Appleseed #4: Promethean Balance

アップルシード [Appleseed] #4

by Masamune Shirow

Masamune Shirow`s acclaimed cyberpunk epic about ESWAT operative Deunan and her robot lover Briareos continue their work to stabilize the uneasy worldwide peace they fought so hard to establish in this fourth collection. Beautiful art and a complex and fully realized future world make this among the best of the manga titles available in the United States.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comics Manga

Paperback

First published April 15, 1989

About the author

Masamune Shirow is an internationally renowned manga

Masanori Ota, better known by his pen name Masamune Shirow (Japanese: 士郎正宗), is a Japanese manga artist renowned for his influential contributions to the cyberpunk genre. Born in Kobe in 1961, he studied oil painting at Osaka University of Arts, where he developed an interest in manga. His early work Black Magic led to the critically acclaimed Appleseed, which won the 1986 Seiun Award for Best Manga. Shirow achieved global recognition with Ghost in the Shell, a groundbreaking manga that inspired multiple anime films and series, a live-action Hollywood adaptation, and numerous video games. His stories are known for blending action with philosophical inquiries into AI, post-human existence, and the ethics of technology. He has collaborated with Production I.G on projects like Ghost Hound and Real Drive. Shirow’s distinctive style and thought-provoking narratives have left a lasting impact on manga, anime, and science fiction worldwide, influencing creators including the Wachowskis of The Matrix fame.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Munma terrorists are building a giant landmate to use against Aegis. Or are they? Will Olympus fall from within? And will Deunan and Briareos let it?

Here we area already, the concluding Appleseed volume. There is a lot of political maneuvering in this one on the part of Imperial Americana, the Munma terrorists, Aegis, and even corrupt elements of ESWAT. Of course, Deunan and Briareos are caught in the middle.

The art was great, of course, and the story was a lot easier to follow than in the previous two books. A giant mech is being built and ESWAT has to stop it. Naturally, Briareos and Deunan play a big part in that. Also, Deunan gets injured during training and has to wear an eyepatch.

This volume was mostly action and blew by pretty quickly. The ending wasn't what I expected. I was hoping for some closure but it was pretty open ended. I'm not sure if I'll grab the Appleseed Data book or Appleseed ID, though. In retrospect, the series probably should have ended with book 2. Everything since has largely felt like an extended epilogue of Briareos and Deunan adjusting to life after Gaia.

While I'm glad I took it on and like the saga as a whole, the second half was a little underwhelming compared to the first. Three stars for this volume, four for the series overall.

[Rev. Nyarkoleptek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appleseed as a series lacks the hard-science speculation and fringe philosophizing in Masamune's Ghost in the Shell comics, and in my opinion suffers in their absence. Without them, I don't think Appleseed is much more than a showcase for sci-fi demolition toys, and in the hand of a less-skilled designer, this series wouldn't have much to recommend it. But at least the pictures are purty.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es una lástima porque Appleseed me sorprendió gratamente en su primer recopilatorio siendo una propuesta más ligera y divertida a lo que suelo esperarme con este autor. Pero la cabra tira al monte y ya en el segundo tomo Shirow no evita zambullirse de lleno en los aspectos plomizos más sociopolíticos y militarizados de este universo (curiosamente los filosóficos y transhumanistas están apenas mencionados siendo mucho más interesantes). Haciendo perder a la pareja protagonista toda la chispa de la que te enamorabas perdidamente en sus primeras aventuras saliendo de Badlands y conociendo el mundo que se estaba desarrollando no tan lejos de su "idílica" vida de luchar contra saqueadores y demás maleantes en sus metros de escombros que llamaban "hogar". Es cierto que Shirow sigue siendo un narrador nato sobre todo en lo visual, es increíble el cómo desarrolla las escenas de acción de un modo totalmente cinematográfico enormemente acompañado de su dominio del paisaje y las estructuras y elementos tecnológicos. Un trabajo que a día de hoy se valora aún más.

Pero lo dicho, Appleseed finalmente me da la sensación de que podría haber sido una obra unitaria de un tomo envidiable. El llegar a este cuarto es por sencillo afán completista de intentar ver si lograba dar un cierre satisfactorio. Cosa que para nada es así, en este tomo incluso deja tuerta a Deunan como si nada y apenas se le da relevancia (parece una decisión puramente estética para dar más salida a su faceta Pin-up), al igual que Briareos que termina de desdibujarse para que nada pise la última trama de cuestionable intervencionismo militar en una utopía cada vez más corrompida.

[James Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

All in all, this series does not hold up. The artwork is not the problem. The plot is. The plot was very poorly transcribed from the author's thoughts and ideas to the page that every chapter of every volume will have the reader thinking, "wait, what is going on?" and "what's happening right now?" The constant philosophizing or trying to world-build using police discussions and side chat during important missions was a failure. Trying to bring in stories that are supposed to be linked with the current volume, as the volume was being told, didn't work. By the time I got to Book 4, I was fed up with the style of storytelling, and even the artwork was hard to discern what was going on a lot, especially in the final volume, "Shalome."

