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サンクチュアリ [Sanctuary] #1
Sanctuary, Vol. 1
As children, Akira Hojo and Chiaki Asami survived the horrors of the killing fields of Cambodia. Now young men, they vow to transform the destiny of Japan, by any means necessary. In this, the sixth volume of the erotically charged saga of political corruption, Asami and Hojo face life-threatening challenges in their respective rises to the top of the Japanese parliament and the yakuza crime syndicate. Meanwhile, a yakuza crime war is brewing and the police are hot on Hojo's trail.
344 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 1990
8 people are currently reading
573 people want to read
About the author
Ryōichi Ikegami
290 books28 followersRyōichi Ikegami (池上遼一) is a manga artist. He was assistant to manga artist Shigeru Mizuki in 1966. In 2001, he won the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga as the artist of Heat. He became a professor at Osaka University of Arts in 2005.
Ikegami has worked on several popular series, such as Mai, the Psychic Girl with writer Kazuya Kudo, Crying Freeman, with writer Kazuo Koike, as well as Sanctuary and Heat with writer Sho Fumimura. He also wrote and drew Spider-Man: The Manga, a manga version of Spider-Man and collaborated with Garon Tsuchiya for the manga BOX (BOX 暗い箱). His most recent work is Lord currently serialized in Big Comic Superior.
Ikegami has worked on several popular series, such as Mai, the Psychic Girl with writer Kazuya Kudo, Crying Freeman, with writer Kazuo Koike, as well as Sanctuary and Heat with writer Sho Fumimura. He also wrote and drew Spider-Man: The Manga, a manga version of Spider-Man and collaborated with Garon Tsuchiya for the manga BOX (BOX 暗い箱). His most recent work is Lord currently serialized in Big Comic Superior.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 27, 2021
I started reading this series when it was originally released by Viz in the early 90’s. Distribution in France not being then what it is now I never got to finish it. Imagine my frustation...
Well, 25 years later I seem to enjoy it as much as back then. A noir and realist take on the world of yakuzas and aged and corrupt politicians and how two young upstarts intend to shake it all up from the inside.
The book is not without default: Hojo and Asami are waaaay too charismatic, Tokai is waaaay too old school and crazy, the dons and politicians are waaaaay too slimy (though this is opened to debate). The female police officer is a bit caricatural and her way to approach Hojo is as stupid as it is off-procedure. Her assistant is actually much more cunning and interesting though totally underplayed.
The book is sexually charged (for no particular reason, really) and, whitened or blackened up, some scenes are very explicit so be warned.
Still, I read this first volume in one sitting, again awed with Ikegami’s wonderful use of the brush (which sometimes clashes with hyper realist settings to be honest) and Fumimura’s crime (and politically charged) plot.
Well, 25 years later I seem to enjoy it as much as back then. A noir and realist take on the world of yakuzas and aged and corrupt politicians and how two young upstarts intend to shake it all up from the inside.
The book is not without default: Hojo and Asami are waaaay too charismatic, Tokai is waaaay too old school and crazy, the dons and politicians are waaaaay too slimy (though this is opened to debate). The female police officer is a bit caricatural and her way to approach Hojo is as stupid as it is off-procedure. Her assistant is actually much more cunning and interesting though totally underplayed.
The book is sexually charged (for no particular reason, really) and, whitened or blackened up, some scenes are very explicit so be warned.
Still, I read this first volume in one sitting, again awed with Ikegami’s wonderful use of the brush (which sometimes clashes with hyper realist settings to be honest) and Fumimura’s crime (and politically charged) plot.
July 14, 2017
How long can a shallow story, about determination and manliness keep a thinking fan's interest?
Well, this particular shallow story can keep it up its whole length of 108 chapters.
It is a story about two young boys who, after surviving the horrors of Cambodia war and its aftermath, return to Japan, deem it unworthy of their ideals, and decide to “conquer” it.
The hellish conditions the two boys survived account for the forging of their iron will, but not for the charisma and their suaveness. And the mangaka emphasizes that aspect of them the most. Also their motivation for rising to the top is a bit rickety; they hated the image of Japan they witnessed after they returned from Cambodia: Listless Japanese living niche lives, so they decide to rule the worlds of politics and Yakuza in order to recreate Japan in their own, hard-boiled image. It is not a bad premise, but it can not rid itself completely from the smell of cheese.
So the story foundations are shaky, but we can easily let it slide, since most of the time Sanctuary reads like Jojo with suits; the characters are making cool poses in their cool clothes while spewing manly one-liners. That art directions should not come as a surprise since the story is written by the father of posing, Yoshiyuki Okamura, AKA Buronson, the man who made Hokuto no Ken.
Additionally, the story manages to maintain its grip on our interest by alternating between the escapades of Akira, who tries to become a Yakuza boss, and Asami, who tries to become the Prime Minister of Japan. Of course, their aggressive pursuit of the top provides an abundance of adversaries; champions of the establishment, or ambitious hot-shots like them, who manage to test their mettle in a variety of situations.
At this point you have a good idea about how the manga reads. The “battles” have enough blood and intrigue to ensure entertainment, but as the manga progresses the realism factor drops. That lack of realism becomes annoying during the end of the manga, when the plans of our two debonair boys grow in scale and reach macroeconomic levels and the resolution of the conflicts becomes more and more far-fetched.
In general, the flashy package that is Sanctuary manages to hide its shallowness pretty well, aided by the spectacular drawings of Ryoichi Ikegami, and delivers an entertaining story, which has its thought-provoking and inspirational moments. If you ever enjoyed one Shounen work, you will find something here for you. 7.0/10.
Well, this particular shallow story can keep it up its whole length of 108 chapters.
It is a story about two young boys who, after surviving the horrors of Cambodia war and its aftermath, return to Japan, deem it unworthy of their ideals, and decide to “conquer” it.
The hellish conditions the two boys survived account for the forging of their iron will, but not for the charisma and their suaveness. And the mangaka emphasizes that aspect of them the most. Also their motivation for rising to the top is a bit rickety; they hated the image of Japan they witnessed after they returned from Cambodia: Listless Japanese living niche lives, so they decide to rule the worlds of politics and Yakuza in order to recreate Japan in their own, hard-boiled image. It is not a bad premise, but it can not rid itself completely from the smell of cheese.
