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Cyborg 009
Shotaro Ishinomori's popular manga classic is reimagined for a new generation! Awakening in a futurist military installation with no memory of who he is or how he got there, a young man known only as CYBORG 009 has been stripped by his captors not only his freedom, but also his humanity. His body augmented by cybernetic technology, CYBORG 009 joins forces with eight other men and women, CYBORG 001-008, and set off on a journey to learn the truth of why they were turned into weapons of mass destruction, and to prevent a conflict that could very well be the start of World War III! Written by F.J. DeSanto (The Spirit, Insurgent) and Bradley Cramp (Gattaca, Lord of War) and stunningly illustrated by Marcus To (Batwing, Huntress, Red Robin) and Ian Herring (Jim Henson's Tale of Sand), Archaia and Ishimori Productions are proud to present this incredible new take on one of the most famous manga titles of all time, created by legendary artist Shotaro Ishinomori! Featuring an exclusive afterward exploring the history of Cyborg 009 and the artistic legacy of prolific manga legend Shotaro Ishinomori, this hardcover volume features a transparent cover that gives the reader a glimpse inside the Cyborg team's mechanically augmented bodies.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published July 23, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 6, 2013
Cyborg 009 is a reboot of the 1964 series by Shotaro Ishinomori that has a great modern sensibility while still honoring the past. A diverse group of cyborgs is created by the Black Ghost and they all have different strengths to bring to the team.
The newest member, Cyborg 009, discovers that his name was Joe and that he was in love with a girl. He breaks from the group and almost dies, but uncovers a plot by Sekar to build an army of cyborgs to take over the planet. Can Cyborg 009 (and 001-008) stop him in time?
It's all a lot of fun and I loved how unique each cyborg character was. The art by Marcus To and Ian Herring is a colorful western style that nods towards manga. The story by F. J. DeSanto and Bradley Cramp is one about what it means to be human and have friends to rely on. Nicely done.
I was given a review copy of this book by Archaia Entertainment and Netgalley in exchange for and honest review. Thank you for letting me review this.
The newest member, Cyborg 009, discovers that his name was Joe and that he was in love with a girl. He breaks from the group and almost dies, but uncovers a plot by Sekar to build an army of cyborgs to take over the planet. Can Cyborg 009 (and 001-008) stop him in time?
It's all a lot of fun and I loved how unique each cyborg character was. The art by Marcus To and Ian Herring is a colorful western style that nods towards manga. The story by F. J. DeSanto and Bradley Cramp is one about what it means to be human and have friends to rely on. Nicely done.
I was given a review copy of this book by Archaia Entertainment and Netgalley in exchange for and honest review. Thank you for letting me review this.
September 2, 2016
I've never been a fan of 'manga' so I'm not sure what drew me to this particular book. Perhaps it's because it's not quite 'manga' but it definitely has hints of the manga-style of artwork. And yet it's not completely that manga-style. This is hard to define, and I suspect that's what's drawn me in.
Cyborg 009 is actually a re-boot of a comic by Shotaro Ishinomori from the 1960's (which had what I consider the typical 'manga' look) with a more 'modern' look to the artwork and story-telling. This is a very attractively illustrated book. The art (by Marcus To and Ian Herring) really is a beautiful homage to the original works while managing to be contemporary in appearance.
The story (by F. J. DeSanto and Bradley Cramp) is a bit simplistic -- a very sappy, 1960's sci-fi romanticism: Joe wakes up on an operating table to discover that he is a cyborg. Number 009. His first assigned task is to destroy all the attempted cyborgs before him (001-008). Unfortunately, those other cyborgs have banded together and kidnap Joe and help him find the human part of himself. Of course we discover that the cyborgs are 'good' but the reason for their creation is evil, so a battle is likely. And somehow, despite Joe's so recent awakening and task, there are already other cyborgs being created to combat the first nine.
There is a strong internal struggle, in the writing, with an adolescent simplicity of characters: we have a stereotyped variety of cultures trying to be represented, and a relationship triangle that is hinted at but not defined on either side (boy likes girl 'A', girl 'A' ignores boy, girl 'B' likes boy, boy doesn't seem to notice girl 'B's' interest). This has a great sense of a 1960's innocence that feels almost quaint today.
It also amazes me that no one ever questions the obvious... if the cyborgs are created to be soldiers, why do they all have different capabilities. Is it not possible to be fast and strong and shoot rockets and flame? Why does everyone have to have a different capability? Of course it makes for more interesting story-telling and the need for a team to work together, but it doesn't make practical sense.
Although relatively simple, the themes of understanding what it means to be human, to love, and to fear, as well as the greater theme of good versus evil, are all nicely delivered.
Although I can't say that I'm hooked on reading more Cyborg 009 stories, I will say that I really enjoyed my diversion here.
