Review: LEVIUS/est: Volume 1

LEVIUS/EST, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CARTONIST: Haruhisa Nakata
TRANSLATION: John Werry
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Jason A. Hurley
LETTERS: Joanna Estep
EDITOR: Joel Enos
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0639-6; paperback (November 2019); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
212pp, B&W with some color, $12.99 U.S., $17.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

Levius/est is a sequel to the manga, Levius, with both manga being the creation of manga artist, Haruhisa Nakata.  A currently ongoing series, Levius/est is published in the Japanese manga magazine, Ultra Jump.  VIZ Media is publishing an English-language edition of Levius/est as a series of graphic novels, and also published Levius in English as a single-volume hardcover omnibus edition.

Levius/est, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 5) opens in the 19th century.  The world has entered the “Era of Rebirth,” as it recovers  from a devastating war.  Seventeen-year-old Levius Cromwell, who lost his parents to war, is a fighter in the sport of mechanical martial arts (M.M.A.), which has galvanized the nations of the world.  Cybernetically augmented fighters turn their blood into steam and their bodies into brutal and sometimes monstrous fighting and killing machines.

Levius managed to become one of the “Grand Thirteen,” the 13 M.M.A. fighters in the sport's top level, “Grade I.”  However, Levius is currently in a coma, and his gravely injured uncle, Zack Cromell (his father's brother), is determined to save him.  To do so means engaging a dangerous young woman named A.J. Langdon, the fighter who caused Levius' injuries.

The Levius/est manga is a necessary sequel to the Levius manga.  After reading Levius, dear readers, it was clear to me that there was more story to be told.

Levius/est Graphic Novel Volume 1 is appropriate for high school age readers, as was the original, although both are classified with the adult seinen manga label.  Creator Haruhisa Nakata depicts some shockingly brutal fights in the original series, but here, he focuses on back story, flashbacks, and character relationships.  For instance, Nakata offers us the first look at the events that led to Levius' mother's grievous injuries, and he shows us a more detailed and different side of A.J. Langdon.

Nakata's art reminds me of the work of Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira), and I expect this series will sometimes seem like a steampunk spin on Ghost in the Shell.  Nakata's art makes for effective graphical storytelling and is also eye-candy.

John Werry and Jason A. Hurley's work on the English script for Levius/est won't fail us, and Joanna Estep's lovely lettering is perfect for this series.  That is why I am recommending Levius/est.  There is so much potential here, both in terms of action and in terms of character drama.  Levius/est may be a sequel, but I don't think it will be a retread.

8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: LEVIUS

LEVIUS
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CARTONIST: Haruhisa Nakata
TRANSLATION: John Werry
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Jason A. Hurley
LETTERS: Joanna Estep
EDITOR: Joel Enos
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0502-3; hardcover (September 2019); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
672pp, B&W with some color, $34.99 U.S., $46.99 CAN, £25.00 UK

Levius is a seinen manga (comics for adult men) created by Haruhisa Nakata.  It was serialized in 18 chapters from 2012 to 2014 in the Japanese manga magazine, Ikki.  In Japan, Levius was collected in three tankobon (graphic novels).  VIZ Media is publishing the entirety of Levius in English as a omnibus hardcover, entitled Levius.

Levius is set on an alternate Earth.  It is the 19th century, and the world has entered the “Era of Rebirth,” as it recovers  from a devastating war.  Seventeen-year-old Levius Cromwell lost his father to war, and his mother lies in a coma in a hospital because she suffered grave bodily injuries in the battle in their neighborhood, Green Bridge.  Five years earlier, Levius came to live with his uncle, his late father's brother, Zack Cromwell, and his paternal grandmother.

Now, Levius is a fighter in the sport of mechanical martial arts (M.M.A.), which has galvanized the nations of the world.  Cybernetically augmented fighters turn their blood into steam and their bodies into brutal and sometimes monstrous fighting and killing machines.  Young Levius is one of those arena battlers, a mechanical martial artist prodigy, hell-bent on winning in order to simply survive in a sport where combatants often enter the “Final Cage,” death.

There are five levels in M.M.A., I, II, III, IV, and V, and Levius is Level II.  In order to move up to Level I, Levius will have to fight the monstrous Hugo Stratus and a young woman named A.J. Langdon.  To defeat them, to maybe save them and himself, Levius may have to enter the Final Cage.

The Levius manga is appropriate for high school age readers, although it is classified with the adult seinen manga label.  Creator Haruhisa Nakata depicts some shockingly brutal fights, but Levius' mixture of dystopian science fiction, mecha, and martial arts will attract a number of manga readers who are familiar with titles like Full Metal Alchemist and Ghost in the Shell.

The art is richly detailed and the fights and behind-the-scenes segments about cybernetics will remind readers of Ghost in the Shell.  In the drama scenes, Nakata's art reminds me of the work of Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira).

I found this manga to be an exciting read.  However, there were times that the story seemed to become repetitive.  I will not say that the story is padded, but Nakata often needs to draw out fights to the gruesome end in order to convey the story's plot and themes.  The consequence is that readers may find that some of the mechanical martial arts battles will simply wear them down, as it did me a few times.

Otherwise, Levius is a unique alternate Earth, futuristic drama and action-thriller.  Its stylish art and powerful graphical storytelling left me wanting more.  And there is more, a follow-up, entitled Levius/est, which hopefully makes it way to American readers.

8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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