I was looking forward to this read due to its historical influence, but supremely disappointed. Does't hold up very well.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back to basics after the odd spa & cat-eared-android detour of volume 3 (also I have the earlier more westernized version here). Action scenes are difficult to follow when involving multiple similar looking cyborgs (the more goofy designs are appreciated in that regard), and the villains had a scheme involving using police gear? I suppose color could help disambiguate, but then I'd like the art less which is the main attraction.

I haven't watched Appleseed XIII and Alpha, and the older anime would be good to re-watch but the availability seems poor.

[Saya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Creo que no estoy en el mood. Todo el rollo político me aburre tremendamente, y la historia no es precisamente fácil de seguir: esta obra no es para mí. De hecho, tiendo a pensar que Shirow está sobrevalorado (o quizá es que simplemente ha envejecido mal). Y por el amor de dios, "¿Qué infiernos es esto?" = ¿Cómo que "infiernos"? Eso suena cero natural. Pese a todo, recomendaría los dos primeros tomos.

[Fenko · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved parts one and two, which wrapped up the first storyline, but struggled to get through parts three and four. The drawing style in this part changed quite a bit, also because it was published years later than the first. The plot is less comprehensive and focuses more on mecha action than meaning.

Won't reread and will actually sell this volume to make space for something more interesting. Shirow has better work.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paying the Middleman a Bit Much…

Deanan was to tag the guy HQ was interested in. Briareos was out waiting in the wings. She left her Guges and went in ninja-like to see what the quarry’s up in the little warehouse. Trapped, she had to make a decision, decided to let all hell break loose. Afterwards, she got ass chewed out by her superiors. Just another day at ESWAT.

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 4 out of 5]

an action packed mission leads to some infighting among the team

[_runyon_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really need to get the first three volumes one of these days.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

finally an appleseed book where the characters shut the fuck up

[Alexander Engel-Hodgkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It still retains the flaws of the previous books, but it's an entertaining read nonetheless. Aside from whatever problems this volume maintains from its predecessors, the only other problem I have is that this volume doesn't really feel like an ending.

It's the last volume in the main storyline (as far as I know, unless there's some sort of obscure fifth volume I don't know about), but as far as appropriate endings go, this doesn't seem to have resolved much. I mean, the main characters struggle to prevent a fourth world war, but it doesn't feel dramatic like an ending should. Maybe I'm just too used to big, dramatic, dynamic finales where every other line MUST be said with an exclamation mark at the end and gun battles are more intense than ever, and revelations are made and... whatever. Hollywood has gotten to my head, which isn't a good thing.

It's clear Masamune put a lot of effort and care into these books, and everything seemed a little more cohesive this time around (and a lot less down-your-throat philosophical), so that earns it an extra star. It's a great read. All the books are great reads, but this one is probably my favourite volume of the pack.

I wish there were more of them.

[David Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Applessed. I loved it from the moment I was exposed to the Shirow Masamune's beautiful and unique artwork and his terrific and boundless imagination. In this fourth and final volume of the epic adventures of a girl warrior Deunan Knute and her cyborg partner Briareous Hecatochires, the stakes are high to ensure the survival of the best and last high-tech symbol of civilization. Olympus City, a model of social excellence and technological perfection is facing a heavy crisis both without and within. The story picks up from the first page and never lets go until the last sweet moment of victory and hope. I hope you will enjoy Applessed just like I did. This is a must for every Japanese manga lover! Why do you think these series are so popular? Read and find out!

[Eric Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book for years and as a whole is one of the best pieces by Masamune Shirow. The layout is good and the whole plot from start to finish is very good. I've reread it and it still enthralls me given the layout, the artwork, and the detail that he put into the collection. Overall there are still some parts that could have been more clear but overall I don't let it detract, though I wish he'd put more story into certain parts I'm still going to give it 5 stars. Simply one of the best.

[Nicolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Le coup du landmate pour cyborg est un peu gros, mais bon, l'un dans l'autre, ce tome est sympa : on y découvre un Briaeros moins sentencieux que dans le troisième, une Dunan à la hauteur de sa réputation de tank de ville, et des flingues encore plus gros que dans les tomes précédents (pas facile, mais possible).

[Jon · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Reviewing the whole thing.) After starting out okay, the plot got lost in the second volume and never really came back. Instead of plot, or characterization, we get characters spewing great page-spanning gouts of political pseudo-philosophy, heavy on might-makes right. It's also hard to tell the actors apart when they're all in identical powered armor.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am horribly offended by how short this entire series was. So horribly offended. I need more, dammit, especially since that ending wasn't really an ending. Nothing anyone says or does will ever convince me otherwise.

First read in : July 2015

[Alex Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best. Procedural. Ever.

Plus: robots, mecha, ass-kickings, jokes, babes, dudes, guns, car chases, politics, and more robots, mecha, and guns.

[Andre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cyberpunkesque appleseed story. Fits with the others.

[Víctor Segovia · Rating 4 out of 5]

es un cuarto tomo que sí bien cierra la obra, es un tanto decepcionante, considerando todo lo que ocurrió. Pero es de lejos, una de esas obras mangas que me disfruté leer