Looking for a good book? This re-booted graphic novel has wonderful art and a sweet, well-told story.
This review originally published in the blog Looking For a Good Book.
Cyborg 009 is actually a re-boot of a comic by Shotaro Ishinomori from the 1960's (which had what I consider the typical 'manga' look) with a more 'modern' look to the artwork and story-telling. This is a very attractively illustrated book. The art (by Marcus To and Ian Herring) really is a beautiful homage to the original works while managing to be contemporary in appearance.
The story (by F. J. DeSanto and Bradley Cramp) is a bit simplistic -- a very sappy, 1960's sci-fi romanticism: Joe wakes up on an operating table to discover that he is a cyborg. Number 009. His first assigned task is to destroy all the attempted cyborgs before him (001-008). Unfortunately, those other cyborgs have banded together and kidnap Joe and help him find the human part of himself. Of course we discover that the cyborgs are 'good' but the reason for their creation is evil, so a battle is likely. And somehow, despite Joe's so recent awakening and task, there are already other cyborgs being created to combat the first nine.
There is a strong internal struggle, in the writing, with an adolescent simplicity of characters: we have a stereotyped variety of cultures trying to be represented, and a relationship triangle that is hinted at but not defined on either side (boy likes girl 'A', girl 'A' ignores boy, girl 'B' likes boy, boy doesn't seem to notice girl 'B's' interest). This has a great sense of a 1960's innocence that feels almost quaint today.
It also amazes me that no one ever questions the obvious... if the cyborgs are created to be soldiers, why do they all have different capabilities. Is it not possible to be fast and strong and shoot rockets and flame? Why does everyone have to have a different capability? Of course it makes for more interesting story-telling and the need for a team to work together, but it doesn't make practical sense.
Although relatively simple, the themes of understanding what it means to be human, to love, and to fear, as well as the greater theme of good versus evil, are all nicely delivered.
Although I can't say that I'm hooked on reading more Cyborg 009 stories, I will say that I really enjoyed my diversion here.
Looking for a good book? This re-booted graphic novel has wonderful art and a sweet, well-told story.
This review originally published in the blog Looking For a Good Book.
September 10, 2020
A good comic
September 26, 2013
This is a re-imagining of Shotaro Ishinomori's original manga classic. I have not read the original, but this re-imagining seems to hold to the simplistic roots, while updating the story with more modern and mature art. This is about a cyborg named Joe to find his body worked over with technology and no memories of his past. His first test is to kill his predecessors, 001 through 008, but they have plans of their own and take him along on their escape from the evil company seeking to dominate the world with cyborg super soldiers.
This was a good introduction to the major players and plot of good versus evil, adding a bit of emotion and motivation by way of Joe pursuing his life after his memories return. It sets up for a promising story, while paying homage to its source.
This was a good introduction to the major players and plot of good versus evil, adding a bit of emotion and motivation by way of Joe pursuing his life after his memories return. It sets up for a promising story, while paying homage to its source.
June 13, 2019
Writing in this reimagining is pretty substandard, and story as a whole feels rather rushed with only so little space to tell it all. It doesn't have nearly enough time to develop the characters, the stakes, or the world. I'm not a fan of the art style, either, though it's just my personal preference: it seems well-drawn, I just miss Jet's nose and such.
On the whole, really can't hold up to the original manga or the 2001 anime.
On the whole, really can't hold up to the original manga or the 2001 anime.
June 21, 2015
I was pretty eager to give this a read after I got through the original manga run of Cyborg 009 and loved it. I was a bit surprised to see that a 10-volume manga had been condensed into a 1-volume graphic novel, but I was interested to see how things turned out.
Like with the original series, this graphic novel follows a group of nine ordinary humans kidnapped to be forcibly converted into cyborgs by the arms-dealing organization, the Black Ghost. The last among them to be captured is Joe Shimamura, who ends up being the strongest of the group. Right after he's finished, the other cyborgs, helped by sympathetic scientist Dr. Gilmore, launch an epic escape and head off to fight the Black Ghost and their leader, Sekar (this version's adaptation of Black Skull).
I enjoyed this adaptation overall. The artwork was clean and and it was easy to follow along with what was going on, especially when there were panels and pages of nothing but fighting. There were quite a few parts where we just got wordless shots of what was going on, which worked just fine. I appreciated that DeSanto didn't feel the need to constantly spell things out for us.
The updated character designs were nice to look at. It probably goes without saying that 005 and 008 had significant overhauls (if you're wondering what I mean, just...uh, look up how they looked in the manga. It didn't age way, to put it kindly). The rest of the characters look pretty nice as well. My one criticism is for Joe and the Japanese characters in general. They really don't look all that different from the western characters, besides having darker hair. I understand not wanting to draw them in a stereotypical way, but it's not like it's impossible to draw someone so that they actually look like they're of a different ethnicity than someone else. And it's also not like the other characters weren't drawn in ways that showed they were from different parts of the world. Joe just didn't look like he was from Japan at all. His design looks like an average American kid.
