Comics / Manga

Maoh: Juvenile Remix Volume 5

By Leroy Douresseaux
May 9, 2011 - 14:41

Maoh: Juvenile Remix Volume 5 cover image is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

Blessed (or cursed) with the ability to make people say out loud what he is thinking, Ando may be the only person who can stop Inukai.  Who is Inukai?  Believing that rapid modernization threatens his home, the city of Nekota, Inukai has proclaimed himself an “agent of justice” and has stood up to oppose that progress.  Inukai and his team of vigilantes, known as Grasshopper, protect Nekota’s citizens from a rising wave of crime and also the machinations of greedy businessmen.  But is Inukai a devil in disguise?

In Maoh: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 5, Ando and his brother, Junya, are confronted by an angry mob.  Ando befriended Anderson, whose father heads The Anderson Group, the organization behind the New Urban Center Project, which Inukai has targeted.  Now, Anderson is trapped in an apartment fire – one started by enemies of his father.  Can Ando save him?  Will the mob let him?

Meanwhile, the assassin Semi continues his fight to save the mayor of Nekota City from other assassins.  What Semi doesn’t know is that the best assassin around is coming for the mayor.  This new killer is so good that he doesn’t have to lay a hand on his target, but his words are death.

THE LOWDOWN:  Usually, Maoh is like 20th Century Boys and Ikigami – steeped in conspiracies and focusing on characters that are ordinary people.  These everyday types fight against the institutions, entities, and people hungry for control of others.

This volume, however, is about confrontation, and there are some good one-on-one battles, including a knife fight with a gunfight’s energy.  The two best confrontations involve a test of wills; one of them focuses on a psychological battle that could end in suicide.  I think Ando’s battle against the mob shows off his special powers at their best, so while the series is well into the story at this point, I think this is an excellent jumping-on point for new readers.  It really showcases this narrative’s attractive edginess.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers who enjoy urban crime fiction and conspiracy manga will probably enjoy Maoh: Juvenile Remix.

A-

 

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12