Madara, Volume 1

Madara #1

by Eiji Otsuka

Tells the story of an apprentice blacksmith in a rural village who gets by using artificial limbs created by his adoptive father. But when a chance encounter with the demon Moki reveals Madara's true destiny, he's catapulted into a mythic quest!

Genres: Manga, Shonen

200 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2004

About the author

大塚英志

Social anthropologist and novelist. Graduated from college with degree in anthropology, women's folklore, human sacrifice and post-war manga. In addition to his work with manga he is a critic, essayist, and author of several successful non-fiction books on Japanese popular and “otaku” sub-cultures. One of his first animation script works was Maho no Rouge Lipstick, an adult lolicon OVA. Otsuka was the editor for the bishojo lolicon manga series Petit Apple Pie.

In the 80s, Otsuka was editor-in-chief of Manga Burikko, a leading women's manga magazine where he pioneered research on the “otaku” sub-culture in modern Japan. In 1988 he published "Manga no Koro" (The Structure of Comics), a serious study of Japanese comics and their social significance. Also as critic, Otsuka Eiji, summarized the case of the Japanese red army's 1972 murders as a conflict between the masculine and the feminine principles as they were both embodied by women and against women (Otsuka,1994).

Reviews

[Damon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally generic old-school manga - a kind of fantasy-feudal Japan -demon-warrior-cyborg-fights-boss villians kind of deal. Weird considering these are the guys who would go on to create MPD-Psycho and Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, neither of which I would describe as your average manga, and both of which I love. (This was published only a year before MPD-Psycho, but a lot of progress must have been made in that year.) You're not missing anything if you skip this one, I'd say.

[Joy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very generic shonen manga with bonus boring mid-90s art. Surprisingly dull given the creators, who went on to do much more interesting things. Apparently this was their take on superhero comic tropes; stick with the manga tropes, guys. Please!

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad, not great. Your typical fantasy, chosen one hero and lovely leading lady (who may or may not be a love interest, although they both act jealous enough to make you assume it's only a matter of time) who need to stop the evil overlord and free his people. I won't be continuing with the series, but if these things are your bag, the art is nice, there are some decent bit of humor, and it's clearly told. Graphic violence, some nudity. Like I said, not bad, but not great.

[Shadowzzz3 · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read this back in high school at a cousins house.... like it. Thought it was awesome. It hasn’t aged well and better manga exist. If you have 40 minutes to kill give the first volume a shot. If you have 3 hours read the whole series. It has interesting art. Pacing is poor and too fast. Writing is mediocre. It’s a good way to kill time.

[edel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like I have read, or at least seen this before, when I know for a fact that I haven't. I ended up scanning most pages. The art is drab and boring. I've had my fill of 90's styled manga already, sorry to say. It's very generic shounen (just like so many others have said). Nothing special about this one.

[Romana1 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars. It was okay, but not as exciting as I had hoped. I don't really care that much about the characters (yet). Will read at least one more (maybe 2) volumes before giving up on the series.

[A'ledyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

so generic and bad I could not finish it, great if you love vapid shounen? bad if you want plot deeper than. generic action.