro is a master at his work. Not for the faint of heart though, for the book is gory and touches the inner reaches of the soul. As the series progesses, Alita must go through many challenges and question the human spirit. Kishiro is very intelligent and explains all the aspects of his work in scientific detail. A must-read for all anime lovers!

With the conclusion of the battle with Jashugan two years elapse in which Alita builds a different life entirely, as a musician at the Bar New Kansas. Even though she protests to Doc Ido that music and fighting have much in common, it is obvious that this time of peace and growth has been important to Alita. She has friends, things to do, and a sense of belonging that has eluded her before. It is a precious time, but one not destined to last.

Perhaps this manga should have been titled Angel's Karma. A moment in Alita's past, her shaming of Zapan that is coming back to haunt her. The hypersensitive hunter killer is unable to move beyond his hatred of Alita, and in a fit of rage accidentally kills his girlfriend. Now insane, carrying Sara's head around in a jar, Zapan is heading for Alita. She joins forces with Sara's father, and the two confront the killer and take him out. Kind of.

Reality, even manga reality, is too harsh to allow such a simple solution. A berserker body that Doc Ido discovered at the same time he found Alita has fallen into the hands of Desty Nova, a Tipharian like Doc, but a lunatic as well. Nova has decided to restore the shredded functions of Zapan's brain hand install him in the berserker. He has equally ugly plans for Ido and Alita finds herself facing a one-cyborg apocalypse.

This story is a tragedy with a grain of hope life a mustard seed held in its core. The fate of everything Alita cares about is at risk, and the beautiful cyborg is called on repeatedly to may incredible sacrifices. Ending Zapan will be, at best, a Pyrrhic victory, and Alita will gain a flash vision of a height that she may never be able to attain. And yet, almost within reach, is a promise of things to come.

The plot: A deranged ex-fighter Zapan from Alita's past hates Alitain a psychopathic way. When he sees Alita's picture on TV, as she competes in an athletic event, he has a fit of insane rage and accidentally kills his girlfriend. Two years later, Alita has found peace and a group of friend who she loves. She doesn't fight and works by playing music in bars which she enjoys. Zapan catches up with her and in defeated by Alita and other fighters... or so they think. A mad scientist/MD heals his brain and naturally it ends up in a powerful cyborg body. He is still out to get Alita and she fights to protect the city and people who have turned her out on account of the crazy cyborg that is out to kill anyone it meets and keeps inquiring after her.

The plot here is a strong point, particularly Alita's relationships with Ito's adopted children and with the community. Zapan's relationship with his girlfriend, told in flashbacks, also unfolds nicely. She saw good in everyone and is the only person who sees good in him. We are told that Zapan is Alita's karma and in a sense each of them takes the other's safehaven away. The ending has a message of hope despite the fact that Alita has everything (except one of her arms - she is a cyborg so loosing limbs doesn't kill her).

The art is all black and white and done in a realistic style. Layouts are well done and the story flows from frame to frame well. Lots of this book (like all books in the series) consists of fighting scenes. This would normally bother me, but in this case it didn't, mostly because there were little plot points in there revealed in visuals not dialog.

I recommend this book if it at all appeals to you. I hadn't read previous books in the series (well I had read the first book, but this is a few series later), but there was enough info for me to follow the plot. The drawback to the book is that the sequel to it is kind of blah. On the other hand most plot points are rounded up at the end of this book so it won't kill you to stop while you're ahead. This is also a good choice for public libraries because it is clean and holds together well.

This series is really something. Not only is it aesthetically beautiful, but it has a plot to match its artwork. (Ironic that the best volume of the series sports the ugliest cover. The original Japanese edition has a lovely drawing by the author, and I have no idea why it wasn't used in the English print) This book appeals to me most of all the series because of the remarkable battle scenes, the glimpse of Alita's happy, if not long-lived lifestyle at Bar Kansas, and for the tortured character of Zapan. Plus, this book introduces Desty Nova, who stays in the foreground for the rest of the books. Some other volumes of note, in my opinion, are numbers 8, 6, and 4.

Out of the Battle Angel series so far from what I've read *1-5*, this is one of my favorite graphic novels by Kishiro. I mean, it's a little violent here and there *ok... very violent* but it has an excellent storyline and character support. But I recommend any new readers to start on the 1st book or you'll have no idea where you're headed in the novels.

I have to say, volume 5 has the best story and action. Alita finally faces up to Zapan, and the action grows and grows until the entire scrapyard is at risk from Zapan's new Berserker Body (once Alita's).

Very gruesome and deranged as well; Zapan carries his girlfriend's head in a glass container, the girlfriend he killed after remembering Alita, and the ending is my favorite out of all of them =D

The quality that I got the book and the time it got to get all the way to Eygpt was... awsome.

This is one of the greatest books I have ever read in my life. It is one of the best works of Yukito Kishirow in my opinion. It is very powerful, thought provoking book wich you should get if you are even reading this.

Now that the fractured psyche brought on by Hugo's death has been healed by the truths she found on the Motorball circuit, Alita begins to enjoy life in "Angel of Redemption." It would seem that this is not for her though, as her past, which lives on despite the fading of memory, seeks to return the pain it suffered at her hands. Zapan, which as one character states, is Alita's karma, seeks her out demanding recompense for all the pain that seems to flow from her and into the lives of all that she touches. Handicapped with the loss of her father resulting from Zapan's retribution, she must now face Zapan and life alone. This confrontation reveals to Alita the reason and the source of the suffering that surrounds her.