20th Century Boys, Libro 15: ¡Viva la Expo!

20th Century Boys [20世紀少年] #15

by Naoki Urasawa

¿Ha muerto realmente "Amigo"? ¿Desaparecerá su legado? ¿A qué nuevas amenazas deberá enfrentarse el mundo? En otro impresionante giro argumental, el autor vuelve a ponernos tras la pista de las señales que llevan al Apocalipsis, esta vez de la mano de un cura católico. Y hay una nueva fecha para tal evento: el año 2015. Continúa el nuevo thriller de Naoki Urasawa, el creador de Monster, en Biblioteca Pachinco.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Science Fiction, Mystery, Seinen, Graphic Novels, Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 25, 2003

About the author

Urasawa Naoki (浦沢直樹) is a Japanese mangaka. He is perhaps best known for Monster (which drew praise from Junot Díaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner) and 20th Century Boys.

Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.

Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing

Reviews

[Tawfek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadly i think this is it for me this year with 20th century boys.
Even though the manga is still pretty much the same, presenting the same mystery, and intrigue as ever, i just think i need new blood that would suck me back into reading, and make me feel alive?!
So going by the latest events, i think friend never died, maybe we all can agree on that until further notice or revelations.
Someone said before that he always makes up lies its his thing, so either he was in collaboration with yamane in the whole death scenario, or he was just ready with his fake death in order to reach this goal of making him A god.
In the end we see Kenji, obviously he is not in japan probably in USA or something, i think the song he is singing is just that, a song really it doesn't mean he was dead, and went to heaven and now he is back or anything lol.
Looks like the world really ended, and his new book of prophecy really became a reality, since they just said the third year of friend, if that's the case this would be a huge turning point, can u imagine a world where there is only 60 million people who pretty much worship friend, and Kenji still going to fight?!
The build up in this issue didn't really give me the hint, That we were going to reach this far of a point in the events that fast, i mean initially this was all about the pope and the translations of the new book of prophecy, and stuff like that, which i really liked by the way that story about the pope. and father Nitani was really touching. and that story about luciano was really touching as well, i guess religious turnaround stories still get to me.
And remember what Chouno said everyone! "Eat your ramen"!!
See you all next year when i get back to finish 20th century boys ❤

[Rahul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friend has become god. This part is very exciting.
Story has changed. Looking forward to volume 16.

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot going on in this volume -- definitely action-packed and with a few plot twists -- but I think I would have enjoyed it more had it not been for the fact that members of Kenji's group, along with Chono, were acting as "security" during the Pope's visit. That seemed a little hokey to me.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a very big fan of the series, and all of Urasawa, but I feel like it’s getting pretty long in the teeth at this point. There is a fair amount of filler being added to drag out the story. In this volume nothing really happened until the last few pages, though it got good once it did.

[Julie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite warnings advising against it, the Pope’s visit to Japan is moving forward as planned, including the opening ceremony of Expo 2015. Brother Luciano has returned to his home of Italy, after spending some time in Argentina, arriving too late to attend the funeral of his friend and mentor, Father Perrin. He finds the priest’s desk in the same disorganized disarray he remembered. Searching through the mess, he discovers a particular book with a receipt, which he tracks down to a bookseller of antiquities. However Brother Luciano knows this is not an old book and traces it to its forger. He is confused as to why Perrin would trouble with such a book, which is jumbled and confused, containing prophecies such as history will end in 2015. Brother Luciano realizes Father Perrin believed in this book, and did not believe they would ever see 2016 because history would end in 2015.He takes his concerns to his Cardinal, who tells him he is very wrong, and hints that he should return to Argentina. When Luciano returns to his room to find it stripped of everything, he knows what he has to do.

Back in Japan, Detective Chono goes to work, only to be given the task of interrogating someone who doesn’t speak Japanese. But Chono doesn’t speak Italian. How is he going to get through to him? And why does this man sound so urgent… maybe even desperate? Meanwhile, the virus is spreading at an alarming rate and cautionary travel measures are being taken.

Chono gets in touch with Kanna, takes the strange man to her, although she isn’t sure why, but they go to the church and the man confesses to the priest. The priest believes his story and tells Kanna and Chono that the plot to assassinate the Pope is still on. And there is worse… someone thought to be dead has been seen alive by multiple people, including Otcho and Yukiji. Friend alive? How? Now it’s more imperative than ever that Kanna remind the gangs of their promise to stand behind her and protect the Pope. They know the assassin is #13, but can they track him down and stop him before he carries out his mission? And is it possible that Friend has prophesied everything… including his own resurrection?

This volume is intense, so much going on, and omg, Friend alive? What’s up with that? Why? It can’t bode well for anyone. The virus is spreading, the Pope is due to die, can this get any worse? Especially if Friend gets back in the saddle again, what can stop him? I loved this book, and can’t wait for the next one. Especially as… dare I hope it… something I’ve wanted, longed for, and yearned for… is about to come true!