So the story foundations are shaky, but we can easily let it slide, since most of the time Sanctuary reads like Jojo with suits; the characters are making cool poses in their cool clothes while spewing manly one-liners. That art directions should not come as a surprise since the story is written by the father of posing, Yoshiyuki Okamura, AKA Buronson, the man who made Hokuto no Ken.
Additionally, the story manages to maintain its grip on our interest by alternating between the escapades of Akira, who tries to become a Yakuza boss, and Asami, who tries to become the Prime Minister of Japan. Of course, their aggressive pursuit of the top provides an abundance of adversaries; champions of the establishment, or ambitious hot-shots like them, who manage to test their mettle in a variety of situations.
At this point you have a good idea about how the manga reads. The “battles” have enough blood and intrigue to ensure entertainment, but as the manga progresses the realism factor drops. That lack of realism becomes annoying during the end of the manga, when the plans of our two debonair boys grow in scale and reach macroeconomic levels and the resolution of the conflicts becomes more and more far-fetched.
In general, the flashy package that is Sanctuary manages to hide its shallowness pretty well, aided by the spectacular drawings of Ryoichi Ikegami, and delivers an entertaining story, which has its thought-provoking and inspirational moments. If you ever enjoyed one Shounen work, you will find something here for you. 7.0/10.
January 17, 2013
Great theme about mafia and politics. The Story started with a bang but was slow/drag by the end of it. The plots were very clever and well thought of at time and outright silly and gross other-times.The Art is superb,Characters are powerful and real.
Read
June 4, 2025review in progress
does it pass the Becdal test? I don't think it does. very male gazy,
gorgeous cityscapes, skylines, parking garages, gardens, apartments.
a fascistic fixation with heroes, youth, finance capital, indifference to pain, rape, acute unpersonization of women, fast cars, humiliation, redemption orcestrated by an older brother or occasionally father figure, disgust with age and the elderly not remaining in their place.
does it pass the Becdal test? I don't think it does. very male gazy,
gorgeous cityscapes, skylines, parking garages, gardens, apartments.
a fascistic fixation with heroes, youth, finance capital, indifference to pain, rape, acute unpersonization of women, fast cars, humiliation, redemption orcestrated by an older brother or occasionally father figure, disgust with age and the elderly not remaining in their place.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2024
3.8/5
Solid start to the series. Buronson sets up the opening threads without much subtlety but with plenty of sincerity, and Ikegami's artwork carries it a step beyond your average crime manga with his stellar artwork. A fair bit happens here, and we get our first glimpse into how cunning our two protagonists are, using their brains rather than brute force to achieve their goals. Still a violent manga with plenty of nudity and sexual content thrown in, as one comes to expect from a crime story by these two collaborators. At least one female character here shows promise, which is more than I can say for Strain, another of their collaborations.
We'll see how this goes.
Solid start to the series. Buronson sets up the opening threads without much subtlety but with plenty of sincerity, and Ikegami's artwork carries it a step beyond your average crime manga with his stellar artwork. A fair bit happens here, and we get our first glimpse into how cunning our two protagonists are, using their brains rather than brute force to achieve their goals. Still a violent manga with plenty of nudity and sexual content thrown in, as one comes to expect from a crime story by these two collaborators. At least one female character here shows promise, which is more than I can say for Strain, another of their collaborations.
We'll see how this goes.
March 2, 2023
การ์ตูนที่แฝงความคิดของ Idealistic ในการสร้าง Utopia การเมืองของญี่ปุ่น ที่มีความเป็นโรงเรียนลูกผู้ชาย
ผมอ่านครั้งแรกตอนเรียนมหาวิทยาลัย
พระเอกมีสองคน ตั้งใจเปลี่ยนการเมืองญี่ปุ่น
คนหนึ่ง เลือกเป็นยากูซ่า เพราะรู้ว่า การขึ้นสู่อำนาจต้องมีพลังด้านมืดมาช่วย
อีกคน เลือกเรียนเก่ง เข้าเป็นนักการเมือง ซึ่งด้านการเมืองน่าจะมืดกว่าด้าน ยากูซ่าอีก
เดือดครับ
เรท 18+++
ผมอ่านครั้งแรกตอนเรียนมหาวิทยาลัย
พระเอกมีสองคน ตั้งใจเปลี่ยนการเมืองญี่ปุ่น
คนหนึ่ง เลือกเป็นยากูซ่า เพราะรู้ว่า การขึ้นสู่อำนาจต้องมีพลังด้านมืดมาช่วย
อีกคน เลือกเรียนเก่ง เข้าเป็นนักการเมือง ซึ่งด้านการเมืองน่าจะมืดกว่าด้าน ยากูซ่าอีก
เดือดครับ
เรท 18+++
July 13, 2025
Part crime thriller, part gutteral howl against gerontocracy, part picture book of hot men in (and out of) sharp suits
September 14, 2024
Couldn't finish this one. The clumsy treatment of politics and character relations makes Sanctuary one of the worst mangas I've come across in a while. I saw it recommended alongside some of my favorites so I decided to give it a shot, but it ended up being the antithesis of great seinen manga.
The most apparent thing that makes this story such an affront is the lack of character depth. Nearly all of the characters are interchangeable and revolve around a watered-down, polarizing idea of power dynamics. While the main characters are made to look smart and appear both noble and ruthless by necessity, all of their would-be opposition turns tail too easily and makes nearly every mistake in the book. There are also plenty of sudden personality shifts in the antagonists when it benefits the narrative bias. The premise—two survivors who vow to change a nation from the inside—is an attractive one, but thanks to all the contrivances and repetitive "confrontations," things quickly get boring.
And what better way to make things less boring than to fill the emptiness with loads of violence and gratuitous sex? But it's all just a cheap attempt to thrill the senses rather than provide insight into Japan's governmental systems or give us any needed development for the setting or its inhabitants. This is really just a pretentious harem manga, replete with women who desire nothing else but the main characters. On top of that, extremes like blackmail and rape are handled flippantly and without consequence for the "good side." It makes no sense and comes across as sleazy, disconnected and excessive.
