Buronson is a truly terrible writer, and I think we can all agree on that. As someone who frequently collaborates with Ikegami, my favorite artist of all time, I've had the misfortune of reading many of his stories. For the most part, it's the same recycled plot over and over again, though they're generally enjoyable.
Like much of Buronson's work, Heat revolves around the Yakuza, Japanese mafia, police corruption, etc. But this time, the characters are just so unbearably dull. The main character is your typical Buronson protagonist, but he lacks any sense of originality; his motives are... well, just motives. Honestly, I don't even know how to describe this guy—he's so bland, uninspired, and utterly devoid of urgency, even when people he cares about are about to be killed, raped, or arrested. He's by far the worst main character Buronson has ever written, with actions that are baffling and stupid, even by Buronson's standards.
And as for the action in this manga, it's painfully absurd. Sure, this is the classic Buronson x Ikegami experience (with Sanctuary being the exception). You've got a cool-looking badass man, make him ridiculously strong, and let him loose in an overly exaggerated, over-the-top action manga that, while dumb, is usually entertaining. Most of the time, I'm okay with that—except in Heat (and possibly Lord, which is a review for another day).
I stopped reading at chapter 93. Slight spoiler: a girl gets kidnapped; she's close to the main character, and the kidnapper is insufferable. Knowing Buronson's writing style, I could predict where this was going. The guy doesn't (fully) rape her or physically harm her too much, and then a few chapters later, after the main character does absolutely nothing, he finally beats up the kidnapper and lets him... go? And guess what? He doesn't even rescue the girl, even though he could have easily done so. Instead, she goes back to the guy who kidnapped her ON HER OWN! It makes no sense. I feel like I'm just growing too mature for these kinds of idiotic stories, which is why I'm not enjoying it. I honestly don't know anymore.
Okay, if I hate the story so much, why did I give it a 5? Well, Ikegami continues to prove that he's the greatest artist of all time. The art is PHENOMENAL. I adore the city landscapes he crafted in his earlier works, and while those were refined further in later projects like Begin, Heat still looks incredible—except for one small pet peeve I have with facial expressions and face orientation in quite a few panels.
Some Ikegami fans might know that he struggles to draw faces when they're facing left. He handles them fine when they're facing right, but when they're drawn facing left, they need to be mirrored. Over the years, I've read enough of his work to notice when this happens, and it's very noticeable in Heat. Since I'm aware of it, I can't ignore it—or my brain won't let me. Either way, I'm not deducting points for it; it's just worth pointing out that it's there and it's annoying.
Should you skip Heat? I don't care.
Should you start with Heat? I don't care either.
Do whatever you want, but I will say that Buronson and Ikegami have created much better manga together. There's the absolute masterpiece that is Sanctuary, with superior Yakuza and mafia elements, insane political intrigue, and a heart-wrenching ending that ties everything together perfectly. Strain is also an excellent choice.
Anyways, my negative feelings about this manga may entirely stem from the fact that I've read a lot of their collaborative works, and you might love Heat if it's your first time reading something by them, but for me, that's not the case. Rant over.
The success of the Ryoichi Ikegami-Buronson partnership is evident to anyone who has read their manga. When I began exploring their individual works, Sanctuary left me awestruck with a storyline that surpassed anything I had encountered at that time. Intrigued, I delved further and genuinely appreciated what I found. It took quite a while to discover Heat, as there were no translations or official print releases available. Thankfully, this issue has recently been resolved, with a translation now accessible, along with 12 out of the 17 volumes available in French. And in my opinion: it was well worth the wait!
The narrative centers on the world of the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza, diving into the life of a young man who becomes entangled in the perilous and violent realm of organized crime.
There are several aspects of this story that I truly admire.
Firstly, Ryoichi Ikegami's artistic style. Ikegami is celebrated for his realistic approach. In "Heat," characters, environments, and even action sequences are portrayed with an extraordinary level of detail. I noticed a significant enhancement compared to Sanctuary, particularly in the nuances of his character designs, especially their facial expressions.