In terms of characterization, most of the cast got the short end of the stick sadly. To be fair, DeSanto does a pretty good job of showing the dynamics between them in little montages of them living together or when they're all in a fight. For the most part though, most of the cyborg team has little to do. This gets to be pretty ridiculous when instead of introducing them with a chapter showing their being kidnapped (like in the manga) or having some sort of individual stories to give more background on them (like in the most recent anime), the comic opts to do a roll call wherein everyone rattles off their name, country of origin, and a paragraph about themselves. It feels really stilted, like "Okay, let's stop the story for a second while we explain who everyone is. Got it? Good! On with the plot!" Fans of the series will recognize the backstories, but any newcomers will probably not find it too easy to get emotionally invested.
Joe/009 himself does get a bit of characterization. We do learn a bit about his history as an orphan and, unlike with other adaptations, he had a girlfriend whose yakuzo brother ordered a hit on him when the two planned to run off together. There isn't anything about Joe's history of being discriminated against for being a "halfbreed" (half-Japanese, half-unknown Western nationality). In fact, the comic never really brings up him being biracial. That was disappointing to me, since I thought that aspect of his backstory was interesting and something that doesn't seem to get addressed too often in manga (at least not the way the original manga did). I'm not sure if it was cut for pacing reasons, because it wasn't in the most recent anime adaptation, or because it was considered a dated issue, but there we go.
Besides Joe, Francoise/003 and Jet/002 get the most characterization of the team. Francoise and Joe get some sweet scenes together where she tries to help him come to terms with what's going on and curb his initially harmful tendencies while Joe and Jet have a... kind of rivalry that just sort of crops up. I don't know.
Sekar, the villain, doesn't get much to do besides be hammily evil. He's got a God complex and seems a lot more unstable than his manga self and can be kind of fun to watch, but don't expect a villain with much complexity. Besides Sekar, the only other Black Ghost-affiliated character we know anything about is Dr. Gamo Wiskey (Dr. Gamo Whiskey in the manga), who is the father of one of the cyborgs and who is pretty clearly not on board with the whole world domination thing.
The biggest flaw I felt the comic had was that the story was much too short. Things from the manga's original run were cut, among them the Vietnam War story (for obvious reasons) and everything involving the underground kingdom. Instead, the story focuses on the earliest storylines involving the team going directly against the Black Ghost. While this makes sense for it, being a one-volume reboot and all, this is the main reason the other characters get so shafted in terms of pagetime. There's not as much time to develop them individually, but there also isn't much sense of them growing to be a team. When I read the manga, I had a good sense of everyone contributing something and how they fit in together. Here, we hardly see them interacting, besides how Joe briefly has trouble at first accepting that he can't go back to his previous life. There's also a kind of strange part where they combine two enemies from the series in a way that's kind of confusing and is never really explained. I got the sense that this was done so both of those enemies could cameo for the fans, but the part was over so quickly that there wasn't much point to it.
One last thing that's worth mentioning is the time the comic is set in. Unlike the manga (published in the 60s) or the recent anime (which took place half in the 60s and half in present times), this reboot takes place entirely in modern times. Because of the aforementioned lack of conflict beyond the Black Skull (besides a VERY brief visit to North Korea), this doesn't really cause many issues. It does, however, make Albert/004's backstory a little confusing (in the original run, he and his fiancee were severely injured while sneaking from East to West Germany. Here, we're just told vaguely that she died while he was sneaking her into the country... in an airplane? I think?).
I'd recommend this as a good read for fans of the series. It's a nice read, despite its shortcomings, and is an interesting way to reboot and adapt the series for a modern audience. Newcomers to the franchise, however, would likely do better to skip this in favor of the manga or the most recent anime.
Like with the original series, this graphic novel follows a group of nine ordinary humans kidnapped to be forcibly converted into cyborgs by the arms-dealing organization, the Black Ghost. The last among them to be captured is Joe Shimamura, who ends up being the strongest of the group. Right after he's finished, the other cyborgs, helped by sympathetic scientist Dr. Gilmore, launch an epic escape and head off to fight the Black Ghost and their leader, Sekar (this version's adaptation of Black Skull).
I enjoyed this adaptation overall. The artwork was clean and and it was easy to follow along with what was going on, especially when there were panels and pages of nothing but fighting. There were quite a few parts where we just got wordless shots of what was going on, which worked just fine. I appreciated that DeSanto didn't feel the need to constantly spell things out for us.
