My Cold Sweetheart

Finally another book from Brie! Brie, please show us the family tree of Petrov & Wright; some names are so similar that tends to be confusing like Timothy & Timmy & Tim, Samuel & Sammy, Samara & Tamara. :)

needs major editing

Can we really define "Zero One" as a complete failure of sensei Hiroya Oku, despite it being considered the origin of what would become his legacy?

First of all, what is this story about?

In 2028, in the futuristic city of New Koshigaya, lives Isurugu Neru, a young boy from a poor family. His father forces him to work and drop out of middle school to help with the household finances. Neru's father, besides wanting to improve the family's financial situation, also forces Neru to find his talent in life.

However, Neru is haunted by a single thought: revenge against Yagami, an extraordinarily talented schoolmate in every field. Yagami not only humiliated Neru on numerous occasions but also hurt his sister, inflicting pain and anger that Neru cannot forget.

Meanwhile, a virtual reality game called MBZ is gaining immense popularity. Despite the economic difficulties, Neru finds a way to frequent the arcades, where he makes new friends and discovers he has an innate talent for this video game. Through MBZ, Neru sees an opportunity to redeem himself and a way to his revenge against Yagami.

The story follows Neru's journey as he delves deeper into the world of MBZ, improving his skills and trying to surpass Yagami in the game, creating new friendships, and attempting to overcome the barriers between him and his father.

The manga has a very low rating, 5.94 on MAL, but I want to evaluate this work not only based on what I've read but also on the context and reality it gave us following its publication. A work that, in my opinion, if published in another period and with a different budget, would have had more potential and hopes of continuing.

The story is very simple and linear, following the growth of Neru, our main character, with very humble characteristics, in which one could easily identify. Unfortunately, the side characters presented to us are not developed more than one chapter each, and indeed, they are not that memorable.

The artwork, in my opinion, is what makes the work stand out. The unmistakable style of Hiroya Oku is noticeable as always and makes the reading very enjoyable. A very important note is that this was the first work in which he experimented, along with his team, with the technique of 3D rendering using computer software. But we'll get back to this later, explaining its fundamental importance. I would also like to add how nice and nostalgic it is to see in 2024 the way he portrayed the characters of the game MBZ through 3D renderings, because they very much recall the old school style of the characters from "Soul Calibur" from 1999.

Regarding the ending, it is inevitable to notice that something is off. Indeed, "Future" chapter 41 of the third volume, is the most painful point of the series, because it concludes right at the climax, where Neru will face his enemy Yagami in an MBZ tournament.

The reason for this conclusion is revealed to us in an interview by Tokyo Otaku Mode, where the interviewer asks our artist about his decision to create 3D computer images, Oku tells us:

"The work we did there was actually quite fun. Still, after two years of paying assistant salaries, and investing in costly computers and printers for 3D rendering, I used up most of my money. Most of the money I had saved from “Hen” was gone, and I thought I was done for when the “01 ZERO ONE” series started to get published but didn’t do well. I was headed for bankruptcy, so I went and asked my managing editor to let me quit the “01 ZERO ONE” series. But I was not going to let all that technology go to waste, so I implemented 3D in “GANTZ”. In the end, all the investments I had made for “01 ZERO ONE” were for a good cause. That flop has enabled my studio to create images that no one else could."

And it is thanks to this interview that we understand why this manga is more significant and important than we think. If we look at the overall picture objectively, works like "Gantz," "Inuyashiki," and "Gigant" would not have existed if he hadn't axed the series or invested in all that equipment for the creation of "Zero One." And this is why I consider this work of inestimable importance.

From a technical standpoint, it gets a solid 6, but on the other hand, I can't give a number to define how important this work is. However, I can't deny that now I dream of nothing more than seeing a continuation of the series and seeing Yagami's face being stomped by Neru. I would recommend this manga to anyone who enjoys Oku's work and wants to delve deeper into the origins of his artistic style. It doesn't prove to be a challenging read at all, and in my opinion, one could easily finish it in a single evening of full immersion.

Zero-One is a Seinen, Sci-fi, Action manga centered around a virtual reality game named MBZ, where players engage in superhuman battles against each other. The overall plot is intriguing and somewhat captivating, but it's marred by the story itself. It follows a young teenage boy, Nero Isurugi, who leads a modest life until he encounters an MBZ champion, Yagami.

With the protagonist and antagonist established early on, all that remains is to witness how the story progresses. The narrative flow is fairly standard for this genre of manga, yet it isn't negative to observe the protagonist grow through increasingly difficult challenges. However, it becomes problematic when random elements are introduced just to add excitement, as they occasionally fail to make sense (like "01"). At least the manga does a commendable job introducing some fascinating characters later on, though the story concludes soon after.

The characters possess rather realistic personalities, making them relatable, but none are developed sufficiently, except for Nero and perhaps one other. Ultimately, this manga lacks memorable characters that linger in your thoughts after its abrupt ending.

The artwork in this manga is simultaneously stunning and peculiar. Fans familiar with this mangaka's most celebrated work (Gantz) will notice the evident similarities in art style—highly detailed panels that are easy to follow, along with touches of CG. Nevertheless, some character designs appear crude, and the mangaka's fixation with large breasts is unmistakably present.

Overall, Zero-One was a reasonably enjoyable manga while it endured, and individuals accustomed to playing online multiplayer games might find it and its familiar concept engaging. Still, the fact remains that this manga was left incomplete, leaving readers feeling profoundly disappointed and unsatisfied.

^_^

A good bok

I like the author’s works. He/she lives up to my expectations and more. Never fails to surprise me and this book is absolutely amazing

Great book. Keep it up.

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