Throughout the story, Fumimura attempts to convince us that the old leaders are unfit and must be replaced, but his main characters' displays of brute force, selfishness and nationalism end up being more comical and misguided rather than making a case for the good side. That's not to say I'm rooting for the powers that be, but instead of having complex problems to solve that will give way to sensible but flawed solutions, Fumimura paints only nepotism as the scapegoat; a bad guy that can be toppled by youthful ambition alone. Well, what actions led to such corruption and how can it be avoided in the future? What sacrifices and changes will the main characters have to make in order to build a fairer and stronger society? Do they truly want that, or are they just as egoist and corrupt as the people they're trying to bring down? Fumimura avoids these important questions and instead just throws more guns and naked women in your face. And since the main characters are antiestablishment underdogs favored by Fumimura, they can get away with anything so long as they expunge Japan of its nepotistic Dietmen by the end of it all. Moral dilemmas be damned, I guess.
The art itself is pleasing to look at but the compositions become stale after a while due to lack of variety. Ikegami is great at drawing certain angles and facial expressions but he doesn't possess the full range that Urasawa or Inio Asano (two of my favorite mangakas) have by comparison. There's not much in the way of sprawling architectural wonders like in Pluto, nor anything evocative or daring like in Domu or Ping Pong (both created around the same time as Sanctuary). And characters that are supposed to be unjust/evil will look ugly and even deformed sometimes, further proving how there's not much freedom here for readers to draw their own conclusions. Still, +1 star for the art, otherwise I'd rate this series 1/5.
I would've liked Sanctuary a bit more if it had the unique mind games found in Death Note, or any sort of internal clash since Sanctuary's two equally ambitious main characters never have a falling out (kinda odd that their bond never wavers as they obtain more power). I had hoped that the plot would ramp up in surprising ways but it's all just a lot of setup and "payoff" without anything gripping in-between. There's no culpability or self-reflection in this story, and a more nuanced, critical take on Japanese politics fails to appear. This manga's pretty cheap at its core and its saving grace is the artwork, but overall Sanctuary is packed with distractions that aim to cover up its trite power fantasy nature.
The most apparent thing that makes this story such an affront is the lack of character depth. Nearly all of the characters are interchangeable and revolve around a watered-down, polarizing idea of power dynamics. While the main characters are made to look smart and appear both noble and ruthless by necessity, all of their would-be opposition turns tail too easily and makes nearly every mistake in the book. There are also plenty of sudden personality shifts in the antagonists when it benefits the narrative bias. The premise—two survivors who vow to change a nation from the inside—is an attractive one, but thanks to all the contrivances and repetitive "confrontations," things quickly get boring.
And what better way to make things less boring than to fill the emptiness with loads of violence and gratuitous sex? But it's all just a cheap attempt to thrill the senses rather than provide insight into Japan's governmental systems or give us any needed development for the setting or its inhabitants. This is really just a pretentious harem manga, replete with women who desire nothing else but the main characters. On top of that, extremes like blackmail and rape are handled flippantly and without consequence for the "good side." It makes no sense and comes across as sleazy, disconnected and excessive.
Throughout the story, Fumimura attempts to convince us that the old leaders are unfit and must be replaced, but his main characters' displays of brute force, selfishness and nationalism end up being more comical and misguided rather than making a case for the good side. That's not to say I'm rooting for the powers that be, but instead of having complex problems to solve that will give way to sensible but flawed solutions, Fumimura paints only nepotism as the scapegoat; a bad guy that can be toppled by youthful ambition alone. Well, what actions led to such corruption and how can it be avoided in the future? What sacrifices and changes will the main characters have to make in order to build a fairer and stronger society? Do they truly want that, or are they just as egoist and corrupt as the people they're trying to bring down? Fumimura avoids these important questions and instead just throws more guns and naked women in your face. And since the main characters are antiestablishment underdogs favored by Fumimura, they can get away with anything so long as they expunge Japan of its nepotistic Dietmen by the end of it all. Moral dilemmas be damned, I guess.
The art itself is pleasing to look at but the compositions become stale after a while due to lack of variety. Ikegami is great at drawing certain angles and facial expressions but he doesn't possess the full range that Urasawa or Inio Asano (two of my favorite mangakas) have by comparison. There's not much in the way of sprawling architectural wonders like in Pluto, nor anything evocative or daring like in Domu or Ping Pong (both created around the same time as Sanctuary). And characters that are supposed to be unjust/evil will look ugly and even deformed sometimes, further proving how there's not much freedom here for readers to draw their own conclusions. Still, +1 star for the art, otherwise I'd rate this series 1/5.
I would've liked Sanctuary a bit more if it had the unique mind games found in Death Note, or any sort of internal clash since Sanctuary's two equally ambitious main characters never have a falling out (kinda odd that their bond never wavers as they obtain more power). I had hoped that the plot would ramp up in surprising ways but it's all just a lot of setup and "payoff" without anything gripping in-between. There's no culpability or self-reflection in this story, and a more nuanced, critical take on Japanese politics fails to appear. This manga's pretty cheap at its core and its saving grace is the artwork, but overall Sanctuary is packed with distractions that aim to cover up its trite power fantasy nature.
February 25, 2025
This is a yakuza story. But as such, it is also a story about politics. Writers have long been fixated on the connection (or, perhaps, indistinguishability) between crime and politics. Corruption, as I like to say, is the character of politics. In the case of yakuza, a bureaucracy better organized than most political machines, complex political plots are spun among the crime drama where one hand washes the other. In this case, Sho Fumimura attributes the corruption of the political arena to the age of those that hold office. This is another anxiety that comes up relatively frequently in Japanese fiction, such as [i]Eden of the East[/i]. [i]Sanctuary[/i] seems like a fascinating take on a familiar story arc and set of themes.
November 21, 2011
This is like Hokuto no Ken, only that instead of implausible martial arts, it’s about implausible politics. Manly tears and idealistic machoness are still present though.
Story: 5
When I started reading Sanctuary I thought it would be a realistic story around politics, a rarely employed theme in both anime and manga. And although at first it looked like it would be exactly that, unfortunately the politics soon became so childish and idealistic that the manga lost much of its seriousness and ended up being lackluster. Lackluster is not bad but it’s not something I would expect in a story around politics. Anyways, besides the initial serious tone, it is nothing but a dark fairy tale around the dreams of two young men to build a strong nation where its people and leaders are not sheep. To all its basic themes and goals the scenario does a wonderful job at showing how a right politician and voter should think and act. It depicts depravity and exploitation in a very raw and almost inhuman way so at least in theory it does show how rotting the authority can get if left without a vision or goal.
