Fusing technotheistic religion with government repression, Digimortal delivers a brutal clash of ideals and ideology in true Nihei fashion. The Church of Transfiguration has initiated an Inquisition aimed at eradicating the sinful use of technology sought for achieving physiological immortality. Meanwhile, Nihei's unnamed protagonist is approached by the resistance, tasked with retaliating by assassinating one of the Inquisition's most influential figures.
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Expertly illustrated and utterly captivating, Tsutomu Nihei once again showcases his remarkable skill in sequential storytelling with this concise yet powerful manga.
Story 6
The plot of Abara is peculiar, and for the first time ever, I'm not sure that's a positive aspect. The beginning seemed promising, but as it progressed, I became lost in an excess of dialogue that was neither engaging nor helpful in understanding what was going on—until I was nearly finished.
Art 6
The artwork in Abara was somewhat inconsistent for me. Some elements looked impressive, while others didn't resonate. The style has an old-school vibe but lacks the charm it should possess, merely appearing dated without much appeal.
Character 4
The characters were quite disappointing. This manga seems to disregard its main figures since I didn't feel like the story centered around any single individual. It starts with a character who initially seems interesting, only to discard him swiftly and shift focus to another. There's no real connection to anyone within this brief span, and I barely recall any names.
Enjoyment and Overall 6
There were moments when certain visuals or ideas seemed intriguing, but they amounted to nothing significant. Overall, the manga left little impact on me; I derived almost no enjoyment from the 13 chapters I read, leaving me feeling it was largely a wasted effort.
Abara's precursor is a 2 chapter one-shot named Digimortal written in 2004, shortly after Biomega started airing. It, with its 11 chapters, was written during said airing. Given its brevity, you aren't losing much even if you end up not liking it. It also serves as a good starting point when diving into Nihei's catalog, offering a taste of what he is all about. And, for those coming from Chainsaw Man: indeed, Fujimoto holds this work in high regard, and its influence is easy to see.
If you're coming from Blame! looking for more, Abara is the closest that will fill the void. Saying that feels both satisfying and disappointing at the same time, as I think there's a big gap between the two. Ultimately, Abara is an interesting and unique experience, but unfortunately not much more than that. I still like it, but... Yea...
Abara leans more towards biological themes compared to Blame!'s cyberpunk aesthetic. I adore it. Some of my all-time favorite panels are from Abara. They showcase brutality and vehement force, sometimes even solitude and dread. The designs of Black and White Gauna are insane. It's sheer carnage on display.
As for the story: the first thing you'll likely do upon reaching the end is head to some YouTube video, Reddit post, or straight up Wikipedia's "Plot" section for explanation. The story is intriguing, but it's so thinly narrated it makes Dark Souls lore seem intuitive. As with Blame!, the lack of information gives it charm, but unlike Blame!, where you always had the basic structure of "Follow Killy and see what jumps his ass this time," here you don't even know who's jumping who or why. It gains more value on re-reading when you have some necessary context.
My issues with Abara are its length and lack of clarity. I would have loved for this to have the runtime of Biomega, let alone Blame!. Its actual length often felt like a disservice to its potential and presentation. Alongside that, you often won't be able to make out what's happening right in front of you. Sometimes it's due to the art, sometimes due to lack of context, and sometimes because of a sense of rush; whatever way you look at it, it's there. The story itself isn't groundbreaking, but the added confusion doesn't help.
The art of Abara, in my opinion, comes closest to Blame!'s highs, and depending on the mood and day, sometimes I'd even say I view them equally as good. I'd also consider it the last work that got 'that Nihei aesthetic' which, in my opinion, was lost in Knight of Sidonia and Country of Dolls; however, that's a tangent I won't delve into now. Back to Abara's art: it's as messy and gritty as it gets, frequently on the verge of any resemblance; truth be told, it's sometimes too much, but when it's just right, it's brilliant. It beautifully complements the biological structure of the work, giving it that necessary relentlessness. To repeat myself: sheer carnage on display. It's practically pure black and white. I'm just sad we didn't get more.
To conclude, I hold this work dear. It was actually my introduction to Nihei's repertoire, and I'm glad that I still find value in it despite everything. I'm just sad it didn't get more attention. I recommend it regardless due to how little of an investment it is to read. A very unique experience, for sure.
Thank you for reading up to this point. I wish you all the very best. Kind regards.
You really need to be a dedicated fan to fully enjoy Abara. This manga isn't for everyone, especially those who don't appreciate intellectually demanding stories that require deep thought. Tsutomu Mihei's style prioritizes visuals over dialogue to narrate the story.
This story, much like most of Tsutomu Mihei's creations (including Blame!), features minimal dialogue. His work is stunningly beautiful; the intricate and detailed art style never fails to impress me.
