20th Century Boys: The Perfect Edition, Vol. 4

20th Century Boys Kanzenban #4

by Naoki Urasawa

A deluxe bind-up edition of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning epic of doomsday cults, giant robots and a group of friends trying to save the world from destruction!

Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren’t for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. This is the story of a group of boys who try to save the world.

In the middle of the Tokyo Bay, a man known as Shogun has escaped from Umihotaru Prison, a place feared by criminals and convicts as an inescapable iron fort, in order to save the world. He heads off to Tokyo, the city where the girl known as “the Last Hope” lives. But the streets of Tokyo are in turmoil after a murder in Chinatown triggers a chain reaction of terror. The time has come for the false peace created by the Friend to be exposed. What is the truth behind the historic disaster on the last day of 20th century?

Genres: Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels, Seinen, Science Fiction, Comics Manga, Mystery

424 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2016

About the author

Urasawa Naoki (浦沢直樹) is a Japanese mangaka. He is perhaps best known for Monster (which drew praise from Junot Díaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner) and 20th Century Boys.

Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.

Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing

Reviews

[Artemy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So... this was kind of a return to form. I wasn't happy with the developments of the previous book, but this one managed to change my mind back, and I'm starting to enjoy all of the jumping around, twisting and flipping of the whole concept once again. The jailbreak plotline gets wrapped up mercifully quickly, then we get an extended flashback that finally sorta kinda explains what happened in the big showdown on the new year's eve 14 years ago, and then another new plotline gets introduced, together with a new character — a schoolgirl who raises some doubts about the Friendship party and gets sent in a brainwashing camp. I liked this storyline and the reintroduction of the older ones, though I was kinda disappointed that the grown-up Kanna and the young detective from the previous book were barely in this volume.

Reading this volume I've been thinking that this series is so very Lost (the TV show). I can see a lot of 20th Century Boys DNA in Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse's creation, and although I think Lost did a better job with a very similar balls-to-the-wall, no idea is left unexplored, anything goes-type storytelling and structure, I absolutely admire Urasawa's boldness with his choices in this book, as well. Its scale is so vast at this point that it's impossible to easily summarise, and you really don't know what to expect with every new chapter. And while not every choice lands perfectly and smoothly, it all contributes to the unique feel and style of the book, creating a one of a kind reading experience. I'm glad I decided to stick with the series after the disappointment of the previous volume, and can't wait to see what's coming in the next one.

[Whitney Jamimah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS STORY!!!!!

I want all of it right now! I’ve been on the edge of my seat for 2 books straight. I am so attached to the characters in all their stages of life.

Guys, I think 20th Century Boys is going to be my favorite manga….but Goodnight Pun Pun though….idk. I can say for certain that I love this story and that’s what I know.

[nica · Rating 5 out of 5]

come avete osato farlo finire in questo modo… come pretendete che arrivi a domani senza sapere come vada avanti??

una delle letture migliori di quest’anno, veramente meraviglioso

[erigibbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sono l’unica scema che è andata indietro a guardare le scarpe di tutti per cercare di capire chi si nasconde sotto lo schiacciapioggia?
Voglio sapere chi è l’amicoooo 😩😩😩

Poi magari scopro che è uno che in questi 4 volumi non ho mai visto 😂🫠

[Izabela Noga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tęsknię za Kenjim...

[Des Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm finally caught up to the perfect editions, and will be waiting in HELL between volume releases. But I'm going to be a good lad, and not spoil things for myself, because this has been such an incredible thrill ride.

This volume bounces us around a bit, filling in the blanks of Bloody New Years Eve. All of the different perspectives are great for both world building and story telling, as little details start to connect, engaging my mind in a way very little literature manages to. Urasawa is impressive as hell, as we dive into some more sci-fi, dystopian work.

My only complaint is that I didn't get any Kanna over several chapters. But the scope is so big here that I know and trust the intentions of Urasawa to play it out over the long game.

WHAT A CLIFFHANGER THOUGH I AM FURIOUS.

[Tabatha Slatton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an incredible series. I’m over here on the edge of my seat. I NEED to know who The Friend is and everything that lead up to where we are. This is such a great example of multiple points in time really working in a story.

[Facundo Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leerlo de corrido es muy epico

[Emi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pocos libros o cómics consiguen que me enganche de esta manera. Me encanta como se va desarrollando la trama sin perder para nada el interés, al contrario, cada vez tienes más ganas de saber cómo sigue.

