Manga Review: NOW

Manga: Now
Writer and Artist : Park Sung-Woo
Publisher: Infinity Studios and ComicsOne
Volumes: 1 - 6 (no further volumes in the US)
Cover Price: $10.95

This is one of the manhwa (not manga as this is Korean) that my son actually picked up on that Haul (insert link on blog). I was looking at it, but for some reason put it back.

I have to admit that my son is becoming quite verse now on what a good manhwa/manga is. He also got Blade of Heavens which is another one I may be reviewing.

Ripped from the Net:

“Just before the fall of the mighty Korean Kingdom of Goguryeo, a lone man roamed the lands causing destruction beyond imagine using Sa Shin Mu, a form of martial arts never before seen in this world. Now, 20 years after the fall of the Kingdom of Goguryeo, a new rumor is spreading that a secret manual detailing this legendary martial art has resurfaced. Will Sa Shin Mu once again dictate the fate of this new era?”

What’s Cool about it:
I have to admit that this would be a very cool RPG or even a Single Player Fighter (similar to Street Fighter) game to play. The characters each have their own unique personalities which is refreshing. They are so varied in how they act and interact with each other. It even has the beginnings of a love relationship between Ah-Rin Yhun and Bi-Ryu, though we know this will prove difficult.

Having a evil chef/cannibal in the story as comic relief is an oddity as well.

If you are drawn to martial arts and fighting techniques, this is definitely a book you should be reading. It gives a history of the styles used and why they are highly desired by other fractions. It is suppose to be the ultimate killing styles with Bi-Ryu noting himself as the “God of Death’. It seems however that beauty (or brute force) can calm the wild beast. With each introduction of a new character, we see our group(s) pushed even further in reference to their skills. Who is a friend and who is an enemy may soon get blurred as we continue in this story.

What Suckles about it:

This does jump around a lot and you need a play card to keep up with everything. I lost count of the number of sub-stories that are going on. It seems that everyone in this series is on the move to find someone or something. Though I like the foot notes in the story, I think having to explain everything is a bit distracting sometimes. It is like getting educational subtitles while watching a movie. It is nice to know, but maybe add a section at the end of the book for them so we can read separately.

I am not happy it stops at the 6th volume. You are getting introduced to a new group of ‘villians’ (Myung-Wang-Shin-Gyo). You are left wondering if Bi-Ryu will be fighting Se-Ha Yu since they will be on opposing sides now. Will Whur Ha-Rhang and Yhun Oh-Rhang catch up with their daughters now that they are separated? Who does have the ultimate fighting style and be the victor in this mankwa?

I will have to check on some of sites to see if I can find a scan-alation of the remainder of the series - DAMMIT.

Interior Artwork

 

Final Comments:

I am a bit upset that they decided to stop this series as I enjoyed it. I liked the flow of the battles and the intensity of them. I happened to get emotionally involved with the characters and do have my favorites. The naming of the fight moves and further foot notes explaining some of the things noted were wonderful. The story will suck you in and is a must for anyone who is a fan of Martial Arts.

If you pick this series up, I would recommend getting it from the publisher Infinity Studios if possible. They actually have cover jackets, mini poster and color inserts in their versions. The other publisher does not have any extras. Since this is a manhwa, it does read like any English from left to right, so don’t start from the back cover.

Keep or Throw: KEEP

WTF do we find these great stories only to be kicked in the gut noting that it never was completed for reading (in the US). Hopefully you can find the full set in your country.

Overall Rating: B – Great fight scenes and characters, but the story needs a playbook to follow sometimes.