The problem lies with how everything is implemented. It all happens in a very artificial way that there is no way you would believe it could really happen in real life as such. Without getting to details, I will just point out that real politicians or yakuza members are not cornered that easily. This may not seem as a problem for most but I happen to appreciate realism and in such stories the need for it is tenfold.
Another thing is the actual pacing of the story that is slow as hell and to the most part seems to repeat itself to the point of saturation. I believe that if the useless mute panels (read below) and the minor adversaries would to be taken out for the story, nothing much would change besides cutting the duration to half and exciting you double.
Art: 8
The art is fantastically realistic on first looks, as the mangaka literally used photographic realism to depict character body language and Japanese landmarks. Most large panels are like pictures you could hang on your wall and just stare at their beauty.
Unfortunately, relying too much on photographs does have its set-back.
For starters, it ain’t hard to find out that the mangaka uses around twenty photographs as reference to body stance and just recycles them throughout the story. It’s like people in the story can only take a few specific poses to the most part and act as if they carbon copy each other’s movements. That looks fake after awhile.
Also, the mangaka uses a huge amount of mute panels where a character will just stand frozen in an identical pose. At some points this works nice as tension building but most of the time it’s just wasted space.
Another minus is the over the top reaction when someone suddenly is shocked. To the most part, characters will look cynical and almost uncaring but when they get shocked, it looks so fake and fades away in just two frames before they revert to cynicism again that it ends up being plain laughable.
I could also add the dialogues themselves which end up being too silly, as characters will be stating the obvious all the time in a most immature way that does not fit their intelligence or status.
All that unfortunately take out a rather big chunk out of the fun and a work that could easily be a perfect 10 drops for simply being too repetitive and a waste of useful space.
Characters: 7
Mostly cool that likable, the cast is made up of a huge number of selfish, arrogant, violent, and horny adults and old men who’s only goal in life is power, money and lots of pu**y. And yes, fitting the setting of the story you get lots of muscular yakuzas shooting each other by day and raping women in toilets by night, or lots of 80 year old politicians who scheme amongst each other by day and do deviant stuff to prostitutes by night. Yes, sex, drugs and… not rock and roll is what the cast is all about. And I must say that as far as attitude goes, they are all a very interesting bunch.
Their downfall actually is their behavior. It just doesn’t make any sense. I know it has a lot to do with honor and respect to the superiors but eventually the characters act in such retarded ways that even elite assassins and seasoned politicians seem to fall for the easiest tricks in the book. Not to mention the gasps they all make, lol, it’s ridiculous. It’s like they are told they have cancer when in reality it’s just someone famous passing by.
But motives aside, there are hundreds of characters in the story, most of which have a very minor part, despite all appearances that they are important. So the story ends up being about 5 people and an army of cannon fodder. Makes it all feel like a waste of time getting to know them after awhile.
A thing that reall annoyed me is the complete absence of active female characters. All women in the story exist only to be raped or fall in love and have their brains scr*ed over by some bijin dude. Not even one is able to have a voice or an opinion of her own. And even if theat is supposed to reflect the tremendous sexism found in Japanese society, it still does not excuse it when the same thing happens to the female American representative, who had balls of steel yet in half an hour of chatting yearned for the cock of the protagonist and became his underling. Same thing for all the rest of the women who are to the most part exploited for their talents through the reward of sex rather than being cherished as human beings. Got too annoying after awhile.
Enjoyment: 6
Although the first few volumes were very exciting, the story began to drag more and more thereafter, repeating events or prolonging them before finally resolving them in a most simple manner. It started to get to my nerves. Although there is a likable cast and a complete storyline present, everything feels like they overstayed their welcome. So it felt almost like I was forcing myself to continue after the first half and very relieved when I finally finished reading it.
Overall: 7
Politics are indeed rare in anime or manga and this work takes a rather realistic, albeit superficial, approach to a world full of crime and degenerated politicians. Still, the whole mess is mostly cheese and manly tears with a lot of sexism and macho men comparing who has the bigger cock. So be warned that it’s more about show than about substance and you will have a better chance of liking it more.
Story: 5
When I started reading Sanctuary I thought it would be a realistic story around politics, a rarely employed theme in both anime and manga. And although at first it looked like it would be exactly that, unfortunately the politics soon became so childish and idealistic that the manga lost much of its seriousness and ended up being lackluster. Lackluster is not bad but it’s not something I would expect in a story around politics. Anyways, besides the initial serious tone, it is nothing but a dark fairy tale around the dreams of two young men to build a strong nation where its people and leaders are not sheep. To all its basic themes and goals the scenario does a wonderful job at showing how a right politician and voter should think and act. It depicts depravity and exploitation in a very raw and almost inhuman way so at least in theory it does show how rotting the authority can get if left without a vision or goal.
The problem lies with how everything is implemented. It all happens in a very artificial way that there is no way you would believe it could really happen in real life as such. Without getting to details, I will just point out that real politicians or yakuza members are not cornered that easily. This may not seem as a problem for most but I happen to appreciate realism and in such stories the need for it is tenfold.
Another thing is the actual pacing of the story that is slow as hell and to the most part seems to repeat itself to the point of saturation. I believe that if the useless mute panels (read below) and the minor adversaries would to be taken out for the story, nothing much would change besides cutting the duration to half and exciting you double.
Art: 8
The art is fantastically realistic on first looks, as the mangaka literally used photographic realism to depict character body language and Japanese landmarks. Most large panels are like pictures you could hang on your wall and just stare at their beauty.
Unfortunately, relying too much on photographs does have its set-back.
For starters, it ain’t hard to find out that the mangaka uses around twenty photographs as reference to body stance and just recycles them throughout the story. It’s like people in the story can only take a few specific poses to the most part and act as if they carbon copy each other’s movements. That looks fake after awhile.
Also, the mangaka uses a huge amount of mute panels where a character will just stand frozen in an identical pose. At some points this works nice as tension building but most of the time it’s just wasted space.
Another minus is the over the top reaction when someone suddenly is shocked. To the most part, characters will look cynical and almost uncaring but when they get shocked, it looks so fake and fades away in just two frames before they revert to cynicism again that it ends up being plain laughable.