*crosses fingers*

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review of the entire series.

Synopsis: Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. This is the story of a gang of boys who try to save the world. Failed rock musician Kenji's memories of his past come rushing back when one of his childhood friends mysteriously commits suicide. Could this new death be related to the rise of a bizarre new cult that's been implicated in several other murders and disappearances? Determined to dig deeper, Kenji reunites with some of his old buddies in the hope of learning the truth behind it all.

Review: This is basically the manga equivalent of a Stephen King novel, channeling themes and plot devices from the likes of It, Dreamcatcher, The Running Man and quite a few others. A young group of friends that make an innocent promise which ends up creating the most dangerous cult in the world, a 'friend' turned into the world's greatest evil, a strange suicide that reunites a group of adults to solve a mystery from their childhood which ended up leading to an apocalyptic police state, clever use of cultural references, rock songs and historical allegories to tell the full story, extremely small actions resulting in extremely massive consequences, an eerie threat lurking in the shadows that may or may not be of supernatural origins, kids overthrowing a totalitarian regime and rebelling against society while fighting against a sinister threat that no one else knows about; sound King enough for ya?

Though I don't think it's quite as good as Monster by the same author, it's definitely very close. It's a masterpiece of intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, deep character development and psychological complexity. The villain's presence is suffocating from the very beginning while remaining mysterious and terrifying until the final chapter. It's intense, it's relatable, it's horrifying and it's an emotional rollercoaster. Be careful who you call your friend and be careful of the promises you make. You might just end up causing the end of the world.

[Adam Spanos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naoki Urasawa's "20th Century Boys" just gets better and better and as we now are nearing the final stretch of the series, one can only wonder what Naoki Urasawa has planned. And I'm guessing that we are going to see a lot of deaths and possible demise of several main characters.

Featuring wonderful illustration and awesome storytelling, which Naoki Ursawa is known for, "Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys Vol. 15″ is awesome!

As always, Naoki Urasawa knows how to grab the attention of the reader. His artwork and how he is able to capture the sense of action and emotion through the pages is magnificent and so far, this series has been engrossing and highly enjoyable thus far.

If you have been following this series this long, you're probably as addicted as I am and can't wait until the next volume.

Overall, "Naoki Urasawa's 20th CENTURY BOYS vol. 15″ is highly recommended!

[riley ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll tell you one thing: Friend just has a dramatic main character syndrome! 😒

Okay, I have a theory! What if this all was just Fukubei's conspiracy in the first place and Kenji's group happened to plagiarize his ideas unpurposely as kids.

So much was going on in this volume! Pope was visiting Japan. Chouno met with a Brother in Italy and reunited with Kanna's group. Friend is still alive, which is not so surprising though. Did I just see Kenji in the last chapter? He didn't seem like he's in Japan! I missed this character so much!! When will I get to see him back in the main plot?!

[yel ᰔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 of 5 stars

[Andria · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's incredible how many threads and callbacks Urasawa can keep track of at once. That said, I was really hoping he would forget about ChoCho.

[Katy del Valle ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

bro wtf just happen 🤯

[Kesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What .... God is here

[Norman Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tension is ratcheted up as the Pope arrives in Japan. Will Kanna and company be in time to thwart the Friends from assassinating him? Or is there an even more malevolent plan in the works? It could well be the end of the world, yet there is a glimmer of hope riding across the rainbow.

[Malapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sigue manteniendo el ritmo, pero vuelve a dar la sensación de "a ver cómo alargo esto un poco más".

[ti☆ra · Rating 5 out of 5]

that “he became a god” panel goes hard.

[Dani Wladdimiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este volumen trata de adentrarnos completamente en el desenlace evidente que sería la llegada del papa. Lo único que sentí miedo por un momento fue si N°13 si acertaba su disparo, pero luego de ver el montaje de la escena, no tenía duda que la respuesta era si y no. Pero bueno, iremos viendo cada tramo de la historia.

Es así como partimos con la historia de un cura que empieza a desenredar el misterio del cura que le enseño todo, quién fue como su maestro. Poco a poco vamos entrando en una trama muy retorcida, llena de misterios, thriller, incluyendo como nuevamente un cura entra a la iglesia luego de un pasado criminal, para dejarlo en el olvido. Siento que tenía tanto potencial este personaje, y quedo poco a poco relegado a una acción necesario para avanzar la trama. Por eso decía, siento que este manga tiene ideas y conceptos muy potentes, muy buenos, los cuales gozo mucho, pero volver tanto al grupo de pequeños, me agota. Por eso, es que después toda la segunda mitad si bien es interesante, termina en cosas evidentes; era obvio que Amigo estaba vivo, iba a revivir, sabiendo el montaje de la escena que el cura iba a ser salvado como Amigo y sería un héroe, o más bien un Dios. No hay nada que me sorprenda, y es ahí lo que me molesta, porque me gustaría sorprenderme más, debido a la cantidad de intrigas que coloca, pero terminan siendo respuestas más obvias que otra cosa.

