B. Ichi, Vol. 1

B壱 [B. Ichi] #1

by Atsushi Ohkubo

Most humans use only a small percentage of their brainpower, but a certain group of people called 'dokeshi' can use a greater percent of their brain to unleash special powers, given one condition...For dokeshi Shotaro, that condition is doing one good deed a day. In exchange, he has the ability to use the powers of any animal by biting its bones. When Mana meets Shotaro on her travels, she expects nothing but trouble from the childish, ignorant boy-until he takes off into the sky like a bird. Mana may be impressed, but dokeshi are viewed as freaks by most of the population. And with the governor missing, all dokeshi are under suspicion. Ever-opitimistic Shotaro refuses to be discouraged and journeys on with Mana in the name of Justice!

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

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 22, 2002

About the author

OHKUBO Atsushi

Atsushi Ōkubo ( 大久保篤), also romanized as Atsushi Ohkubo, is a Japanese manga author and fantasy artist known for his work on the manga series Soul Eater, which has been adapted into an anime. Okubo worked as an assistant under Rando Ayamine, on the manga series Get Backers. He also created artwork for various cards for the Lord of Vermillion game.

Atsushi Ōkubo was not a model student and was more attracted to drawing than to learning. At the age of 20, after finishing studies at a manga school where he met Rando Ayamine, the author of Get Backers, he became Rando Ayamine's assistant for two years. Finally, he won a competition at Square Enix's Gangan magazine with his first manga series B.Ichi and it was published for four volumes. After the end of his last manga, he created Soul Eater, still for Square Enix's Gangan magazine, which brought him worldwide success.

Reviews

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of the conventions used to move the story along in B. Ichi are familiar but based on how much how well they were executed and how the characters were fleshed out in Soul Eater, I'm looking forward to reading Book Two and more. I wrote a longer review here: http://cranialgunk.com/blog/2013/09/1...

[Takashi Sakai · Rating 3 out of 5]

・一善終了
・武器はどんなに苦労を重ねてうまく作ろうが結果はただ一つ・・・人が死ぬだけだ・・・

道化師という特異能力に目覚めた故に制約に縛られる者たちのバトル漫画．
いかれた感じが良い感じの漫画．

[G∞p · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unlike Ohkubo’s other works, B.Ichi is a bit of a letdown, though understandably so as it was his first endeavor. Where his art usually directs a cohesive story, here it is just as disjointed and muddy as the plot, blending into the rest of the era- which is so unsual for this author.
I will be checking out the other three volumes, out of curiosity to see where this goes.

[Zian B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This manga was unique to say the least. While I was enjoying what I was reading, I also wasn’t sure what was happening half of the time. I’m a big fan of Ohkubo’s other work though, so I’ll read the rest of this short series.

[Kurtis Burkhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This manga was pretty dull, the artwork and characters were great but the story was a train wreck 😂😴😁❤️

[David Doel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this -- some action, some humor and some slightly strange art. Not a masterpiece, but better than a lot of other manga I read.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very odd mix of being totally unique and off the wall in some respects and yet still not quite rising above the cliches it employs.

Review: https://derailmentsofthought.wordpres...

[Rochelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it interesting but not really enough to keep me buying it.

[Melissa Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author, I read this series in one setting. I also love the crazy art. One of my favor writer.

[Arthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

im glad to know according to reviews this story gets better as well