Creative Staff
Story/Art: Junya Inoue
Translation/Adaptation: Christine Dashiell
Lettering: Terri Delgado
What They Say
The game comes to a head!! Unwilling to play by the rules set by the twisted minds behind the live-action version of “BTOOOM!”, Ryouta Sakamoto, with his comrades Himiko and Kyoshi Taira, vows to figure out a way off of the island that doesn’t involve murder. Still, with giant carnivorous lizards and stab-happy ex-soldiers inhabiting this island hell, Ryouta finds that getting a little blood on his hands in inevitable if he’s to escape with both his life and his wits about him… But when he and Himiko are accosted by an otherworldly white specter as they take shelter in an abandoned building, is Ryouta instead losing his grip on reality and the game?!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
For those just joining us: BTOOOM! vol. 5 picks up a few days into a live-action, non-consensual game of “blow-everything-and-everyone-up-before-they-do-the-same-to-you”. This murder-death-kill extravaganza has startling similarities to the MMORPG (mass multi-player online role-playing game) that our sometimes endearing, often infuriating protagonist, Ryouta Sakamoto devoted all of his time playing before his world was turned upside down by an abduction that led to being dropped on a deserted island with a large number of other (mostly) unsuspecting victims.
In vol. 5, there are finally a few more characters introduced that don’t bite the dust in the same volume. I’m still holding out for some old, familiar faces to return, like Kira, the terrifyingly sociopathic middle schooler, and eventually it has to happen. (I have faith in you Junya, don’t let me down!) Until then, our new cast members include Hidemi Kinoshita, equally as terrifying as Kira as she appears sweet an innocent and turns into a cold-blooded killer in a matter of pages, Masato Date, a doctor who escaped the island in the first round of the game (wait, they’ve done this before!?), and Shiki Murasaki, a nurse who isn’t even supposed to be alive!
The volume opens with two much needed chapters delving into Hitomi’s back story. There’s some graphic rape in these chapters as the reason for Hitomi’s involvement in the game is revealed, as well as her moral code. You can’t help but feel sorry for her, but that’s not the only Hitomi revelation in themanga! If you didn’t see it coming, it is revealed, during a quiet moment alone with Ryouta, that Hitomi is the Hitomi that Ryouta “mistook” her for. Naughty Hitomi is keeping secrets!
The rest of the volume takes place primarily in the same building the last volume ended in. Ryouta and Hitomi settle in for a fitful night of sleep, but Hitomi wakes to a ghostly face hovering over her. Ryouta and Hitomi both question their sanity and the existence of ghosts before finding Murasaki, who is missing most of one arm and is as much of a man-hater as Hitomi.
A few more revelations are served up, like the fact that this isn’t the first live-action BTOOOM! That has been played, and not everything is as it seems once the mandated number of chips are collected. A few questions are left deliciously unanswered, as the scene cuts before the revelation of what happens when the helicopter comes, and though Hitomi knows the secret, she can’t bring herself to tell Ryouta.
There isn’t a lot of Taira in this volume, as he is still dying slowly, what with an infected giant lizard bite and missing fingers, but fear not! It appears that Taira is still alive, and in the care of Masata Date, who abandoned Murasaki after working with her in a team, and then betraying her for her chip… and he’s not happy about being back on the island.
In Summary
While the beginning of the volume slows down a little, BTOOOM! is far from over. New layers, new characters, and new revelations keep the reader interested, and at time on the edge of their seat. The level of art is consistent, and the manga remains thoroughly enjoyable.
Content Grade: A+
Art Grade: A
Packaging Grade: A
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: Mature
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: February 18th, 2014
MSRP: 13.00