Star Trek: The Manga Volume 1: Shinsei/Shinsei

Star Trek: The Manga #1

by Chris Dows, Joshua Ortega, Jeong Mo Yang

In celebration of Star Trek's 40th anniversary, here are five new episodes set in the Original Star Trek series: The last survivors of gender war live on as spirits in machinery and take control of Enterprise; a dying race unwittingly creates the ultimate resistance to disease; a small colony tries to cheat death by uploading its collective consciousnesses into a satellite; warring planets exchange peace offerings via the Enterprise, but one "gift" is turns deadly; a group of teen, warrior-robot pilots becomes restless in times of peace, turning to pillaging for thrills.

Genres: Star Trek, Manga, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Comics, Short Stories, Fantasy

232 pages, Paperback

First published September 12, 2006

About the author

Chris Dows is a professor of creative writing at the University of Lincoln.

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this in my book spending orgy in 2015. 2017 is supposed to be about tidying up, clearing out, catching up and all such ideas, so I am making a point to get to the titles I just HAD to have back when I had money to spend.

I watched the original Star Trek series when it was new, and I thought it was wonderful. It was fun for me to revisit the Enterprise crew through this book, but I found it a little disorienting to have each story drawn by a different artist. No one looked quite like themselves anyway, but to have them each morph into slightly different looking people from one story to the next was weird.

But still a fun read, and a great little book to have on hand if you can't really concentrate on deeper things for the time being, or if you are waiting for your in-laws to arrive. Again.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great artwork, fun stories...this does a great job of bringing Star Trek to manga.

However, some content issues--occasional profanity, near-nudity--and a "bonus feature" at the end that was just mere filler kept this from being what it could have been.

[Laura L. Van Dam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me gusta mucho Star Trek pero el manga no me gusta para nada. Leído y descartado.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Spanish ed. has 3 individual stories: the first one was good, the second OK, the third was just bad. So 2 stars overall.

[Laura L. Van Dam · Rating 2 out of 5]

No es mi género favorito, lo leí sólo por tratarse de Star Trek. Nada nuevo que ver en este comic.

[Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Trek manga. Seriously, why didn't they think of this sooner?

This book contains five new stories, written and drawn just for this collection. Each story has a different artist and writer, allowing us to enjoy the talents of many contributors.

The stories feel like lost episodes of the classic TV series. They're written in the same style, right down to the characters' dialogue. The various artists do a fine job capturing the look of the Enterprise and its crew ( I particularly like the art of Makoto Nakatsuka, who worked on the first story, "Side Effects") and each page is a treat to look at. There are even some nice continuity references connecting this book to other areas of Star Trek ("Orphans" references Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, and "Side Effects" provides an amazing origin story for a certain Next Generation menace).

My one and only gripe is that a few annoying punctuation errors slipped by the editors in a couple of the stories (the possessive form of "its" being spelled as "it's", for example), though fortunately these mistakes don't show up in EVERY story. Some people probably won't notice these errors (which is actually rather unfortunate), but they bugged me enough that I felt they were worth mentioning.

Fans of Star Trek should get a kick out of this book, and manga fans will certainly have a lot to appreciate here. If you're a fan of either (or of both, like I am), check this book out!

[Barbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Trek comics have been around for years, but in 2006 the first Star Trek manga Shinsei Shinsei was published. I remember being thrilled to find it at my local book store. It's Star Trek and it's manga. What is there not to love about this. I reread it last night, and I'm glad I did.

Shinsei Shinsei has two standout stories, "Side Effects" and "Orphans." "Side Effects" gives us the origin story of a species that is a large part of the TNG universe, and it's fascinating and heartbreaking all at the same time.

As the title "Orhpans" suggests, the story deals with children who have been displaced after the dissolution of an empire. And (bonus!)there are giant mecha robots with swords fighting the Enterprise, and that is just seriously cool.

Overall, I think Shinsei Shinsei provided a great entry into the world of Star Trek manga.