I could also add the dialogues themselves which end up being too silly, as characters will be stating the obvious all the time in a most immature way that does not fit their intelligence or status.
All that unfortunately take out a rather big chunk out of the fun and a work that could easily be a perfect 10 drops for simply being too repetitive and a waste of useful space.
Characters: 7
Mostly cool that likable, the cast is made up of a huge number of selfish, arrogant, violent, and horny adults and old men who’s only goal in life is power, money and lots of pu**y. And yes, fitting the setting of the story you get lots of muscular yakuzas shooting each other by day and raping women in toilets by night, or lots of 80 year old politicians who scheme amongst each other by day and do deviant stuff to prostitutes by night. Yes, sex, drugs and… not rock and roll is what the cast is all about. And I must say that as far as attitude goes, they are all a very interesting bunch.
Their downfall actually is their behavior. It just doesn’t make any sense. I know it has a lot to do with honor and respect to the superiors but eventually the characters act in such retarded ways that even elite assassins and seasoned politicians seem to fall for the easiest tricks in the book. Not to mention the gasps they all make, lol, it’s ridiculous. It’s like they are told they have cancer when in reality it’s just someone famous passing by.
But motives aside, there are hundreds of characters in the story, most of which have a very minor part, despite all appearances that they are important. So the story ends up being about 5 people and an army of cannon fodder. Makes it all feel like a waste of time getting to know them after awhile.
A thing that reall annoyed me is the complete absence of active female characters. All women in the story exist only to be raped or fall in love and have their brains scr*ed over by some bijin dude. Not even one is able to have a voice or an opinion of her own. And even if theat is supposed to reflect the tremendous sexism found in Japanese society, it still does not excuse it when the same thing happens to the female American representative, who had balls of steel yet in half an hour of chatting yearned for the cock of the protagonist and became his underling. Same thing for all the rest of the women who are to the most part exploited for their talents through the reward of sex rather than being cherished as human beings. Got too annoying after awhile.
Enjoyment: 6
Although the first few volumes were very exciting, the story began to drag more and more thereafter, repeating events or prolonging them before finally resolving them in a most simple manner. It started to get to my nerves. Although there is a likable cast and a complete storyline present, everything feels like they overstayed their welcome. So it felt almost like I was forcing myself to continue after the first half and very relieved when I finally finished reading it.
Overall: 7
Politics are indeed rare in anime or manga and this work takes a rather realistic, albeit superficial, approach to a world full of crime and degenerated politicians. Still, the whole mess is mostly cheese and manly tears with a lot of sexism and macho men comparing who has the bigger cock. So be warned that it’s more about show than about substance and you will have a better chance of liking it more.
September 5, 2021
First read this in the 90s, and it being pre Amazon days it took me awhile to get all the volumes for the series. Frankly that process made the reading sweeter. I saw them in my library as I was moving books around, and remembered one of the key premises was to rid Japan of old poloticians because they were use the wealth for corruption and dumb ideas based on ease and leisure. Frankly like our current situation in the USA with our aged leaders. So I started reading them again.
Some observations: first I was struck by the cordial relationship between yakusa and cops. After reading up on Yakusa it makes sense, they are not illegal gangs and have long traditions and rules. They corrupt and control but try to maintain some decorum.
Second: after that research the actions of Hojo make more sense as well as the emphasis on brain vs brawn though both are used. Clean hands Hojo!
Third: what is your purpose is not something that usually comes up in mass media, but here it is central. The main characters ask it of each other all the time.
Fourth: love the tattos and the seating areas.
Looking forward to reading the rest.
Some observations: first I was struck by the cordial relationship between yakusa and cops. After reading up on Yakusa it makes sense, they are not illegal gangs and have long traditions and rules. They corrupt and control but try to maintain some decorum.
Second: after that research the actions of Hojo make more sense as well as the emphasis on brain vs brawn though both are used. Clean hands Hojo!
Third: what is your purpose is not something that usually comes up in mass media, but here it is central. The main characters ask it of each other all the time.
Fourth: love the tattos and the seating areas.
Looking forward to reading the rest.
September 22, 2018
I love Japanese manga and choosing this particular manga book, the first of the series of nine books was definitely a great choice. Writer Sho Fumimura and a veteran manga artist Ryoichi Ikegami make a good team in presenting their readers with exciting adventure set in late 20th century Japan. This is a unique story of two orphaned Japanese boys who survive as children against nearly impossible odds. One of them becomes a Yakuza, while another enters the Japanese politics. Sanctuary is a story of two young men united by unique destiny that will propel them to personal greatness and restructuring of the Japanese political and criminal systems inside and out. Superb artwork, great story, sensuality and eroticism mixed with intense and bloody violence make this manga nearly impossible to put down. Check it out and see for yourself why it became an international success as well as a story of personal discovery, love, courage and sacrifice.
January 5, 2023
TW/CW:blackmail, corruption, nudity, graphic violence, blood & gore, strong language, sex, substances, sexual assault
of secrets and corruption. Sanctuary is a political thriller revolving around yakuzas with much nuance. It was quite fun and incredibly vulgar. Please note that this is for mature audiences only.
I love the nostalgic vibe of 90’s art. The character design for Hojo and Asami is gorgeous. The former vaguely resembles Slam Dunk’s Sendoh. I have to concur with the statement that politicians frequently work well into their golden years. However, age does not always imply wisdom, maturity, or the capacity to govern a nation. I always love it when politics are ingrained in manga. Yes, I want to escape the real world in fiction, but it’s nice to explore political motives, discourses, and agendas in such a fun medium. The gruesome content of this manga disturbs me, yet it did catch my attention.
of secrets and corruption. Sanctuary is a political thriller revolving around yakuzas with much nuance. It was quite fun and incredibly vulgar. Please note that this is for mature audiences only.
I love the nostalgic vibe of 90’s art. The character design for Hojo and Asami is gorgeous. The former vaguely resembles Slam Dunk’s Sendoh. I have to concur with the statement that politicians frequently work well into their golden years. However, age does not always imply wisdom, maturity, or the capacity to govern a nation. I always love it when politics are ingrained in manga. Yes, I want to escape the real world in fiction, but it’s nice to explore political motives, discourses, and agendas in such a fun medium. The gruesome content of this manga disturbs me, yet it did catch my attention.
