20th Century Boys (vol. 20) by Naoki Urasawa, with the cooperation of Takashi Nagasaki, English adaptation by Akemi Wegmüller
Manga addict though I am, I DO try to keep manga posts spaced out, so I don’t look TOO panel-dependent (even though I am!). But right now, I can’t contain my effusive excitement over the latest volume of 20th Century Boys – which hit shelves yesterday! – because it’s one of the most heart-thumping in the series thus far! Clearly I’m not alone in my groupie devotion: the Boys won the Eisner Award (the Oscar of comics) for Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia in 2011.
Oh, holy moly, or I suppose that should be “Holy Mother”! As Yukiji, Otcho, Yoshitsune, and Kanna plot their next move against the Friend (and it’s major!), Yukiji insists that Kanna needs to finally see her “Holy Mother” Kiriko. So convinced is Yukiji about the needed reunion, she’s even managed to actually track Kiriko to a Japanese address … in a place called “Frogdoom.” Maruo heads over there to make first contact … where he finds childhood buddy Keroyon and the very best soba noodles ever. Really, it makes perfect sense!
Meanwhile, Kanna, Otcho, and Yukiji arrive at the Friend’s fortress, where an insider is waiting to get them through the checkpoints. Kanna gives her elders the slip, and confronts the Friend face-to-uh … head wrap bandage thing (see cover, ahem). Alien space ship, an invincible robot, bully twins gone straight (or not), a deathly race between fatal virus vs. humanity … who is going to win this round?
Once you open that first page, you won’t be able to stop until you’re forced to – what a bummer that back cover comes so soon! Then you’ll have a mad wait until June (for vol. 21) and August (for the finale – sniff, sniff – that will be vol. 22). Talk about testing my patience!
To check out all the previous volumes of 20th Century Boys (which you should) – please click here.
Readers: Young Adult, Adult
Published: 2012 (United States)
20 SEIKI SHONEN © Naoki Urasawa/Studio Nuts
Original Japanese edition published by Shogakukan Inc.
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