[Noah Soudrette · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bold but logical experiment for the publishers of Trek books. This manga volume contains a series of one-off stories written and drawn by a bunch of people I've never heard of. The art ranges from decent to cool and the writing hovers around 'okay'. The coolest story is easily an origin story for the Borg. The whole manga covers only original series, so the die hards will be pleased. Asa bonus, the collection ends with a short story. All in all, nothing too special, but fun. Looking forward to seeing what they come up with for the next volume.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ENTERPRISE FIGHTS GIANT FUCKING ROBOTS.

WIN!

[Fugo Feedback]

Esperemos que el #1 sea lo suficientemente tragable como para darle una chance al #2.

[Doc · Rating 4 out of 5]

To boldly go where no manga has gone before

Once upon a time Tokyopop was one of the elite of licensed tie in manga. Unfortunately something happened along the way resulting in the companies temporary shut down in North America bringing to an end many series we have come to love from tis company that attempted to keep their prices lower like Viz Media while other manga companies continued to raise prices. Among the selection of tie in manga Tokyopop has brought us is this (as well as two other) volume of the original Star Trek in a variety of artistic forms depending on which of the 5 stories you were reading. In addition to the illustrated tales you also have the option to read a short story called First, Do No Harm from the "Constellations" book (though honestly I don't mind the stories but I am really reading this books to enjoy or scoff at the artistic styles that bring the original enterprise crew to life in new adventures.)

Of the manga in this volume I will offer you a quick summery (sans any major spoilers) so if you are looking for a specific one among the 3 books it will be eaier to tell.
1. Side Effects: The crew discovers a badly damaged ship and attempts to help. Discovers (from what I can tell) a potentially deadly race born of cruel intentions and desperation for a cure.
2. Anything But Alone: Discovering a strange signal that was used once from a previously thought dead civilization the crew goes for a walk to discover the secrets of this strange colony.
3.'Til Death: Love is in the air as crewmembers get married. However while investigating a planet capable of life but seemingly dead the crew discovers some things that will ignite a gender war unlike any you have seen before.
4. Oban: Warring planets are finally taking steps to bring peace among them with the Enterprise as the in-between. As a sign of good will the scientist of one of the planets helps recreate the sacked beast of the other planet with their genetic knowledge however things are not always what they seem.
5. Orphans: Trained to fight in armored mechs by a failed government a group of kids use what they know to take what they need now. By the end at least one will learn more then he ever thought he might though.

Edit: I almost forgot to mention being an American adaption the manga reads from Left to Right as any English book would rather from the back which is common in manga theses days just in case that is important to ya' all. :)

[Kasie Cavanagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Trek: The Manga, Vol. 1 – Shinsei/Shinsei
by Chris Dows

“Call me Queen!” — and just like that, I was in.

This volume was an unexpected delight. A manga full of short stories set in the Star Trek universe is something I didn’t know I needed until I held it in my hands. Each story brings a fresh visual and narrative take while still honoring the heart of Trek, making it a perfect crossover for Star Trek fans and manga fans.

My absolute favorite story is the reimagined origin of the Borg Queen. It’s bold, eerie, and fascinating—adding layers to a character we thought we already understood. That story alone made this volume memorable and worth seeking out.

The manga format works beautifully here: expressive art, inventive layouts, and compact storytelling that never overstays its welcome. It feels playful, experimental, and deeply affectionate toward the franchise.

The only frustration? I found this at the library and immediately went looking for more… only to come up empty-handed. I wanted to keep going right now. That longing alone says how much fun this was.

This is a must-read for Trekkies who love seeing the universe reimagined and for manga readers curious about sci-fi icons told in a new way. If you want Trek with a twist—and a Queen who owns the room—this one delivers.

(And if more volumes are out there… I’m definitely ready.) 🚀🖖

[Peter Rydén · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Star Trek goes manga!"