En este volumen Otcho consigue escapar de la cárcel y una compañera de colegio de Kanna decide hacer un trabajo de clase sobre la "Nochevieja sangientra de 2000". La pobre no sabe en el lío en el que se ha metido porque la llevan a un campamento de "Amigo", a Amigoland.

Por fin descubrimos lo que ocurrió en la Nochevieja sangrienta y a través de lo que ocurre en Amigoland conocemos más de los acontecimientos de la infancia de los chicos.

Una lectura de morderse las uñas!

[Yone · Rating 5 out of 5]

De verdad... siempre digo lo mismo pero es muy heavy lo de estos mangas... siempre me dejan en shock.
Necesito el siguiente.

[Doc · Rating 5 out of 5]

History is written by the winners.

It's the great escape as Shogun and his manga artist ally escape from the Alcatraz type island controlled by Friend interest. We also get to meet student Koizumi who is not the best of students and caught off guard by her teacher asking her for a Japanese history report subject ends up choosing Kenji at random to avoid her teacher's wrath. With potentially missing her favorite band's performances coming up she seeks out easy answers but is awakened to the how the "truth" is not very consistent. Lucky her the Friends found out she is interested in the Bloody New Year even and are more then glad to bring her to their camp to (re)educate her. This series continues to excite and freak me out as an all too possible scenario continues to be exposed when one man/organization is given to much power. I also like how they keep referencing the past whether through recollection or virtual reality tech. :)

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

93%

Aww yeah I’m really loving this series now. The pacing for this volume was really good, and I like all of the main gang and even the new character introduced in this volume. I think maybe for the previous volume I just wasn’t super interested in Kanna’s escapades, so if her and the cop return in the next volume or so I hope their plotline is a bit more engaging.

Kenji’s a great character though, he’s my favourite for sure. Hope my boy can come back soon😤 ik he will it’s just a matter of when, not if.

[Chrissy Garwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book introduced new characters and added new depth to the ongoing saga. I read it quickly, in a single sitting, which helped me keep up with the fast action. I had also remembered to read from right to left, so I'm becoming better at reading this style of book. The characters are engaging and the situations that they find themselves in provide lots of challenges. I look forward to enjoying the next instalment

[poesielos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich hatte gehofft, dass man mehr von Shogun und Kanna zu sehen bekommt - der Plot in Friend Land ist zwar auch interessant, aber nicht soooo interessant, das ich gerne ~2/3 dieses Volumes damit verbracht hätte. Mittlerweile frage ich mich auch, wann wir endlich die Identität des Freundes erfahren... das ist ja fast noch schlimmer/besser gestreckt als das Auftreten von Johann in Monster!

[Nelliamoci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Praticamente questo numero è stato scritto per essere divorato senza mai fermarsi.
Questi primi 4 numeri sono incredibili, l’attenzione non cala mai e gli eventi si susseguono alla velocità della luce senza mai perdersi.
Bellissimo!

[Clemence Rioul · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai beaucoup aimé ce quatrième tome. Nous nous approchons de plus en plus des événements du bain de sang de l'an 2000 et de l'identité d'ami. J'ai aimé découvrir jusqu'où va la réécriture de l'histoire par le gouvernement. J'ai hâte de lire la suite et découvrir comment les organisateurs d'ami-land et d'ami-world vont faire pour continuer à retourner le cerveau des jeunes dans l'adhérence à leur parti.

[Oliver Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first half of this installment seems like the sort of plot padding that the tighter Pluto avoided, but the shift to “Friendland” constitutes a genuinely interesting departure that got me to buy back in. At this point, I’m unsure if this story can support seven more 425-page volumes, but we shall see.

[Sarah Schanze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely some story developments here that I didn't expect, even some new characters introduced that I already love.

[David Codd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continues to be excellently suspenseful.

My copy did have a chunk of 25-30 pages flipped upside-down/backwards towards the end

[Sarah Aubert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still really enjoying my time with this one. The dual narrative is fun and I really like the new characters. Can't wait to continue!

[Taylor Rabbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Pranta Dastider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great as ever.

[Francesca]

Sempre bello leggere Urasawa.

[Nathan Rakaczky · Rating 5 out of 5]

It pulled me back in!

[Puzzlekoob_Giadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ora si sta facendo veramente veramente interessante… non vedo l’ora di proseguire!!!

[Zoé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, showstopper, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before

[Christos Bekos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of action and great switch between periods!

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

SO YOU HATE ME HUH.

[Kazuri Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 we're back on track and I love it!!! I see now that the time skip was necessary to establish new characters.

[Jeff]

I gotta keep reading!