Dragon Eye Vol. #5
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September 03, 2008
by: Adam Beck
The dragon within burns strong, but will it be enough?
Manga Description: DARK BETRAYAL
Issa is a powerful warrior who is sworn to protect his city against Draculesdeadly, virus-infected monsters. But now someone is smuggling them into the cityand the culprit may be one of Issas colleagues. To capture the villain, Issa and his band of heroes embark on an ambitious undercover operation . . . but they might be walking right into a trap!
Includes special extras after the story!
Manga Review
Content: (This section may contain spoilers)
Because the last volume had concluded an arc, the fifth volume starts an entirely new scenario: Issa, Leila,and Yukimura find themselves struggling physically and mentally. Yet, like with volumes, Leila is not a major character; she appears in the last couple chapters in the last volume, but before that, the story hasnt really concentrated on her. The fifth volume is no different, as most of the events mainly concern Issa, Yukimaru, and the fierce Hibiki. Ultimately, this equals a lot of action and suspense as each character has already proven to be fantastic additions to the story.
Captain Aoi of squad six made her debut in the last volume; she was a nice and strong individual, she appears to be a lot more decisive. She is the superior to Hibiki, who seems to have some sort of lust in fighting Issa, and she only builds his fury further, offering him advice and even giving him an opportunity to fight him. She is a big mystery. Its too bad she only appears in the first couple of chapters before exiting from this volume, though. The 13th chapter offers a bit of action, but the central part of it is strategic planning. Hibiki and Issas fight begins here, but it is short-lived. Hibikis whole idea reminds me of Yukimaru, with the exception that Hibiki is doing it to prove how great he is, whereas Yukimaru is doing it for revenge. For the most part, its a pretty slow opening to the fifth volume, but it definitely has some perks here and there that will make you smile.
The 14th chapter is probably my favorite as it includes some strong action, exciting events, and some weird mysteries that are hinted and revealed. First off, if youve read the previous installments, youd remember there is a weird dog that is on Squad Zero who has been there for - well, who knows how long. That dog has been somewhat of a mystery ever since he was introduced and at times he magically appears here and there. Finally, some weird light is shed upon him as he speaks his first words in the manga. His first scene with Leila just made me laugh. The entire skit was so random and ended with Issa getting beaten over the head with a broom. It also makes me wonder what the dog really is. For all we know, he is a good" dracule in disguise. Getting past that, what continues is the hinting at Issas past and current relationship with two we saw the cavern. To be fair, there are way too many random hints. We got a couple of hints last volume, and the one before that was a giant explanation on Issas history, but it feels like this series will be going on for a long time considering how slow Issas life is unfolding. In any case, this is a fast-paced and exciting chapter.
The final chapter in the volume chapter 15 is also well done, but youll have to put away your fandom for Issa and Leila, and start to look towards Yukimaru as he makes his rather large debut as the central character. Yukimarus past has been pretty well told as he seeks revenge on his, so-called-murdered-sister - and he believe Issa had taken her life. That is pretty much the gist of things for him, and it expands just slightly. His involvement is technically pretty limited as he doesnt evolve as a character; rather, he slumps down into an even worse individual. The story finishing up the volume removes Issa and Leila as they get a day off from work. They still show up a couple times throughout the chapter, but the main focus is on Yukimaru as he investigates a possible dracule transformation of a young mother. Its somewhat moving to see the children being so protective, and comparing it to Yukimarus event where his sister was killed. I really thought Yukimaru would evolve a little bit, but instead, at the end, all he does is challenges Issa to a fight to the death. What is going on in that boys mind is still a mystery.
I like Dragon Eye. It contains a lot of action, a compelling storyline, interesting characters, and maintains a steady flow of progression. There are rarely any spots where the story will just stop for no reason. There is always a point to each chapter, though some have left me a bit confused at the endings. While there isnt a lot of action this time around, there is enough to keep fans at bay with compelling and suspenseful events that will have them on the edge of their seats.
Art: If you enjoy solid pieces of artwork, Dragon Eye will please you. There are no rough edges around each corner in the fifth volume, as everything is outlined with a thick(ish) cartoony style that only pleases. Character models are generally the highlight of the volume as they contain a strong amount of detail while still maintaining an anime style appearance. Each character also looks drastically different - down to minute details - from one another. For example, Issa has a one dot eye, whereas squad six`s captain Aoi has oddly shaded eyes. There are times when characters do take a dive in details, but it is usually for the best as it lightens the moments. There is only one time when I thought one of the character models got out of hand, and that was Leilas reaction to the dog speaking. It was so out of character; I mean, she usually has weird bug eyes from time to time, but removing the nose and making her look almost like a kappa just took the joy out of that one panel. Looking past the character models, the artwork in the backgrounds looks just as good, although they are a lot less cartoony, and a lot more realistic. Being the last couple of volume took place in dreary caverns, Im glad there is a lot more variety as you go from dank and dirty sewers to the fast paced skyways of the train-like device. There is a lot more variety this time and Im quite happy with it. If you like a solid art experience, than this is definitely something to check out.
Translation: The translation for Dragon Eye volume 5 is done pretty well, with very few errors. Besides the untranslated signs in the background and on facemasks, the only one mistake I could find is on page 81 where there is an untranslated sound effect in the fourth panel as Issa, Leila and Yukimura jump from the platform. Besides that, there really isnt anything wrong with the English translation. The speech is pretty informal with lots of contractions, and stutters to better describe a persons attitude at the moment. Sound effects are presented in the original Japanese characters and translated into English nearby.
For extras, like previous installments, you get a lot. Along with the terrific main story, there are three pages of viewer questions, which are done in comical fashion as Issa and Leila answer them. That`s just the half of things as the viewer questions takes form of Issa answering them in short comic panels. After those, we are given translation notes and an untranslated preview into the upcoming volume.
The Bottom Line: Dragon Eye is one of those series that just deserves so much attention. It has the action, the goofy humor, and overall, a compelling storyline that will want you to read more. Though there may be one or two English-translation issues, the visuals are just beautiful and only offers the best to the overall experience. Characters are great, the story is top notch, and the atmosphere is just right. If youre looking for something fresh and unique, Dragon Eye should be your pick.
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Content |
With a compelling storyline that is packed full of fun characters, it only equals a suspenseful, yet comedic experience. |
8.5 |
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Art |
Lots of detail going onto each panel with characters maintaining a steady anime style look and environments that jumps off the screen. |
9.0 |
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Translation |
One or so overlooked sound effects, but other than that, an excellent translation with tons of extra content to keep you reading. |
8.5 |
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Verdict
Dragon Eye seems to be such a growing series that contains enough content that it overflows. I am still confused about Yukimaru - the suspense is just killing me - and the compelling story helps you wonder what is going to happen next. If you want a well-rounded series, Dragon Eye is it.
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8.6
[not an average]
+ Lots of interesting plot twists and hints.
+ Characters grow more interesting each chapter.
- Leila feels left out most of the time.
- Some of the action does stop a little too soon.
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