Manhole - Volume 1
Volume 1
Chapters 1-9
Genres: Horror, Mature, Mystery, Seinen
Vintage: 2005
I started this one long ago but, there were only a few chapters out at the time and I decided to read once it was complete. I really got drawn with the mix from weird horror and detective story. I’m not, generally, very interested in stories and plots. I don’t consider it important in making a movie or series good. You can have a fantastic story taken from some awesome book and make a shitty movie. You can also take a really simple situation with nothing interesting in it and make a really interesting movie. It’s more on how the characters react, what they do, how they talk and connect, and stuff like that (and of course, all the technical details like direction, editing, photography, etc). Still, books and manga are the exception. Not that I know if Manhole is that good but, I felt like saying that lol.
Everyone is normally going on their everyday life when a strange naked man is spotted on the street. He seems sick, crazy, unable to speak. He hits Youichi and vomits blood on him. Surprised, Youichi pushes him back and accidentally kills him. The police goes to investigate and finds out the man came from a nearby manhole. He also had a parasitic infection, which caused his state and made it possible for him to die from a simple concussion.
Later, Youichi, who had fled the scene, decides to go to the police, just in time for the Filaria, parasite, which infected him, cause his death. Now, they have two deaths and really dangerous parasite that infects really quick.
This all ends up in the discovery of an institute and a plan to save humanity. I’m not going to discuss the plot further. The main characters, detectives Ken and Mao’s relationship is nice, not really funny but, not a bore. What you would expect with two people with so much age setting them apart.
The ideals about society and what’s morally wrong put here are nice and actually make you think about it. The same way Death Note did. I’m sure many people may approve of the "villain’s" doings.
Not much else to say, the story only just began even though it promises to end soon. I was not expecting this series to only last 3 volumes in the beginning. Nice volume, not sure it’s better than Duds Hunt at this point.
“The same way Death Note did. I’m sure many people may approve of the “villain’s” doings. ”
Not true. The difference being that even at the current point in the story we still dont know just what the actual plan of the “villain” was. So how can we support or condemn something completely unknown ?
Comment by karry — November 21, 2009 @ 9:26 pm
yes I have no real idea about all that “he” is doing but, I’m talking about the concept. what he discussed when he refered the movie. in death note it was killing villains, here is lobotomizing them, changing their desires and stuff, basically robbing them of their true self. that’s what the man talked about, because right now he’s just experimenting and is actually killing people.
Comment by Darknives — November 21, 2009 @ 10:27 pm