Read
December 29, 2023DNF
I'm not gonna waste my time reading this misogynistic/pedophilic fantasy/power trip.
I guess it has a public but it's not gonna be me.
I'm gonna use the beginning of the book as an example.
We're introduced to this women, a police officer, whose supposed to have been climbing up the ladder really fast after graduating university. She's in a high position and clearly, shes good at her job.
But then when she goes to try and seduce a Yakuza and he offers her a drink she just... Takes it? With absolutely no pause to think that this might (probably is) be drugged? She's just like oh this handsome man is offering me a drink, me, simple women, must accept! Like wtf?? That's supposed to be a high grade police officer! That's the easiest trick in the world!
I don't know why the author would write this. Either they really didn't think their story through, or they think so little of women that this is the best they think women can do.
I'm not gonna waste my time reading this misogynistic/pedophilic fantasy/power trip.
I guess it has a public but it's not gonna be me.
I'm gonna use the beginning of the book as an example.
We're introduced to this women, a police officer, whose supposed to have been climbing up the ladder really fast after graduating university. She's in a high position and clearly, shes good at her job.
But then when she goes to try and seduce a Yakuza and he offers her a drink she just... Takes it? With absolutely no pause to think that this might (probably is) be drugged? She's just like oh this handsome man is offering me a drink, me, simple women, must accept! Like wtf?? That's supposed to be a high grade police officer! That's the easiest trick in the world!
I don't know why the author would write this. Either they really didn't think their story through, or they think so little of women that this is the best they think women can do.
August 20, 2025
No soy lector de manga ni consumidor de anime. En mi adolescencia lo intenté, pero en cuanto empecé a exigir más al guion, muchas obras se me quedaron pequeñas y acabé abandonando el formato. Dicho esto, Santuario me ha sorprendido lo suficiente como para recomendarla a cualquiera que disfrute del neo-noir y de las historias de gánsteres.
El dibujo es exquisito, la trama y sus giros resultan sólidos y convincentes. Sí, sigue presente esa teatralidad japonesa tan propia de este tipo de relatos, un rasgo que me sigue sacando un poco de la experiencia. Pero los aspectos positivos pesan más y terminan eclipsando esas reservas, logrando que te sumerjas de lleno en lo que propone.
Desde la distancia de alguien ajeno al manga, puedo decir que es una obra recomendable al cien por cien.
El dibujo es exquisito, la trama y sus giros resultan sólidos y convincentes. Sí, sigue presente esa teatralidad japonesa tan propia de este tipo de relatos, un rasgo que me sigue sacando un poco de la experiencia. Pero los aspectos positivos pesan más y terminan eclipsando esas reservas, logrando que te sumerjas de lleno en lo que propone.
Desde la distancia de alguien ajeno al manga, puedo decir que es una obra recomendable al cien por cien.
June 8, 2017
The story was built up well but there were a few occasions where I had to turn back some pages to re-read and understand what the characters were implying. The artistry is what takes this up a notch, really telling a real, complete story rather than implying stuff through conversation.
Moving onto Volume 2.
Moving onto Volume 2.
July 25, 2018
Picked up 6/9 volumes of this at a book store yesterday. This art is so striking and there are some really beautiful scenes. Even though it's from the 90s, this resonates well with 2018. The young will overtake the old.
Read
October 13, 2022Boring
December 18, 2016
Interesante inicio y un mundo que se lee complejo y adulto. El arte le suma varios puntos.
October 9, 2016
Ikegami’s a pretty good illustrator, but he’s not a good fit for sequential storytelling. Everything is really stiff and looks posed. There’s no flow between panels or even within them. The story is ok but everything seems to happen too conveniently. Not interesting enough to read beyond the first book.
September 19, 2014
If House of Cards had been a manga (and not as consciously Shakespearean in the Macbeth/Richard III vein) it might have turned out something like this. The story is as ambitious as its protagonists (apparently Clark Kent and Matches Malone) and one is inclined to pardon sometimes too convenient resolutions just for that. The art is gorgeous, though people look a bit alike as a result. You might not notice this at first, because with the men at least the artist can make them either dull or naive looking or conniving or just plain ugly. There's still a bit more variety than people seem to accuse it of however even when it comes to female characters- contrast Ishihara with Asami's law student lover for instance. Being about two sleazy worlds, it's surprising people expect things to storywise conform to right and proper moulds. The point is that some things abide even in the most ruthless worlds men can make for themselves so long as they try to live like men. I suppose it's difficult to pity people with a dream to follow without coming to believe said pity excuses all that they do. Hojo's plan is somewhat reminiscent of Stringer Bell's from The Wire, and the very necessity for it (let alone what comes of it) shows that those who victimise can be at large also victims, though not necessarily of a visible hand.
There are some interesting ideas (however tenable when prescriptive) put through when the protagonists deliver their rousing rhetoric outlining basic (but drastic) policy changes- Asami for instance, suggests that the Japanese are 'managed' from childhood so that they don't even notice it and the implicit lessons become unconscious directives about how to live. It's not about conformity so much as infinite variation within a finite basis that provides structure- that the latter needs be well-chosen with active political participation is the basic premise of the entire story. In the context of the scene Asami is contrasting this implicitly with the United States, which I think meshes somewhat with a recent piece by Pinker (link is through another blog) which calls for focus and basic standards rather than pandering in the setting of higher education.
I can only hope for a more meta sequel, where a pair of young men witness a hypothetical (but probably soon due anyway) fall of DC and a subsequent clamour everywhere to emulate Marvel's more brain-dead comic-making model- leading to an American comic crisis, and resolve to try and revive the Japanese manga industry on returning to their homeland by fighting the pervasive rot of 'let's make everything moe!' (Pol Pot would have adored moe- we've all suspected this at some point). But I don't have high hopes... it'll just be ridiculed as a Bakuman rip-off.
There are some interesting ideas (however tenable when prescriptive) put through when the protagonists deliver their rousing rhetoric outlining basic (but drastic) policy changes- Asami for instance, suggests that the Japanese are 'managed' from childhood so that they don't even notice it and the implicit lessons become unconscious directives about how to live. It's not about conformity so much as infinite variation within a finite basis that provides structure- that the latter needs be well-chosen with active political participation is the basic premise of the entire story. In the context of the scene Asami is contrasting this implicitly with the United States, which I think meshes somewhat with a recent piece by Pinker (link is through another blog) which calls for focus and basic standards rather than pandering in the setting of higher education.
