Creative Staff
Story/Art: Yoshinobu Yamada
Translation/Adaptation: Mari Morimoto
What They Say
Team Akira’s in the fight of their lives against pre-history’s fiercest ape, Gigantopithecus! Will they make it out of the jungle with their lives, or will an unexpected betrayal drive them straight into the jaws of a real-life King Kong? Meanwhile, Eiken stumbles upon a man-made relic that could begin to explain the mysterious forces that pulled them into this nightmare in the first place!
Content: (please note that content portions of review may contain spoilers):
It seems that Akira’s group simply cannot catch a break as Ohmori has been kidnapped by an ancient giant ape and the group is divided between Zaji’s strong desire to save her and Mariya’s more pragmatic approach using the rationalization that any attempt to go after her has little chance of succeeding and it adds an unwise level of risk to the group as a whole. Akira of course decides to go after Ohmori as is his nature but the willing partner who accompanies him may have plans of his own which involve how Rion might be available if something were to happen to Akira which again leads to the question of just what is the most dangerous animal on the island.
When the group suddenly decides that they really aren’t willing to just abandon their friends after all Mariya demonstrates a remarkable change of mind as the secrets of Zaji’s past that are revealed resonate deeply within him and it seems that his feelings of placing the group’s safety at paramount over any individual may be something he doesn’t believe all that deeply but which he voices as someone in the group has to. But will the group have any chance against such a large and dangerous foe while Akira has to survive a plot of a different kind, and even if somehow they do find a miracle will they still pay a major price in their rescue efforts that will damage the group enormously?
Cage of Eden continues forward in the pace that the series has settled into of taking care of a pending dire threat raised in the previous volume, often with the benefit of gaining a new group member, but also at the cost of losing a familiar face or two and then taking a bit of time for the cast to try to process the aftermath (and often show off some skin) before launching into a new arc to be solved in another volume. It is pretty easy to look at the series through a bit of a cynical eye and see just how the author is manipulating the audience as he tries to set up each event to bring the maximum impact as predictions of death often float in the air along with moments presented with the goal of deepening the reader’s connection and emotional responses to the danger at hand.
That the action manages to suppress the cynicism born of the writing mechanics which could sneak in to the readers mind is a large tribute to the author’s sense of timing and just how he introduce a powerful enough threat to distract from some moments that aren’t quite as smooth as one might wish for. In some ways the book is kind of diametrically separated between the art and writing as the artwork is amazing and seems to speak of an author that is far beyond his actual experience but some of the dialogue and the process of going through each scene can call one’s attention to just how raw the author is as some of the elements used are awkward and clunky in their mannerisms and some seem to exist just to try to make the upcoming loss seem more powerful- the practical effect is that the reader likely can guess the fate of the character in peril based on just how much the author shows of them and their motivations before the conclusive point is reached.
For this volume it means that the reader likely can see a certain outcome from a fair distance away as it seems to exist in no small part just for how the event will impact the group dynamic going forward and while that kind of chaos is often at the heart of drama, the set up here feels a little too blatant in its manipulation attempt which actually serves to undercut events rather than increase the sense of impending doom. At times it almost feels like side character who suddenly talks about his lifelong love he is going to marry before heading out to a battle and the audience then knows he won’t return from as that trope has been beaten so hard all its decedents will bear the marks. As long as one can set this recognition of what is coming aside though the volume can carry a good deal of power as there is danger and suspense (with some other characters) to spare but it definitely is a title that gains from getting a break from someone willing to provide a good deal of benefit of the doubt (in addition to the suspension of disbelief the environment requires) as there is a fun and exciting story to be found within, even if some of the bricks used to make it might make one a little leery of stepping inside the structure they create.
In Summary
The adventures in the prehistoric and savage island continue and this latest entry may see the cast taking a huge blow as some of the prominent characters from the start are place in immediate danger- and not everyone will make it through unscathed. In a world where ever minute brings the harbinger of a grisly death closer will the shadow fall upon a member or members of the group that the collection never really realized the importance of? And what of the mysterious tower that the survivors all seem to be heading toward- will it bring answers or brand new peril?
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: A
Packaging Grade: A
Text/Translation Grade: B+
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: May 20th, 2013
MSRP: $10.99
