horror graphic novel

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Choujin X” Vol. 6, by Sui Ishida

205089965

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After being kidnapped from training camp; Sora Siruha tells Toki and his friends that a dark future lies ahead. Their hesitation to immediately obey her drives Tokio and the others to flee for their lives to avoid her wrath. The enormity of what they’re facing makes Tokio make a life altering decision.

There is one heck of a time skip after the big battle against Sora that’s really well done and pushes the characters into some interesting scenarios. The weirdo cult around Sora is genuinely creepy to me and it still tickles me that they had this big ole dramatic prophecy around Tokio and he just turns it down. It’s intriguing to see them all grow and I am curious to see how this will all play out because I’m getting the sense Sora is full of crap. 4 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Alice in Borderland” Vol. 9, by Haro Aso

176443719

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

For Arisu and Chishiya there is only one face card left after their final confrontation with Niragi.

Niragi is one of those characters that makes me go “Why are you still here?” The entire time of the last appearance, I was just metaphorically tapping my foot for the Queen if Hearts part. I did wonder if the source material would have the same ending as the show and (spoilers, I guess???) it’s pretty much the same and I do like the way it’s handled. It’s creative and I think it’s more interesting than some huge ass battle or another game with math that gives me a headache. These omnibus editions were really satisfying and I had a lot of fun reading them. If you like these survival game stories, this is a good series. 4 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Dark Gathering” Vol. 6, by Kenichi Kondō

177617785

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After using the Damned Sargent to acquire such a powerful spirit they all barely survive and need to rest up, giving Eiko some time to think about how dangerous all of this ghost hunting really is.

Eiko didn’t waffle very long as she decides with Yayoi to buy a cheap house to store spirits and the story behind this old house is fucked up. If you do not do well with body horror, you will NOT like this volume. It’s less funny and much more horrific than anything that’s come before it. Aside for the murder, there’s also incest so, trigger warning for all of that. I guess the most unbelievable part of this volume for me is a young person just having the money to buy a haunted house on a whim. *cries in post-capitalism America* 4 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “The Summer Hikaru Died” Vol. 2, by Mokumokuren

145624942

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After warnings from a local woman, Rie, Yoshiki struggled to resist keeping Hikaru in his life. Meanwhile, there are adults in the village are aware of some unknown entity living in the mountains.

While there is still that feeling of overall sadness, this volume is more of Yoshiki getting to know this new Hikaru while also letting us know what happened to the real Hikaru. There’s also whatever is goign on with Yoshiki’s little sister, Koaru. She can see spirits and isn’t going to school for some reason the small town is gossiping around to figure out. I like this series. It’s building up well. Like “Erased” but with less murder (so far). 4 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “The Summer Hikaru Died” Vol. 1, by Mokumokuren

85166107

(Image Source)

Hikaru went missing in the mountains for a week and while his friend, Yoshiki, is glad he was found, Yoshiki knows whatever came back is not Hikaru despite wearing his body.

While the mystery of the thing currently living inside Hikaru is intriguing and the main reason why I hadda grab this series, most of this is really sad since we’re watching Yoshiki deal simultaneously deal with his grief and the threat this new entity may pose. Sadness just permeates every inch of this volume; even the thing inside Hikaru laments the fact that Hikaru is really dead and has taken his place. And when I say “sad” I don’t mean like Boy’s Abyss where it’s sad and dark. Unless some darkness is on the way in future volumes but this is an interesting start. 4 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Porcelain” by Maria Llovet

21952108

(Image Source)

Beryl lives with her aunt and her cat in a ramshackle house in the desert. While on the way to get supplies, she passes a building called Dollhouse that wasn’t there before and visiting plunges her into a trippy adventure through it’s psychedelic corridors.

This could have been so much better. The art and concept deserve to have more time taken to enjoy the story being told. Unfortunately, it feels rushed and incomplete. This could easily be double the page length to give us more world building, time to get to know the characters, and time to get a better sense of the threat at hand. It’s beautiful and deserves that expansion. 3 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Red Leaves” by Massimo Rosi & Ivan Fiorelli

62914650

(Image Source)

Tatiana and her daughter, Yari, live in the woods in Siberia waiting for her husband to come back from war. Alone for months in the cold or winter, she has to take great care to avoid multiple dangers. But wolves and bears are not the only dangerous creatures stalking these woods.

While I enjoy the black, white, and red style, the story just didn’t hit for me. Instead of being mysterious and cryptic, it just feels vague and incomplete. There’s the mom and the kid waiting lonely in the woods, there’s a creature, then (no spoilers) there’s some soldiers, then it’s done. I didn’t get anything out of it once it was over which is a shame since it looks great and has an interesting premise. I wish it had more to offer. 2.5 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead” Vol. 13, by Haro Aso & Kōtarō Takata 

176443919

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Shizuka has been bitten and the race is on to treat her before she turns. The facility with the means to treat her turns out to be full of hidden secrets and dangers.

Calling the sinister organization The Umbriel Corporation gave me a giggle. I’ll admit it. Other than that, this volume feels more like a typical zombie story: finding the cure, maybe a vaccine, secret evil corporation, battling manufactured giant mutated creatures made from the zombie virus, all that good stuff. The run part is really the characters that bring some originality and keep this series fun. I won’t spoil things but even the new additions have their unique charms despite falling back into the traditional zombie story tropes. 4 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “Choujin X” Vol. 5, by Sui Ishida

175761842

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Tokio, Ely, and Azuma go to Beast Isles to train, a place owned by the Yamato Mori. They get attacked and taken to see the founder of the Yamato Mori, Sora Siruha.

This volume was really interesting. There’s plenty of action and some funny moments but I don’t know how I feel about this big chosen one prophesy thing. I like the little twist on it but the previous volumes had the theme of maybe the chosen one thing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Tokio is trying hard to find his way  because he always saw Asuma as a sort of chosen one but he got powers and has to work very hard to be competent; much less a golden child. I dunno, we’ll see. 4 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.

atthequillsmercy

Lenni Reviews: “My Name Is Shingo: The Perfect Edition” Vol. 1, by Kazuo Umezz

9781974742721_1

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Satoru’s father works at a factory and when he hears from his dad that there will be a new robot there, he can’t help but what to investigate, learning how to use it and even adding some instructions of his own.

Until Satoru gets into tinkering with Marilyn (the name of the robot) he’s absolutely insufferable. I was concerned I would have to deal with this brat the entire volume but once he’s into programming and has something to focus on, he’s so much better. It’s interesting and a bit foreboding that the story infers this is the machine reflecting on past events; which makes me wonder what will happen once it becomes known that Satoru is messing with the machine. 3 out of 5.

Follow me on BlogLovin.