I can only hope for a more meta sequel, where a pair of young men witness a hypothetical (but probably soon due anyway) fall of DC and a subsequent clamour everywhere to emulate Marvel's more brain-dead comic-making model- leading to an American comic crisis, and resolve to try and revive the Japanese manga industry on returning to their homeland by fighting the pervasive rot of 'let's make everything moe!' (Pol Pot would have adored moe- we've all suspected this at some point). But I don't have high hopes... it'll just be ridiculed as a Bakuman rip-off.
October 11, 2016
La obra maestra de Fumimura demuestra una vez mas que el manga no es simple ocio subjetivo y que este merece encarecidamente ser considerado un arte.
Sanctuary es una obra adulta, no porque muestre sangre y sexo, ni tampoco por mostrar un mundo hostil y criminal, si no porque se toma muy en serio a si mismo y se esfuerza ser realista, realista en las decisiones y formas de actuar de sus personajes, realista en los entornos y situaciones que muestra, cosa a la que tristemente pocas obras aspiran actualmente, y es que Sanctuary es un anormal en su estilo, no es lo que su medio suele ofrecer y esto solo le suma mas puntos a su planteamiento y trama.
Cada personaje tiene un motivo, un objetivo, los desnudos y la sangre no son fanservice barato para atraer a el espectador, son resultado directo de la personalidad de cada uno y esto es algo en lo que muchas obras suelen fallar. La trama muestra tanto el submundo del crimen organizado como la élite política, y logra mantener el interés del espectador en todo momento.
Estuve muy cerca de darle la máxima puntuación, pero aunque considere a Sanctuary una maravilla como pocas, tiene fallas y estas se hacen notar. Idealiza mucho a sus personajes y en muchos casos la plot armor que los protege es descomunal, da la sensación de que nada les puede salir mal, y digo sensación porque las cosas si les salen mal a veces, pero muy rara vez esto sucede por un error que ellos cometieron, ya que estos se presentan casi siempre como obstáculos puestos por antagonistas que deben superar para lograr su objetivo. fuera de esto tengo realmente poco de lo que quejarme, y solo puedo recomendarlo nuevamente.
Sanctuary es una obra adulta, no porque muestre sangre y sexo, ni tampoco por mostrar un mundo hostil y criminal, si no porque se toma muy en serio a si mismo y se esfuerza ser realista, realista en las decisiones y formas de actuar de sus personajes, realista en los entornos y situaciones que muestra, cosa a la que tristemente pocas obras aspiran actualmente, y es que Sanctuary es un anormal en su estilo, no es lo que su medio suele ofrecer y esto solo le suma mas puntos a su planteamiento y trama.
Cada personaje tiene un motivo, un objetivo, los desnudos y la sangre no son fanservice barato para atraer a el espectador, son resultado directo de la personalidad de cada uno y esto es algo en lo que muchas obras suelen fallar. La trama muestra tanto el submundo del crimen organizado como la élite política, y logra mantener el interés del espectador en todo momento.
Estuve muy cerca de darle la máxima puntuación, pero aunque considere a Sanctuary una maravilla como pocas, tiene fallas y estas se hacen notar. Idealiza mucho a sus personajes y en muchos casos la plot armor que los protege es descomunal, da la sensación de que nada les puede salir mal, y digo sensación porque las cosas si les salen mal a veces, pero muy rara vez esto sucede por un error que ellos cometieron, ya que estos se presentan casi siempre como obstáculos puestos por antagonistas que deben superar para lograr su objetivo. fuera de esto tengo realmente poco de lo que quejarme, y solo puedo recomendarlo nuevamente.
January 28, 2013
This series was amazing. The art was amazing. The storyboard was amazing. Mr. Tokai and his "ahems" were a nice touch of realism.
The character development and their origins were a nice surprise. Reflecting on the turbulent time in Cambodia, the story closely follows the lives of the protagonists as they make their way closer to their Sanctuary. Unprecedented betrayals and rivalries run throughout the story, but I really like how the characters were not predictable or had it easy, which made the situations all the more realistic.
art... the art.. the ART, it was ARTistically amazing, made me kept wondering how many hours were spent on the meticulous details
the adult scenes and the scenes of the shady dealings of the diet made the manga more complete in a sense that the author doesn't just imply that something happens
I liked how the story ran so smoothly. It was like the author ran through everything carefully, poring over every detail to make sure that there would not be any flaws.
The way history is repeated in this series is a nice touch and makes me think in awe about how important timing is. The way that Hojo and Asami perceive the crisis in Japan makes me think about how in the 1920s the intellectuals of America moved to Europe and formed the Lost Generation. The Great Depression came after that and the American people learned to live again by strugging to live.
The character development and their origins were a nice surprise. Reflecting on the turbulent time in Cambodia, the story closely follows the lives of the protagonists as they make their way closer to their Sanctuary. Unprecedented betrayals and rivalries run throughout the story, but I really like how the characters were not predictable or had it easy, which made the situations all the more realistic.
art... the art.. the ART, it was ARTistically amazing, made me kept wondering how many hours were spent on the meticulous details
the adult scenes and the scenes of the shady dealings of the diet made the manga more complete in a sense that the author doesn't just imply that something happens
I liked how the story ran so smoothly. It was like the author ran through everything carefully, poring over every detail to make sure that there would not be any flaws.
The way history is repeated in this series is a nice touch and makes me think in awe about how important timing is. The way that Hojo and Asami perceive the crisis in Japan makes me think about how in the 1920s the intellectuals of America moved to Europe and formed the Lost Generation. The Great Depression came after that and the American people learned to live again by strugging to live.
September 15, 2007
My #1 favorite graphic novel/manga of all time. And I don't say that lightly. This is some of the best fiction I've read, period, and I don't put graphic novels in the same class as standard novels. This is the incredible story of two men who decide they're talented and ruthless enough to save their country's declining standing, one on the side of the law, one on the criminal side, coordinating the two sides together to enact a deep change in the entire nation of Japan.
