Waq Waq vol. 1 Impression


Waq Waq volume 1 from Viz has a cover that does not even touch on the action found in the pages that follow. The manga created and illustrated by Ryu Fujisaki will please manga fans looking for some action and a little prophecy.

The Kami is the savior, a being from another land that will return and with their red blood will grant the Guardian who possesses him (or her) their ultimate wish. For good or bad, that will be the choice of the Guardian. The Guardian protects the humans from machines, machines that roam the land and destroy and kill. One such Guardian is Shio, at least after his father is killed protecting a young girl from the machines. This girl has red blood and Shio takes it upon himself to protect her with his Gojin-Zou. With her red blood the target of all Guardians, adverse affects on machines and humans alike and a mysterious shadow urging other Guardians against Shio, how will everything turn out …?

So check this out, the art is very cool, messy at times, but very slick. When I say messy it’s like a sloppy star athlete, still better than the average athlete even when they seem to not by trying. Yeah, the cover is very colorful and really tells nothing about what is inside this book. It’s action that is just made to be animated. The background settings remind me very much of Desert Punk, post apocalyptic settings where humans live in habitats, and now about the story. So humans on this planet (not Earth) live in habitats isolated away from machines that roam the land, machines that are violent and enemies. The humans bleed black blood and they foretell of a Kami, a chosen one who will save them from the machines. The Guardians, humans who team with Gojin-Zou, special machines, symbiotic, to fight machines are the ones who will have a wish fulfilled if they possess the Kami. So these are the basic points and the story kicks in with the Kami showing up, but it’s a girl from Earth who has no idea what is going on, is approached by a mysterious shadow (bad guy, mysterious I say) and is saved by Shio’s father. She makes humans angry and wants to kill her and machines seem to gather around her. So what’s the deal, how will she grant a wish? Two questions, and trust me there are more. There are other Guardians ready to fight Shio and each Gojin-Zou has unique powers like fire for example.

Overall the story can be a bit, discombobulating, but give it a shot. Its great action mixed with a story that has so much potential, so much mystery and story to be revealed. Not typical but oh so tasty.