Abara's plot is relatively straightforward—a typical "man saves the world" narrative. However, within its brief two volumes, Mihei skillfully incorporates subplots that add depth to the simplicity. While his plot is engaging and his artwork exceptional, there is a noticeable lack of character development. The characters are basic and exactly as they appear.
Additionally, every time you revisit this manga, you might form a different opinion on various aspects of it.
Popular Reviews
<br /><br />
Expertly illustrated and utterly captivating, Tsutomu Nihei once again showcases his remarkable skill in sequential storytelling with this concise yet powerful manga.
<p>
Story 6
The plot of Abara is peculiar, and for the first time ever, I'm not sure that's a positive aspect. The beginning seemed promising, but as it progressed, I became lost in an excess of dialogue that was neither engaging nor helpful in understanding what was going on—until I was nearly finished.
Art 6
The artwork in Abara was somewhat inconsistent for me. Some elements looked impressive, while others didn't resonate. The style has an old-school vibe but lacks the charm it should possess, merely appearing dated without much appeal.
Character 4
The characters were quite disappointing. This manga seems to disregard its main figures since I didn't feel like the story centered around any single individual. It starts with a character who initially seems interesting, only to discard him swiftly and shift focus to another. There's no real connection to anyone within this brief span, and I barely recall any names.
Enjoyment and Overall 6
There were moments when certain visuals or ideas seemed intriguing, but they amounted to nothing significant. Overall, the manga left little impact on me; I derived almost no enjoyment from the 13 chapters I read, leaving me feeling it was largely a wasted effort.
<p>
Abara's precursor is a 2 chapter one-shot named Digimortal written in 2004, shortly after Biomega started airing. It, with its 11 chapters, was written during said airing. Given its brevity, you aren't losing much even if you end up not liking it. It also serves as a good starting point when diving into Nihei's catalog, offering a taste of what he is all about. And, for those coming from Chainsaw Man: indeed, Fujimoto holds this work in high regard, and its influence is easy to see.
If you're coming from Blame! looking for more, Abara is the closest that will fill the void. Saying that feels both satisfying and disappointing at the same time, as I think there's a big gap between the two. Ultimately, Abara is an interesting and unique experience, but unfortunately not much more than that. I still like it, but... Yea...
Abara leans more towards biological themes compared to Blame!'s cyberpunk aesthetic. I adore it. Some of my all-time favorite panels are from Abara. They showcase brutality and vehement force, sometimes even solitude and dread. The designs of Black and White Gauna are insane. It's sheer carnage on display.
As for the story: the first thing you'll likely do upon reaching the end is head to some YouTube video, Reddit post, or straight up Wikipedia's "Plot" section for explanation. The story is intriguing, but it's so thinly narrated it makes Dark Souls lore seem intuitive. As with Blame!, the lack of information gives it charm, but unlike Blame!, where you always had the basic structure of "Follow Killy and see what jumps his ass this time," here you don't even know who's jumping who or why. It gains more value on re-reading when you have some necessary context.
My issues with Abara are its length and lack of clarity. I would have loved for this to have the runtime of Biomega, let alone Blame!. Its actual length often felt like a disservice to its potential and presentation. Alongside that, you often won't be able to make out what's happening right in front of you. Sometimes it's due to the art, sometimes due to lack of context, and sometimes because of a sense of rush; whatever way you look at it, it's there. The story itself isn't groundbreaking, but the added confusion doesn't help.
The art of Abara, in my opinion, comes closest to Blame!'s highs, and depending on the mood and day, sometimes I'd even say I view them equally as good. I'd also consider it the last work that got 'that Nihei aesthetic' which, in my opinion, was lost in Knight of Sidonia and Country of Dolls; however, that's a tangent I won't delve into now. Back to Abara's art: it's as messy and gritty as it gets, frequently on the verge of any resemblance; truth be told, it's sometimes too much, but when it's just right, it's brilliant. It beautifully complements the biological structure of the work, giving it that necessary relentlessness. To repeat myself: sheer carnage on display. It's practically pure black and white. I'm just sad we didn't get more.
To conclude, I hold this work dear. It was actually my introduction to Nihei's repertoire, and I'm glad that I still find value in it despite everything. I'm just sad it didn't get more attention. I recommend it regardless due to how little of an investment it is to read. A very unique experience, for sure.
Thank you for reading up to this point. I wish you all the very best. Kind regards.
This story, much like most of Tsutomu Mihei's creations (including Blame!), features minimal dialogue. His work is stunningly beautiful; the intricate and detailed art style never fails to impress me.
Abara's plot is relatively straightforward—a typical "man saves the world" narrative. However, within its brief two volumes, Mihei skillfully incorporates subplots that add depth to the simplicity. While his plot is engaging and his artwork exceptional, there is a noticeable lack of character development. The characters are basic and exactly as they appear.
Additionally, every time you revisit this manga, you might form a different opinion on various aspects of it.
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