As they rise in the ranks of politics and organized crime, their duality is pushed home, either one could have succeeded on either side. As the story progress, you can't help but admire what they're willing to go through (and they go THROUGH it, believe me) for a belief that has roots so shocking and honorable once its revealed, it will renew your faith in the cliché phrase "One man (or two) CAN make a difference".
The story would be enough to place this at the top of my list, but the art is what makes it no doubt in my mind, Ikegami Ryuichi is the best there is out there, and his illustrations perfectly match this story. Just read the first one, and you should find yourself scrambling to find the other 7, every book ends with you dying for the next. I bought the first two for my best friend to read, and he wouldn't stop bugging me for more (and he never reads!).
As they rise in the ranks of politics and organized crime, their duality is pushed home, either one could have succeeded on either side. As the story progress, you can't help but admire what they're willing to go through (and they go THROUGH it, believe me) for a belief that has roots so shocking and honorable once its revealed, it will renew your faith in the cliché phrase "One man (or two) CAN make a difference".
The story would be enough to place this at the top of my list, but the art is what makes it no doubt in my mind, Ikegami Ryuichi is the best there is out there, and his illustrations perfectly match this story. Just read the first one, and you should find yourself scrambling to find the other 7, every book ends with you dying for the next. I bought the first two for my best friend to read, and he wouldn't stop bugging me for more (and he never reads!).
February 11, 2014
This very strange story has an interesting premise, but there are flaws in the execution. For instance, would a police inspector, even one in a bit of a panicky state, really mistake tomato juice for blood? That made the staged "rape" sequence hard to believe.
Also, as some others have commented, the women are drawn almost identically, which seems kind of creepy.
Yakuza, politics, gunplay, nudity, sex...lots of all of them.
The story itself is very interesting. Two teenagers take a vow to change the world, no matter what. Since they made this decision at the point of entering high school, it's a bit startling, especially given the choices they have to make in order to achieve their goals. The idea that older politicians run the world to the detriment of everyone younger is a very interesting concept, one worthy of examination. Getting rid of them by the means of violence, blackmail and intimidation seems to put the morality of the young into question, though.
"In loyalty to our kind, we cannot tolerate their obstruction."
[from "Crown of Creation" by Jefferson Airplane]
Also, as some others have commented, the women are drawn almost identically, which seems kind of creepy.
Yakuza, politics, gunplay, nudity, sex...lots of all of them.
The story itself is very interesting. Two teenagers take a vow to change the world, no matter what. Since they made this decision at the point of entering high school, it's a bit startling, especially given the choices they have to make in order to achieve their goals. The idea that older politicians run the world to the detriment of everyone younger is a very interesting concept, one worthy of examination. Getting rid of them by the means of violence, blackmail and intimidation seems to put the morality of the young into question, though.
"In loyalty to our kind, we cannot tolerate their obstruction."
[from "Crown of Creation" by Jefferson Airplane]
October 24, 2007
this series was a pretty great one.
First of all, the art is amazing.
I remember while reading this back in high school, a guy who spent every summer in japan looked at one of the pages and said: "I know where that is". The art is detailed and amazingly realistic.
The characters are great, too- unpredictable, driven by complex motivation, displaying warped morality, everything you could hope for is there in abundance
Finally, the gripping story that unfolds over the course of the book, with maybe a misstep once or twice at the end, is altogether untypical of most serial mangas.
This is easily the equivalent of the more high-art, adult-themed graphic novels by Frank Miller or that guy who did Sandman.
Warning: there is plenty of sex, violence, and nationalistic propaganda, and its clear that whoever did the art was at least as comfortable with his homo-erotic side as the guys that gave you "300".
First of all, the art is amazing.
I remember while reading this back in high school, a guy who spent every summer in japan looked at one of the pages and said: "I know where that is". The art is detailed and amazingly realistic.
The characters are great, too- unpredictable, driven by complex motivation, displaying warped morality, everything you could hope for is there in abundance
Finally, the gripping story that unfolds over the course of the book, with maybe a misstep once or twice at the end, is altogether untypical of most serial mangas.
This is easily the equivalent of the more high-art, adult-themed graphic novels by Frank Miller or that guy who did Sandman.
Warning: there is plenty of sex, violence, and nationalistic propaganda, and its clear that whoever did the art was at least as comfortable with his homo-erotic side as the guys that gave you "300".
May 21, 2008
Two men decide to take charge of Japan and change it for the better. However, to conquer such a task they must first conquer two great mountains and reach the top. Hojo reaches for the mafia, and Asami seeks to become prime minister by climbing through the Diet. They battle through a tangled web of blackmail, murder, subversion, sex and survival. Very Machiavellan, if I may say so.
However, in the telling of this tale, the reader is spared none of the gorey details, so this manga is not for the faint of heart. Graphic violence, including blatant rape is depicted in the series. If gratuity bothers you this is not your series. If it doesn't, have fun!
The plot is both intelligent and full of little surprises along the way.
Sanctuary is definitely a worthwhile venture within this genre. :)
However, in the telling of this tale, the reader is spared none of the gorey details, so this manga is not for the faint of heart. Graphic violence, including blatant rape is depicted in the series. If gratuity bothers you this is not your series. If it doesn't, have fun!
The plot is both intelligent and full of little surprises along the way.
Sanctuary is definitely a worthwhile venture within this genre. :)
October 16, 2007
Sanctuary is a political thriller and crime story that features two childhood friends, Akira Hojo and Chiaki Asami, who are struggling to create a new way of living in Japan. However, the two friends take radically different paths: Akira chose the dark path of Japan's yakuza, while Chiaki strove to become the youngest member of the Japanese Diet (government).
The story is set in the 1990s and makes references to all the current events of the time, drawing them in to set the series' themes of politics and intrigue into a solid, realistic setting. Both the heroes, the villains, and even the minor characters are wonderfully crafted and faceted.
The story is set in the 1990s and makes references to all the current events of the time, drawing them in to set the series' themes of politics and intrigue into a solid, realistic setting. Both the heroes, the villains, and even the minor characters are wonderfully crafted and faceted.
February 20, 2021
This is one of those stories where bringing real world politics into one’s personal enjoyment of art is sort of the whole point. Sanctuary waves a proud flag of ultranationalism and fascist apologetics. It is hard to get through much of the story without consciously forming a mental framework through which to filter its troubling messages.
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