[Adam Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early on in the series, a volume would end with the introduction of a new character, and you would have to wait for the next volume to see how their story intersected with the larger plot.

In this volume, we are introduced to the new character on the first page, and get a full chapter of his story before his inevitable folding into the prophecies/conspiracies. It works really well.

This volume finally gives us the papl visit to Japan, and it appears as though the 2015 apocalypse is actually going to happen to a much more extreme degree than the 2000 apocalypse way back in volume six or so.The way Urasawa picks and chooses which narrative threads to weave back in, and which characters to sideline for volumes is fascinating, and helps the overall story feel less crowded than it actually is.

[Emiliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the fuck

So much happened in this god damn volume I legit read all of it in one day. The pope and priest stuff was great and I love the backstory for the religious characters cause it made me care a lot more for them. The Friend…. My god he did it… the whole time this was the actual plan and it fucking worked. He’s now above everyone in power but as well as status. Everyone sees him as this brave hero who is greater than God after literally coming back to life and “saving” the pope. This series has a lot of weird parallels to stuff in real life….. like a lot…… also THAT ENDING???? KENJI IS ALIVE AND CHILLING WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN???? Such a thriller of a volume that had me on the edge of my seat WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!??

[Villain E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the way to transition into the third act. We're introduced to father Luciano, who puts together the Friends' plan to assassinate the Pope. But the Friends have infiltrated the Catholic church. He runs to Japan and lucks into Kanna's group, joining in on their plan to prevent the assassination. Yukiji and some of the others swear they saw Fukube on the street. When they were kids, Fukube practiced coming back to life. What are his real plans? And the last few pages tease the return of another character....

[Estibaliz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume starts kind of slow, with some flashbacks to the origins of some secondary characters, which are admittedly really moving and still pretty entertaining.

But then, the Pope is already in Japan, and the storytelling picks up the pace again, and at what a rate!

Explosive ending with a mindblowing twist, not to mention the three extra pages at the end of this volume.

As per usual, lots of new questions arising... but also feeling very satisfied with the answers we got so far, and the way Urasawa is steering his story. So much fun!

[Zare · Rating 5 out of 5]

New virus is unleashed by mysterious people in gas-masks. Everything is centered around Expo 2015 and Pope's visit to Japan. And this is where Friend makes the most vicious attack, place where he will declare himself as something greater than a human.

I gotta say this entire setup is really devious and scene with the Pope..... brilliant, i truly think nobody knows what is coming up next, including the assassin known as number 13.

Art as always is great.

Highly recommended.

[Anthony Wendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another volume where the reader finds themselves turning the pages at a rapid pace. The events keep you on the edge of your seat as you wait to see if the eventsts play out the way the new book of prophecy described. It's also amazing how the author is able to tie everything back to the main story. Even a chapter or two which feels like its coming out of nowhere seems to make sense before you know it.

[M.i. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best stories ever written, and I know it sounds like an exaggeration, but the build up to the pope conclusion is just outstanding work. Even the story on how the former priest ends up being the pope and also the man whose life he redeemed along the way is outstanding writing. One of my favorite chapters in the series so far.

[Farhana Lüba · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be very honest, this volume felt sorta bland? I actually foresaw what was gonna happen, and I think everyone would. The only thing I liked about this volume was the story about the Pope driving to that Chinese village...and the tsundere side of Inspector Chouno. But the rest didn't excite me that much.

[JNuclear Rodriguez Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amigo parece tener todo perfectamente orquestado. La intriga de lo que puede sucederle al papa, es muy latente. El trasfondo del padre es muy interesante.
Durante todo este tomo, la importancia del papa y sus consecuencias están a la orden del día. El final, provoco que de inmediato me pusiera a leer el siguiente tomo.

[Štěpán · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I adore even more than the mystery and the time skips are the human stories, which are put in the narrative. Somehow small character gets a flashback and it adds so much weight to their story. In the same way Urasawa plays with different genres and themes. In here it is of belief and god and faith.

The Pope is in Japan.

[Peter Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 15th episode of 20th Century Boys builds to a great ending. The story goes on, of course, but this volume is a terrific piece of the saga. It involves the story of the Pope's visit to Japan and his ties to those in the group. It is one of my favorites in the series.

[Scott Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story sets itself up for the final time-jump, addressing the events in the New Book of Prophecy surrounding the second plague and the Friend becoming President of the world...This just gets darker and darker.

[Noninuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing that amaze me about the series is how fast the pace yet still entertaining. This volume centered around the plan of the pope assassination. Reader also get a few backstory regarding few of side characters which I'd say still relevant to the plot.

[ej · Rating 3 out of 5]

about 3.25/5 there’s somethin missin n off for me in 20th century boys… pacin? some of the grand scale feelin off due to certain parts feelin rough draft? shall be interestin to see how urasawa explains this shiet