Rest and relaxation is cut short by danger in the real world!
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Toshiaki Iwashiro
Translation: Camellia Nieh
What They Say:
The secrets of Psyren are nothing right now compared to going up against a team of Psionists who’ve been using their power to steal from the Yakuza! Thankfully, Ageha’s got the powerful kids from the Elmore Wood orphanage to help him. But they are just children. Will their help be enough?
Content:
After the eccentric villains conclude their meeting in Psyren, our attention turns back to our heroes in the real world. During some much needed rest and relaxation, Ageha is startled by the sudden appearance of Kagetora. Kagetora reveals that he hunts down corrupt psionists, and asks Ageha if he’d like to give him a hand on his latest job. The targets are three psionists who have teamed up and started stealing from loan sharks. Still worrying about W.I.S.E and the fate of the kids, Ageha ends up turning him down.
Later on, Ageha goes to visit Elmore, but Nemesis Q quickly appears in the middle of their conversation. Elmore declares that the being is actually a psionic program with a will of its own. At first it appears that the monstrous creature is going to kill Ageha, but it instead brings Ageha to a strange, isolated world. There, Ageha hears a recording stating that Nemesis Q is in fact a program sent from the future as a proxy for a powerful psionist. Meanwhile, Kagetora confronts the rogue psionists, only to be caught off guard by their strange attacks. Ageha is returned to the normal world safely, but he is left frustrated by how little he understands, as well as his inability to warn the kids about their fate.
While brooding, Ageha receives a call from Kagetora, informing him of just how wrong things have gone. At Elmore’s request, Ageha takes the kids with him and sets off to track down and rescue his injured friend. Meanwhile, the leader of the criminal trio, Inui, shows off his theory of how great pain is by abusing his own brother and beating Kagetora to a bloody pulp. Fortunately, before things get too bad Ageha and the kids appear on the scene. As an intense battle of psionic might erupts, the kids prove that they are more than a match for their fully grown opponents. Closing off the volume, Ageha and Kyle take on the sadistic leader of the group, teaching him the true meaning of pain in the process.
In Summary:
With this volume we step away from the constant escalation of the main plot, but surprisingly the series handles it quite well and gives us something that’s no less exciting. After such an extended time with the world of Psyren, it’s nice to see something set in the real world for once. Additionally, we get to see a number of the minor characters fleshed out and given some really nice moments, and the villains are surprisingly engaging, with interesting powers and a rather messed up ringleader. Add in some revelations as to the nature of Nemesis Q, and you have a fantastic and refreshing new entry into the series.
Content Grade: A-
Art Grade: B+
Package Rating: B+
Text/Translation Rating: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released by: Viz Media
Release Date: September 4th, 2012
MSRP: $9.99
