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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great First Volume!, May 21, 2009
This review is from: Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, Vol. 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)
Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit is one of the newest series released by Viz Media. Revolving around the idea of an "Ikigami" a notification that is delivered to someone to tell them that they shall die in about 24 hours, Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit explores the ideology behind such an idea and the various responses that people may have when they receive this notification. The concept is initially mind blowing but in each of the two stories the suspense and anticipation for the clock to reach 0 hours makes the book a huge page turning event.
In more detail, the manga is split into two episodes, with each episode focusing on a different recipient of a Ikigami. The first episode presents the details of what the Ikigami is, the reasoning why the government chose to use them, and finally the method in which they are delivered. The additional storyline in this section follows the memories and final hours of a boy who could be considered a tormented failure. For the sake of not ruining the story, the next episode will be discussed. The second episode follows the main character along as he takes a tour of the facility in which the "nanocapsule that causes the death at the prescribed time" is created and disbursed. The initial explanation is quite detailed and complex, however, a conversation that summarizes the process was a welcome addition. The additional storyline in this episode explores the end of a nice friendship between two aspiring musicians and how one of them feels like he needs more chances to make it big. Deep down he has feelings of regret over splitting up with his friend. Needless to say one of them receives an Ikigami and the way in which he lives his final 24 hours is explored. The musician story is as equally suspenseful as the first one, however it has more of an unpredictable feeling to it.
The artwork is one of the highlights to Ikigami. For the serious nature of this story, the attention to detail in the design of the character's faces must be applauded. Facial expressions look quite realistic at times with wrinkles, facial muscles, and other marks present. Also, for the scenes in which the people receive their Ikigami, the full double page affairs are excellent. The method of shading works to heavily emphasize the feeling and nearly works to make the reader imagine if they, themselves, were receiving the Ikigami. I believe it works excellently to enhance the seriousness of each moment.
Ultimately, Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit is one of the newest series to be brought to the English Viz Media line and it will be worthwhile to see the future volumes. The story is a fresh concept for a manga series. Not only that, but it is also one of the most thoughtful and compelling stories that people will be acquainted with. Check it out and I hope you like it.
Pros
-Read in the traditional style, from right to left
-Great cover design
-Fresh concept for a manga series
-Modern-English sounding translation
-Excellent art design in panels helps to add life to the stories and enhances the reader/story connection
-Realistic
Con
-No bonuses (previews, afterword, etc)
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dark, gritty, realistic and good, May 27, 2009
This review is from: Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, Vol. 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)
Viz takes on new, darker territory with Motoro Mase's Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, Volume 1. In this chilling vision of the near future, Japan has become a bleak dystopian society filled with lazy, apathetic citizens who have lost any respect for hard work and for life. To counteract this, the government has instituted a rather odd program: in order to remind citizens about the value of life, one person is selected to die every day. The victim is given 24 hours of notice before they are killed by the mysterious injection capsules given to each citizen when they begin school. This notice is called an "ikigami," and it's Kengo Fujimoto's job to deliver these infamous "death notices" to victims.
This volume is separated into two "episodes" that chronicle two deliveries to different ikigami recipients and how these recipients live their final day.
In the first episode the world's concepts of death to appreciate life and prosperity and the ikigami itself is introduced. It's also hinted that the deaths are not as "random" as the government would like citizens to think. In the secondary story, the ikigami recipient deals with the trauma from his past, and decides to take revenge on those who wronged him.
In the second episode, the reader takes a tour of the plant where the deadly capsules are manufactured and learns the details behind their creation. Meanwhile, Kengo delivers an ikigami to an aspiring musician, who quickly regrets splitting up with an old friend over musical differences. This story is filled with twists and turns and delivers an amazingly suspenseful and thoroughly complex plot.
The artwork of Ikigami is one of the highlights of the manga. Rather than having exaggerated expressions or silly backgrounds, Ikigami embraces realism and gritty, detailed environments that compliment the story's overall feel perfectly. The shading here is absolutely extraordinary and the dialogue even feels natural in English, unlike many manga out there.
The concept is a very unique one for a manga, and tends to shun the archetypes associated with shojo and shonen manga. Ikigami moves into the world of thought provoking literature while giving readers a compelling ride. It's almost like a cross between the popular Death Note series and famous dystopian novels such as 1984 and Brave New World.
While the first volume barely scratches the concept's surface, it's a promising start to an exciting new series that will force readers to think a little harder about what they read - and what they would do if they discovered they only had 24 hours left to live.
Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Volume 1 feels like a warm-up for something great to come in the future. The concept has plenty of potential, and I eagerly look forward to the next installment in this innovative series.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gritty Title from VIZ, May 21, 2009
This review is from: Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, Vol. 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)
Ikigami feels like another overused plot line. But to my enjoyment it comes off as very different.
The main character actually takes a back seat to the event of the work - he mearly the catalyst that begins each story. The stories that unfold are very real and depict and interesting look into the human mind. The main focus is simply what would you do if you had 24 hours to live? A frightening question that may be easily answered as you sit at the computer reading this.
This isn't to say that the main character is completely off screen or has not character development. The events that he is invovled with behind the scenes are chilling. The whole government killing off its citizen a la Battle Royale vibe.
The art realistically drawn. A far cry from the standard cutesy art form that so many manga have. Plus Viz has offered the book is a larger format allowing you to fully view the small background details.
Viz has shown that it is coming back from it's eariler years when the Pulp line was still around. Ikigami is a gritty fresh manga from the standard shounen/shojo fanfare.
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