Even someone who thinks of themselves as useless can become a hero.
Creative Staff:
Art/Story: Nakaba Suzuki
Translator: Christine Dashiell
What They Say:
A GRAND SACRIFICE The Seven Deadly Sins fight against Hendrickson in his new form as an evil god, and one by one, its members fall in the face of Hendrickson’s fury—even the mighty Meliodas. But just when it seems like all is lost, a mysterious figure courageously rises to save the day! And that valiant hero turns out to be a trusted friend and comrade! The prayers of a grief-stricken maiden awaken hidden powers, bringing miracles and hope back to life.
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Hendrickson has ingested the blood of the grey demon and now has become supremely powerful. All of the Seven Sins have been struck down and now even Meliodas lies on the ground, unable to defend Elizabeth. As this psychotic madman readies to deliver the final blow, an unexpected porcine hero leaps in front of the former Holy Knight’s devastating attack. Hawk knows that if his employer dies, no one will be able to protect the third princess, so he has no other choice. The impact is impressive, the sound deafening and the result as powerful as the deliverer himself, leaving no doubt to what its effect will be – nothing but a blackened form standing in its wake. The ashen corpse falls over as the silver haired beauty attempts to comfort it, but there is no response … and it is only then does her grief fully erupt.
A noiseless burst of intense energy explodes from the site, with the entirety of the battlefield being stunned as to its baffling origin. However it is only Margaret who truly understands the reality of its meaning and the connection to her adoptive sister. This has only happened when someone close to Elizabeth was injured and after the event concluded, the wounded were mysteriously healed and her sibling remembered nothing as to the occurrence. But as everyone puzzles over the magnificently brilliant light, it is only Hendrickson who understands the truth behind her power: Elizabeth is a descendant of the Druid priestesses … a disciple of the Goddess. He knows what foreboding strength lies behind those piercing eyes, and as if in answer to his unspoken question, another discharge envelopes the barren terrain; however this time, the results are much more telling as all of her allies are now healed of their wounds – all except for Hawk, who lies still at her feet. The tide of battle may have turned, but do the heroes even stand a chance against this apocalyptic titan of destruction?
In Summary:
With the end of the Kingdom Infiltration arc, this volume is my favorite of the series with all of the revelations and full appearance of Elizabeth’s true powers. Throughout previous volumes, the third princess has always considered herself helpless and constantly needing to rely on the aid of others to survive the adventure. It is only now does she realize that she was always a part of the group and it was in actuality the complete opposite of what she thought: Elizabeth was the one who truly helped them in finding the Seven Deadly Sins. It is this kind of result which is the most satisfying – the protagonist being the true driving force of the team, instead of being the one who relied upon the supporting cast to help the hero. We have always seen stories in which the savior was the one who propelled the group into the action, but to see a secondary character later become the primary essence of the narrative is rare and in the long run, it makes the tale more enjoyable.
Now that the last story arc is over and a new one begins, The Seven Deadly Sins expands into something in which many Western fans have not seen – a story which continues after the anime. While the show itself was entertaining, to be able to see how the characters bloom after all of the heroism is done is when the true core of franchise is able to bloom. We saw the Sins depart in the animation on a search for the last of their companions, Escanor, the Lion’s Sin of Pride, but this is entirely different on how this volume concludes. It should be illuminating on how this manga changes and why they chose to alter the show’s ending. I cannot wait to see how the cast changes in the next volume.
Content Grade: A
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: B
Age Rating: Teen (Ages 13+)
Released By: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: March 29, 2016
MSRP: $10.99
