Customer Reviews

Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 2: Tears of an Angel

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Alita, a resurrected android girl-turned bounty hunter, falls in love with Hugo, a boy whose greatest dream is to leave the dreary Scrapyard and live in the floating utopian city Tiphares above. He's willing to do anything to buy his way into it, which puts him on the wrong side of the law, and up against Alita. Since he's not evil, just misguided, Alita tries to convince him of another way, while at the same time confronts her own humanity (or lack thereof) and struggles with the question of "how IS right and wrong defined in this savage world?" How far will Alita go for Hugo? Will Hugo even notice her interest in him? How does the serial killer Zapan fit in to all of this? Read the book, before I ask any more soap opera-like questions!!!!

This book would get 5 stars, but I found the ultraviolence to be a turnoff (and sorta unnecessary), and skimmed those parts. But the rest, from the tortured romance, to the musings on humanity, to the humor, is BEAUTIFULLY told by the terribly underrated Yukito Kishiro.

In this second poignant volume of Battle Angel Alita, Alita falls in love with a young street urchin named Hugo. Hugo's dream is to make enough money to move to Tiphares, the mid-air city where all your dreams can come true. Unknown to Alita, Hugo is making his money by assaulting and stealing body parts from cyborgs, a crime punishable by death. A character from the first volume, Zapan, who was humiliated by Alita, finds out about Alita's feelings for Hugo and begins to conspire a plot that will destroy Alita's heart. Will Alita's next bounty be Hugo?

This manga was fantastic. While I compared Battle Angel Alita to Ghost in the Shell in my review of the first volume, there really isn't a comparison. Alita operates in a more savage world, where laws don't function unless bounty hunters enforce them. It is a place where your fellow man will let you die on the street without lifting a finger. It's such a horrible world that Alita's love stands out in even starker contrast to the evil that surrounds her. Yes, there are scenes of "ultra-violence" but what makes that different from our world? The thing I like about Alita is that there are horrible scenes of graphic violence but there are also scenes of philosophic thought and tenderness. Just like real life. Horrible beauty.

As is true of almost any tale of cyborgs the question of the difference between mechanical consciousness and mechanized humanity is one of the driving forces behind the Battle Angel Alita series. At what point does a combination or brain, spinal column and hardware gain or lose its human nature. In this second stanza in the series, Alita, who was brought back to life in the first volume, re-finds her capacity for love when she meets Hugo, a human boy. Hugo's goal is to make his way from the traps of the Scrapheap to the upper city of Tiphares.

Hugo and Alita seem made for each other, despite the gulf of artificiality that separates them. But Hugo, despite being a complete human is willing to steal the spines out of their original possessors if it brings him closer to the day he can go to Tiphares. This gruesome sideline, and the ghouls he works for gradually eat away at his own humanity until it is clear that he and Alita are really going in opposite directions. Alita will discover her spirit as Hugo gradually loses his soul.

In the meantime, we get a close introduction to the grim nature of life below the city in the sky. Hunter Killers take heads for bounty, people feed on scraps while anything good is sent to Tiphares, and black market ops farm the neighbors for profit. For such as Hugo and Alita there is really no escape, only a dark struggle that can only lead to insanity and death if the dreamer refuses to waken.

Balancing what is almost a post-apocalyptic vision, is Yukito Kishiro's wonderful artwork. He has the same eye for detail that made 'Ghost in the Shell' such a compelling spectacle. The cover art made me wish, for the second time that this series had made it as a feature film or OAV series. If you have been feeling drawn deeper into the world of manga, Alita is a great introduction to Japanese science fiction.

If "Battle Angel Alita" merely introduced us to the amazing cyber world of Yukito Kishiro, then "Battle Angel Alita: Tears of an Angel" builds upon that world and, more than likely, sets in motion the plot.

After her victory over the all-powerful "King of the Maggots" in the first manga volume, Alita now faces her toughest challenge yet: love. Yes, love. While that phrase usually sounds cliched, it applies perfectly in this second manga volume. Alita has it tough to begin with, but when things start to spiral down even further, she must make a choice that could end up destroying her.

Like before, the artwork is beautiful and very detailed. And, like before, "Tears of an Angel" is riddled with violence and blood and gore that sticks it in the section of mature readers who have very strong stomahchs. The story is a superb, miniature masterpiece, and it undoubtedly adds to the internal conflict of Alita trying to find her identity.

This second volume is also featured in the "Gunnm" two episode OVA anime series ("Gunnm" is the original name of the "Battle Angel Alita" series.) Like before, I advise you to read the manga before watching the series, as comparisons will most likely decrease the enjoyment of the manga. But with that said, enjoy "Tears of an Angel". Along with the first volume, the second volume is a superb triumph.

This book has a intriging story line with alot of action. The story is in-depth and emotional. This book is highly reccommended to everyone that likes manga!

The sweet Alita is a hunter-warrior and now finds herself in love with Hugo. It seems Hugo would do anything to get into Tiphares. He plans to buy his way into the city in the sky. He does whatever needs to be done to get the money, which puts a price on his head. The ever honest Alita finds that the love of her life isnow one of her prey. Apparently, Alita has made some enemies among the other hunter-warriors, such as Zapan (Alita apparently insulted him in a bar fight in the first graphic novel: Battle Angel Alita). What becomes of hugo, her love and now her prey? And how is Zapan tied into this? It's all in this book! Enjoy!

In the second volume, Alita has by now shown the strength neccessary to survive in the Scrapyard. But upon meeting a boy by the name of Hugo, she finds her fighting skills are nothing in the face of matters of the heart. Enamored with this boy, Alita soon finds herself on the wrong side of justice with him. Alita must decide whether to follow her heart and Hugo, or to do what is right. In this volume, Alita finds, holds, and loses her first love. Find out how this changes her and sets her upon the road to becoming the hard, cybernetic woman of the later volumes.

This is the best manga i`v ever read! It is so much better than the movie. It was a bit sad what happened to hugo! I feel so sorry for Alita! Anyways It (just like the rest of the battle angel comics) Is a must have for all anime/manga fans! it has the best story and art i`v ever seen! Yukito Kishiro is a genius!

Battle Angel Alita is a fantastic manga, not just for the action scenes (which are very well done) nor for the rich supporting characters (of which there are many) but because Kishiro is willing to take chances and to do very unpleasant things to likable characters.

In this volume our young heroine experiences her first love, with a grifter named Hugo. But Hugo has a dream to escape the scrapyard and live in Tiphares, the city in the clouds.

When stripped of its cyberpunk trappings this is still a very moving story of young love and how it blinds people to obvious truths. It is frankly one of the best books in this excellent series.

Tears Of An Angel shows another side of Alita that you don't get to see in the first graphic novel. The cyborg "Battle Angel" is in love. However, the person she's in love with lives a dangerous life. The ending may or may not suprise you. It's basically a sad love story. Tears Of An Angel is a great and I hope you enjoy it.