Customer Reviews

Dragon Head, Vol. 3

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Well, for a while now I was aware of the 'Dragon Head' Manga title and actually read both volume one and two at the local bookstore. My first thoughts about the first volume was that it was captivating and thrilling. It left a good first impression and by the time I flipped the last page, I wanted more. After a while, volume two was released in English and I quickly read that too. The result? Same thing, but it was making progress. Then, I checked out the Anime/Manga store and I found volume three. I ended up buying volume one, two and three at the same time and immediately finished reading volume three. It was exciting to say the least. The main characters Teru and Seto finally make it outside of the tunnel to the surface where everything is abandoned and no one is around. It's still a mystery as to what actually happened. Many questions are raised here. Is it a nuclear war? A meteor? Some unknown entity? The volume ends as a cliffhanger and the way it was done was great. It builds the right amount of suspense and the realistic possibilities that are all-too frightening in a situation as intense as this. I think it's definitely a good read if you like the post-apocalyptic type thrillers.

Minetaro Mochizuki, Dragon Head vol. 3 (Tokyopop, 1996)

Dragon Head continues on its odd way. We pick up exactly where we left off; the tunnel is collapsing. Teru and Ako manage to escape into the sewer tunnel Teru found, but Nobuo ran off in a different direction, and may well not have survived the collapse. When Teru and Ako finally get out into the world, however, Teru's worst fears are confirmed, but that shock of it is blunted by the mystery of a moving shadow Teru and Ako see sporadically; could there be other people? Still bummed out that Mochizuki has traded in the horror angle for something that's more obviously a sci-fi tale, but the tale itself is a fine one so far. *** ½

Volume #3 of Minetaro Mochizuki's "Dragon Head" really drives the narrative forward as Teru and Ako finally make their way out of the underground train tunnel and discovers the devastation of the world above them. The mystery deepens as readers are left to wonder the backstory on what caused the seeming utter destruction of Japan. As a post-apocalyptic tale 'Dragon Head,' still manages to captivate and I eagerly look forward to vol. 4. Give this series a chance if you are interested in such post-apocalypse fare. The art is excellent and the story telling is superb. Very much to like here!