Secondly, the manga introduces readers to a fascinating array of characters for a Yakuza-themed work. Each one possesses their own motivations, strengths, and vulnerabilities. This results in a complex tale of shifting alliances where no character is purely virtuous or malevolent.
The themes explored are also compelling. "Heat" transcends mere gang conflicts and violence; it delves into loyalty, honor, betrayal, and the moral gray areas that define human nature. The Yakuza world serves as a backdrop to investigate these deeper philosophical questions.
Lastly, what captivated me most was the gripping plot. Packed with unexpected twists and turns, it keeps readers engrossed and on edge. The stakes are high, and the tension is palpable throughout. This is precisely what draws me to this genre of manga—I felt the same excitement with another similar work, Yamikin Ushijima-kun.
Regrettably, the manga's conclusion remains unavailable, and I'm uncertain if it will ever be released. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this journey through Ryoichi Ikegami's body of work. It ranks among my favorite mangas by the author, and I fully understand why it was honored with the Shōgakukan Prize in 2002.
I just can't believe there is literally no discussion about this manga on the English internet, especially considering it was written by such a big name—Buronson. "Heat" is one of the few adult mangas that were published during the early days of manga distribution in Poland (around 2005), so we can assume it might be hard to find outside our borders.
Sure, I haven't finished reading it yet, but I feel obligated to write the first-ever review or maybe just a recommendation for those who still don't know about this gem. People should really give "Heat" a chance!
Set in Japan, Shinjuku's Kabuki-cho district in the late '90s, the story revolves around Tatsumi Karasawa—a new-wave gangster who emerged from obscurity two years prior and swiftly took over an entire Chinese syndicate thanks to his immense intellect and strength. We meet him at the peak of his power, running a girl's club as a front for his crew—composed of young, handsome, and incredibly loyal partners. Soon, he becomes the most notorious man in the city, catching the attention of the Sanno-kai clan, a powerful mafia family that likely controls half of Japan. At this point, there seems to be no match for him. Karasawa is an unpredictable individual who lives by the simple rule of beating anyone who stands in his way to the top. His actions are risky and swift, but they consistently get him out of trouble because he understands gangsters and knows how to convince people to stand behind him. Karasawa is undoubtedly the main reason to pick up this manga—he's just so cool to watch.
If you enjoy gangster media like "Goodfellas" or "The Sopranos," you should definitely give "Heat" a shot. Considering it shouldn't cost much and is quick to read, it's worth trying. Start with the first volume, and don't worry if you're confused initially. If you enjoy it, grab the rest—it's worth it.
That's it! My first-ever review (or whatever this is) on MAL. Hope you enjoyed reading!
Popular Reviews
Read this book in your spare time and you can't stop.
Like much of Buronson's work, Heat revolves around the Yakuza, Japanese mafia, police corruption, etc. But this time, the characters are just so unbearably dull. The main character is your typical Buronson protagonist, but he lacks any sense of originality; his motives are... well, just motives. Honestly, I don't even know how to describe this guy—he's so bland, uninspired, and utterly devoid of urgency, even when people he cares about are about to be killed, raped, or arrested. He's by far the worst main character Buronson has ever written, with actions that are baffling and stupid, even by Buronson's standards.
And as for the action in this manga, it's painfully absurd. Sure, this is the classic Buronson x Ikegami experience (with Sanctuary being the exception). You've got a cool-looking badass man, make him ridiculously strong, and let him loose in an overly exaggerated, over-the-top action manga that, while dumb, is usually entertaining. Most of the time, I'm okay with that—except in Heat (and possibly Lord, which is a review for another day).
I stopped reading at chapter 93. Slight spoiler: a girl gets kidnapped; she's close to the main character, and the kidnapper is insufferable. Knowing Buronson's writing style, I could predict where this was going. The guy doesn't (fully) rape her or physically harm her too much, and then a few chapters later, after the main character does absolutely nothing, he finally beats up the kidnapper and lets him... go? And guess what? He doesn't even rescue the girl, even though he could have easily done so. Instead, she goes back to the guy who kidnapped her ON HER OWN! It makes no sense. I feel like I'm just growing too mature for these kinds of idiotic stories, which is why I'm not enjoying it. I honestly don't know anymore.