Mycket intressant att se Star Trek "klädda" i manga-figurer. De flesta av tecknarna kör en stark "mainstreem"-typ av manga som är oerhört lättillgänglig. Detta känns bra för mig som är ovan vid manga. Dessutom är boken tecknad från vänster till höger, och inte tvärtom som "riktig" manga skall vara. Men även detta är något som jag personligen inte klagar på.

Berättelserna känns väldigt genomarbetade och man går in på djupet i berättelserna på ett bättre sätt än vad jag är van vid från serietidningar med Star Trek. Teckningarna av Nakatsuka, Johnson var mycket bra och framför allt snygga. Däremot kändes Shelfers och Sus tecknande svårtillgängliga och Yangs var bland det sämsta jag någonsin sett på ett professionellt plan.

Boken var helt klart värd att köpas, mest pga de välgjorda berättelserna, samtliga från TOS-eran.

[Rachel McCurtain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun. I enjoyed the different stories and the different styles. The different drawing styles added and subtracted from the stories. It was nice to revisit the original stories. It stuck to the original by keeping the focus on the core three. I would have loved to see a story focused on Uhura or Sulu, but what is a TOS story without some scantily clad women.

The written short story was fun and a throw back to a good Prime Directive Story. While Kirk saved the day, I did find it out of character for him to try to bring the doctor home.

This was my first dip into a graphic novel and I definitely will make sure it is not the last.

[Kristina Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories are by different authors and artists so you'll have personal preferences. I thought "Side Effects" was the best one here. It was really interesting and gave us a new perspective to think about. The others didn't leave the same lasting impression on me.
I also enjoyed the preview story at the end "First, Do No Harm" but that's from 'Constellations' so I'm not sure its an appropriate comment for this review.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five separate stories, each with different writers and artists but all using a manga style but read left to right.
Some stories are typical Star Trek. Some are close to typical Star Trek but lean toward themes such as mechs in space.
I think it works rather well, but occasionally the manga style felt shoehorned and sometimes inconsistently applied—like—“we have to integrate some manga emotion symbols here!”, but not necessarily everywhere. It’s a little uneven but enjoyable.
The promo short story is decent too. Some think it doesn’t fit, but there are several pocket books that feature upcoming previews, so I was not surprised by it.
Overall, a strong 3.5 (rounded up). It stays true to Trek while having fun in another genre.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that's cute. The stories' ideas are intelligent, and the characters are themselves. The art is awful though, so much so that I have to take a star off for that. And of course very short stories are not fully satisfying. But if your library happens to have a copy of this and you need a quick TOS fix, have fun.

[gail ♛ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a 2.5/5 for me. The stories weren't boring by any means, but they seemed to be all over the place and I just didn't enjoy myself while reading them. I was expecting more from the stories. I still want to continue with the manga to see if I like any of the other volumes better.

[Apostolos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was actually a fun read, and many of the stories "felt" TOS-like in their telling and execution. The final story was a little too Mecha/Gundam and it kinda felt like it didn't connect with TOS, but it was a fun nevertheless. Who says there can't be mecha in the Star Trek Universe?

[kyky · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up because the GR average is SO LOW for no reason. yes the artwork changes from story to story because they are from different artists but bestie?? the stories??? top notch. star trek and manga? what a supreme combination. Total Win of a book im glad i bought volumes 1 and 2

[Narmeen]

DNF

Yeah, no. Manga is not my thing.

[Ophelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first and last stories were fun and the art was very nostalgic. The ones in the middle, however…

[Arnela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Star Trek, but I never would have thought to look for a manga version of it. Then I literally stumbled into this in the comic section of Half Priced.

The one I found is the same title [same ISBN numbers and all] but it simply has a different cover]

There's 6 stories, each written and drawn by a different artist. 5 comics, and 1 short story at the end.

