No Guns Life: Volume 2 manga review

No Guns Life Graphic Novel Volume 2 cover image

After the end of a “Great War,” cyborg soldiers known as the “Extended” were discharged.  There bodies were transformed via “physical function extension,” also known as “Extended surgery.”  Juzo Inui is an Extended, his body transformed and his head replaced with a giant gun.  He has no memory of his previous life or knowledge of who specifically replaced his head or why.  Inui now scratches out a living in the dark streets of the city as a “Resolver,” one who resolves issues or takes on cases involving the Extended.

As No Guns Life, Vol. 2 (Chapters 7 to 11) opens, Juzo continues to protect Tetsuro Arahabaki, a child with very powerful connections, but also possessing technology that has made him the biggest target in the city.  Tetsuro is also the eldest son of the CEO of Beruhien, a very powerful corporation, and Juzo's activities with the boy has drawn him the attention of people who would do both of them harm.

One of them is an old friend, Olivia of Extended Management Squad, and she blackmails Juzo.  He must find for her a dangerous and uncanny escaped prisoner, Hayden Gondry, the very first non-compliant Extended.  Gondry, however, may be connected to Juzo's mysterious past.

[This volume includes bonus manga, “Extra No Guns Life.”]

THE LOWDOWN:  The No Guns Life manga, from creator Tasuku Karasuma, initially intrigued me because of its title.  The series' striking cover art, which features Juzo Inui's gun head – is enough to encourage readers to give the series a try.

The chapters contained within No Guns Life Graphic Novel Volume 2 begin to live up to the intensity that Inui's physical appearance suggests – unlike the first volume.  Juzo's big gun head tells you, dear readers, that there will be some cool action and violence, and finally, it seems as if the story is ready to give that to the readers.  The translation by Joe Yamazaki and the English adaptation by Stan! convey No Guns Life's surprisingly spry character drama, and Evan Waldinger's lettering captures the series' subtle measured tones that appear on occasion during character interplay.

The best of No Guns Life is yet to come... I hope.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of VIZ Signature science fiction-action titles will want to try No Guns Life.

A-
7.5 out of 10