Black Cat, Volume 02

Black Cat [ブラックキャット] #2

by Kentaro Yabuki

Two years ago, Train, a high-level assassin known as Number XIII in Chronos, left the secret society to live by his own rules. Since then, Train has been a sweeper, a bounty hunter, catching criminals and bringing them in alive. But his main mission is to find a former Chronos member who killed his best friend.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Shonen, Action, Comics Manga

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 2003

About the author

Also known as 矢吹 健太朗.
He is a Japanese manga artist. His mentor was Takeshi Obata, the illustrator of Death Note, Hikaru no Go and Bakuman.
Yabuki is best known for his series Black Cat which ran from 2000 to 2004 in Weekly Shōnen Jump and later adapted into an anime. Since 2004, he has only been working as illustrator to works written by other authors. Most notably on the series To Love-Ru alongside his former assistant Saki Hasemi.

Reviews

[Marco Esteves · Rating 4 out of 5]

why am i loving this so much??

[Rena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is almost an entirely different story from the anime. I am still not sure which version I like better yet. Maybe I just like both of them. They each have their own ups and downs. Basically, Train wants to kill Creed because Creed murdered a friend of his. That story is just beginning to unfold. I like Eve. She is really sweet, and I hope we get to see more of her personality soon.

[I'mogén · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great sequel volume! As I predicted, one of the plots from last time made its way into this volume and was fleshed out really well. I enjoyed how that was handeled and loved getting to know Rins and Eve more.
The bigger plot, the one I expect to manipulate the whole series, has been developed futher, bringing into play Black Cat's nemesis! It was really cool to see how this new character affected him, and showed more of an insight to Chronos, the ever present threat.

Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén

[Shrek · Rating 2 out of 5]

slightly better than the first one but only plot-wise. this does give a bit of backstory but characters are still see thru

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up.

This volume "officially" introduces a fantasy element and the face of the opposing side. I can absolutely see this series as a wildly popular, early 2000s action-based anime - and now I have lost interest.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to put my finger on why I really like this series. I like Train's lackadaisical attitude and his relationship with Sven. Their partnership is respectful and knowing so I trust it already. Eve and Rinslet are two powerful girl characters on opposite sides of a spectrum, but both are likeable. I suppose it's just an all-round good team forming up and I want to see what they do!

[Francine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first volume, but still very enjoyable.

I like that the author clearly has some grand idea about what to do with his characters, so he can foreshadow with a passion.
At other times I feel like the pacing could be a bit better, especially when shifting perspective from Train to anyone else (Rins, Eve or Sven, mostly).

[Apatricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black cat it's my crush

[evofox]

another interesting volume which gave some indications over possible directions for the series.

this volume was fun. we had the introduction of a possible main villain group as well as thier leader who seem to have some interesting abilities between them, a portion of the main characters backstory and some interesting additions to the main cast. curious about some of the stuff revealed about the world in general and the organisation that seems to run at least a portion of it since from what has been revealed there are some kind of interesting bits that will be fun to get more information on. also the villains have a motive which ties in with an element that we have little information at this stage which means that thier role may change later on depending on how the series plays out.

overall a pretty good volume which helped show a possible direction for the seris and flesh a few main characters out. it will be interesting to see how the next few volumes play out.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our roster of characters grows as we now have some antagonists to go against Train- Creed, and his gang of followers! This second arc gives us more backstory on why Train became a sweeper and gives Creed's forces a motivation to want to fight him. We also get some 'tao' powers which are basically superpowers and they're either going to be the primary power system of the manga, or an evil tool just for the villains. I'm not sure which. I like our characters, especially how dopey and silly they are, but I wish there was something more unique about them. Maybe next volume we'll get more info on Train's backstory since there's obviously a lot to unpack there.

[Draconian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved reading this one!

The story picks up pace and adds Eve as a new member to the duo. Train's backstory takes the major spotlight in this volume and it grips your attention. Creed shows up as a proper antagonist and the story sets up his motives albeit it looks weak at best. The story also starts including some fantasy elements that for now feel out of place and a bit forced. Overall, this is a decent launchpad for future issues to build up on.

The side characters are a bit too bare bones right now to be of any significance to the plot line.

Interesting one time read, read it for the plot development and the comedic duo.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Cat V.2 benefits from some expanded world-building, moving into the realm of a soft magic system that ups the intensity of the battles - particularly the one that rounds out the volume. Some pieces still feel supplementary (most of the side cast), but not enough to harm the overall volume's enjoyment.

[Thomas Wickinghoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate it so much how the characters awkwardly have to explain situations and pasts to the reader and the author really thinks it feels natural.
Well, introducing the typical antagonist group (Naruto, Hunter x Hunter, etc. etc. ...) and still no-one really stands out in case of likeability, coolness or anything really.
The action was alright, but it really is not my cup of tea.

[Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

The manga is 10000% better than the anime (to me at least). I absolutely despise reading on ereaders or apps but I did it just so I could read this series. I love train and Sven and eve, give it a try anime lovers. :3

[Litwithlove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volume #2 is as good as the first one. So it's good enough to keep reading the series as I own the first 9 volumes, but maybe not good enough to seek out anything past that. I can see my curiosity getting the better of me though.

[Sedna Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected.

[6530b · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but this volume especially is dated by the tropes used in it...

[Therese · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this volume we learn a little about Train's past. Sven and Eve are adorable!

[em · Rating 3 out of 5]

guess sven is a father now :)

[Shin Donghae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kehadiran Creed memberikan nuansa petualangan khas ala2 shonen manga dan semangat jump mulai terlihat.
Black cat pun mulai menunjukkan diri sebagai salah satu manga yang populer.

[read.withlauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Nanang Stiawan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sangat menarik melihat Train yg memasuki mode kucing liar.

Klo lihat Creed ini dia membentuk tim yg isinya orang2 kuat mengingatkanku pada Chrollo Lucifer.
Aura villain kerasa bgt.

[Aqua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rereading this series after watching Cowboy Bebop makes it feel a little too copycat... Oh well it's still enjoyable.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eve!
Creed!
Oh man, what a bunch of psychopaths all on the same page. I’m oddly reminded of the Phantom Troupe/Shadow Beasts from Hunter X Hunter. Keep em comin!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book with action and a secret backstory

[Vishal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing development.
Good fight scenes.

[Ace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Train left underground organization Chronos to live his life on his own terms - two years later, he's working with his partner Sven as a sweeper. The action scenes are well-choreographed, the art is good, and the plot is easy to follow and (mostly) believable. I love stories about assassins, and I like how Train's past is only hinted it; the readers are given enough info to keep them wondering -- a few tidbits here, a little more there. It's great suspense!

I like relationship forming between Sven and Eve - Sven needed a little more character depth and this is a good way to provide it (though it's a bit cliche). Other females, such as Rinslet, still aren't treated with much depth, and the covers really seem to be sexualizing these ladies. Not a good thing. Train's childishness is managed a bit better this volume; he seems like an adult who puts up a lackadaisical front, as opposed to a childish character. This is a good progression.

That aside, the plot is interesting and there's a good mix of action scenes and dialogue - not too much of one or the other. Woohoo!

[Fudz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Akhirnya penjahat bernama Dorneo berhasil dikalahkan. Dorneo pun mengungkit nama Creed, yang dulu pernah menjadi partner Train. Ingatan Train pun di bawa kembali ke masa lalunya yang kelam. Creed adalah partner Train yang dulu pernah membunuh orang yang disayanginya, Minatsuki Saya. Creed mengumpulkan orang-orang dengan kemampuan khusus untuk menjadi pengikutnya dan menguasai dunia. Rinslet pun tak luput menjadi sandera, supaya Train mau bertemu dengannya. Pertarungan antara Train dengan Creed pun terjadi, meski Train harus mengorbankan tangannya terpotong. Tetapi Creed sementara berhasil dikalahkan. Train pingsan dan jatuh bersama Rinslet setelah pertarungan tersebut. Di komik ini, ditampilkan tokoh-tokoh para anggota Apostle of Star, organisasi bentukan Creed. Salah satunya, Kyoko yang memiliki kemampuan mengendalikan api dan menyemburkannya dari mulut. Kyoko juga sangat mengidolakan Train.

[kuristina- tabreez · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Train Heartnet and his partner, Sven Vollified, successfully reclaim Eve (but unsuccessfully claim their bounty money) Creed, the man from Train's past who had also killed his best friend, shows up and kidnaps another female friend of Train's, using her as bait. Creed attempts to recruit Train into his haphazard organization of rebels against Chronos, but all that Train sees is a chance for vengeance. But Creed has changed. His powers are much stronger than before. Will Train be able to exact revenge on Saya's death and defeat Creed, or has Creed already become a God?


Ugh. Ung... Okay, okay... The manga is really good, ..I guess... I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't watched the (amazing) anime first... and also if I wasn't already EXTREMELY FUCKED PISSED OFF!!!!!!!!! while reading it. Doubt I'll remember any of it since I've been kept up late two nights in a row by people yapping, then surrounded by super FUCKING ANNOYING NOISES when I am trying to read. -.-

[Sevairi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, this review comes after rereading this volume. Just a fair warning, a few of my next manga reviews will all be after rereading. I'm continuing many of these series's from hen I read them in high school, and it's been many years since I've read them.


Anyways! Train and Sven appear to be a good team. I like that each of the characters in this series are strong, but still have room to grow an have not-so-perfect pasts (or so it appears). I really like the new bond between Sven and Eve as well. Sven's such a gentleman.


I also really love that it's the second volume and we're already doing some mad plot-diving. I love it. Keep that plot line coming!