All I can say for this is the art is good, the stories are amazing, especially considering they're so short, and they still manage to pull you into a plot that needs a conflict, a climax, and a solid conclusion in an average of 36 pages. It's hard to do and these authors nail it in every single story while keeping with Captain Kirk close enough to canon [as close as 36 pages can be to canon].

Give it a chance to entertain


POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

1. Side Effects - The crew come upon an abandoned space ship, on board they find a medically altered being that threatens to be far more than the federation can handle. 5/5 a lot of action, a lot of battling, reminded me of shoujo manga and the newer star trek films.

2. Anything but Alone -A singular entity has kept a civilization alive for years and it's up to Kirk and Crew to help it let go. 4.5/5; still plenty enjoyable, but it felt like one of those episodes I would watch, where it was fun, but it didn't really add much to the series. Not a filler episode per se just a little weaker than the rest. Emotive though.

3. 'Til Death - 2 strange sarcophagi are brought aboard from a lifeless planet, simultaneously the crew starts having a lot of tension between the sexes. 4.7/5; The art style shows a greater shift from the first 2, this is definitely someone that draws action. It draws you into the fast pace and the raw emotions the characters are going through. It would have been a full 5 if. and this is a personal taste thing, I didn't find stories like this very cliche. Still done very well, almost got full points outta me.

4. Oban - 2 warring planets are finally making peace, and to commemorate the occasion the Federation is helping bring a gift from one planet to the other until all hell breaks loose. 4.5/5; The art style change is mostly seen in the use of varying grey tones for shadows and to imply color gradients. It wasn't until this story that I realized the previous ones used very little grey in them. For a moment it felt like the movie Alien, and I'm still not sure whether that is a good or a bad thing.

5. Orphans - Children are space pirates piloting giant mecha armor. 5/5 can't say anything bad about it. Good action, good art, good moral message, doing the smart and proper thing to handle a very dangerous situation.

6. First, Do no harm - Enterprise is sent to find an awol medical worker, they suspect she's returned to a planet where she once had a mission, the why is the real question though. 5/5 loved it, emotional, especially from a humanitarian and healing perspective. Had me feeling up a storm here

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, sort of joyless. Some stories are good, some aren't, but for some reason this medium switch doesn't really work for me. I imagine it's partly that I miss the crappy production elements of the show. Also, this is a very bland sort of manga, missing most of the more stylized elements. Not that I love those, but what's the point of half-assing a weird medium switch? For serious addicts or the uncontrollably curious.

[Adonay Quetzal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's Star Trek Manga, of course its not the best. Only one of the stories even got the characters right. The rest seemed like terrible imitations of the characters while one felt like they took all the best one liners from the series and put them into a continuous dialogue. The story that did get the characters right though and along with the sample short story at the end were both superb though. Definitely worth enjoying the terribleness of the others just for these two.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best piece of Star Trek fiction produced in the last 6 years isn't one of the movies -- nope, it's a Japanese Manga production.

That isn't to say this is a bad book, I loved it. It's got the classic Star Trek morality play storytelling combined with involved action and science fiction goodness.

4 stars

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the storylines in Shinsei/Shinsei were particularly good and really fitting to TOS but unfortunatly some of the stories were let down by some seriously dodgy artwork, I don't think Kirk, Bones or Chekov looked particularly like their original characters. A little dissapointed, I must admit.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's kind of hard NOT to like Trek. My only issues were the way the first chapter was handled, and the fact that they almost NEVER got Spock's ears or 'brows right. Also, it got kind of hard to tell Sulu apart from Chekov, Scotty, and Bones. And that is a really, really sad state of affairs.

[Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book stays true to the source material.

By that, I mean whenever a new female character shows up, Kirk is sure to bone her within two panels.

It keeps the feel of the classic series, and incorporates a good number of winks to those that follow the canon.

[Mikael Kuoppala · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun collection of Trek stories told in a bit clichéd manga way. All of the stories had something to offer, but some felt a bit too conventional. A little more ambition to the game and this series will be a fine example of high-quality storytelling.