Okay, if I hate the story so much, why did I give it a 5? Well, Ikegami continues to prove that he's the greatest artist of all time. The art is PHENOMENAL. I adore the city landscapes he crafted in his earlier works, and while those were refined further in later projects like Begin, Heat still looks incredible—except for one small pet peeve I have with facial expressions and face orientation in quite a few panels.
Some Ikegami fans might know that he struggles to draw faces when they're facing left. He handles them fine when they're facing right, but when they're drawn facing left, they need to be mirrored. Over the years, I've read enough of his work to notice when this happens, and it's very noticeable in Heat. Since I'm aware of it, I can't ignore it—or my brain won't let me. Either way, I'm not deducting points for it; it's just worth pointing out that it's there and it's annoying.
Should you skip Heat? I don't care.
Should you start with Heat? I don't care either.
Do whatever you want, but I will say that Buronson and Ikegami have created much better manga together. There's the absolute masterpiece that is Sanctuary, with superior Yakuza and mafia elements, insane political intrigue, and a heart-wrenching ending that ties everything together perfectly. Strain is also an excellent choice.
Anyways, my negative feelings about this manga may entirely stem from the fact that I've read a lot of their collaborative works, and you might love Heat if it's your first time reading something by them, but for me, that's not the case. Rant over.
The narrative centers on the world of the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza, diving into the life of a young man who becomes entangled in the perilous and violent realm of organized crime.
There are several aspects of this story that I truly admire.
Firstly, Ryoichi Ikegami's artistic style. Ikegami is celebrated for his realistic approach. In "Heat," characters, environments, and even action sequences are portrayed with an extraordinary level of detail. I noticed a significant enhancement compared to Sanctuary, particularly in the nuances of his character designs, especially their facial expressions.
Secondly, the manga introduces readers to a fascinating array of characters for a Yakuza-themed work. Each one possesses their own motivations, strengths, and vulnerabilities. This results in a complex tale of shifting alliances where no character is purely virtuous or malevolent.
The themes explored are also compelling. "Heat" transcends mere gang conflicts and violence; it delves into loyalty, honor, betrayal, and the moral gray areas that define human nature. The Yakuza world serves as a backdrop to investigate these deeper philosophical questions.
Lastly, what captivated me most was the gripping plot. Packed with unexpected twists and turns, it keeps readers engrossed and on edge. The stakes are high, and the tension is palpable throughout. This is precisely what draws me to this genre of manga—I felt the same excitement with another similar work, Yamikin Ushijima-kun.
Regrettably, the manga's conclusion remains unavailable, and I'm uncertain if it will ever be released. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this journey through Ryoichi Ikegami's body of work. It ranks among my favorite mangas by the author, and I fully understand why it was honored with the Shōgakukan Prize in 2002.
Sure, I haven't finished reading it yet, but I feel obligated to write the first-ever review or maybe just a recommendation for those who still don't know about this gem. People should really give "Heat" a chance!
Set in Japan, Shinjuku's Kabuki-cho district in the late '90s, the story revolves around Tatsumi Karasawa—a new-wave gangster who emerged from obscurity two years prior and swiftly took over an entire Chinese syndicate thanks to his immense intellect and strength. We meet him at the peak of his power, running a girl's club as a front for his crew—composed of young, handsome, and incredibly loyal partners. Soon, he becomes the most notorious man in the city, catching the attention of the Sanno-kai clan, a powerful mafia family that likely controls half of Japan. At this point, there seems to be no match for him. Karasawa is an unpredictable individual who lives by the simple rule of beating anyone who stands in his way to the top. His actions are risky and swift, but they consistently get him out of trouble because he understands gangsters and knows how to convince people to stand behind him. Karasawa is undoubtedly the main reason to pick up this manga—he's just so cool to watch.
If you enjoy gangster media like "Goodfellas" or "The Sopranos," you should definitely give "Heat" a shot. Considering it shouldn't cost much and is quick to read, it's worth trying. Start with the first volume, and don't worry if you're confused initially. If you enjoy it, grab the rest—it's worth it.
That's it! My first-ever review (or whatever this is) on MAL. Hope you enjoyed reading!