The updated character designs were nice to look at. It probably goes without saying that 005 and 008 had significant overhauls (if you're wondering what I mean, just...uh, look up how they looked in the manga. It didn't age way, to put it kindly). The rest of the characters look pretty nice as well. My one criticism is for Joe and the Japanese characters in general. They really don't look all that different from the western characters, besides having darker hair. I understand not wanting to draw them in a stereotypical way, but it's not like it's impossible to draw someone so that they actually look like they're of a different ethnicity than someone else. And it's also not like the other characters weren't drawn in ways that showed they were from different parts of the world. Joe just didn't look like he was from Japan at all. His design looks like an average American kid.
In terms of characterization, most of the cast got the short end of the stick sadly. To be fair, DeSanto does a pretty good job of showing the dynamics between them in little montages of them living together or when they're all in a fight. For the most part though, most of the cyborg team has little to do. This gets to be pretty ridiculous when instead of introducing them with a chapter showing their being kidnapped (like in the manga) or having some sort of individual stories to give more background on them (like in the most recent anime), the comic opts to do a roll call wherein everyone rattles off their name, country of origin, and a paragraph about themselves. It feels really stilted, like "Okay, let's stop the story for a second while we explain who everyone is. Got it? Good! On with the plot!" Fans of the series will recognize the backstories, but any newcomers will probably not find it too easy to get emotionally invested.
Joe/009 himself does get a bit of characterization. We do learn a bit about his history as an orphan and, unlike with other adaptations, he had a girlfriend whose yakuzo brother ordered a hit on him when the two planned to run off together. There isn't anything about Joe's history of being discriminated against for being a "halfbreed" (half-Japanese, half-unknown Western nationality). In fact, the comic never really brings up him being biracial. That was disappointing to me, since I thought that aspect of his backstory was interesting and something that doesn't seem to get addressed too often in manga (at least not the way the original manga did). I'm not sure if it was cut for pacing reasons, because it wasn't in the most recent anime adaptation, or because it was considered a dated issue, but there we go.
Besides Joe, Francoise/003 and Jet/002 get the most characterization of the team. Francoise and Joe get some sweet scenes together where she tries to help him come to terms with what's going on and curb his initially harmful tendencies while Joe and Jet have a... kind of rivalry that just sort of crops up. I don't know.
Sekar, the villain, doesn't get much to do besides be hammily evil. He's got a God complex and seems a lot more unstable than his manga self and can be kind of fun to watch, but don't expect a villain with much complexity. Besides Sekar, the only other Black Ghost-affiliated character we know anything about is Dr. Gamo Wiskey (Dr. Gamo Whiskey in the manga), who is the father of one of the cyborgs and who is pretty clearly not on board with the whole world domination thing.
The biggest flaw I felt the comic had was that the story was much too short. Things from the manga's original run were cut, among them the Vietnam War story (for obvious reasons) and everything involving the underground kingdom. Instead, the story focuses on the earliest storylines involving the team going directly against the Black Ghost. While this makes sense for it, being a one-volume reboot and all, this is the main reason the other characters get so shafted in terms of pagetime. There's not as much time to develop them individually, but there also isn't much sense of them growing to be a team. When I read the manga, I had a good sense of everyone contributing something and how they fit in together. Here, we hardly see them interacting, besides how Joe briefly has trouble at first accepting that he can't go back to his previous life. There's also a kind of strange part where they combine two enemies from the series in a way that's kind of confusing and is never really explained. I got the sense that this was done so both of those enemies could cameo for the fans, but the part was over so quickly that there wasn't much point to it.
One last thing that's worth mentioning is the time the comic is set in. Unlike the manga (published in the 60s) or the recent anime (which took place half in the 60s and half in present times), this reboot takes place entirely in modern times. Because of the aforementioned lack of conflict beyond the Black Skull (besides a VERY brief visit to North Korea), this doesn't really cause many issues. It does, however, make Albert/004's backstory a little confusing (in the original run, he and his fiancee were severely injured while sneaking from East to West Germany. Here, we're just told vaguely that she died while he was sneaking her into the country... in an airplane? I think?).
I'd recommend this as a good read for fans of the series. It's a nice read, despite its shortcomings, and is an interesting way to reboot and adapt the series for a modern audience. Newcomers to the franchise, however, would likely do better to skip this in favor of the manga or the most recent anime.
February 17, 2023
Cyborg 009 is a reboot of an old Manga. It's about Joe, Cyborg 009, who wakes up and finds out he's the 9th cyborg created to take over the world. All of the cyborgs have different powers (which logistically makes little sense) and look completely different but all wear the same uniform (including a baby). They all revolt against the guy in charge and try to stop him from taking over. The story is just so-so and feels very rushed. The artwork and coloring by Marcus To and Ian Herring though are top notch.
February 29, 2024
Two novels in one.
The first 009 is in color and is a re imagining of a classic manga. The second novel is a reprint of the classic black and white manga (reads backwards). A secret organization is creating war like cyborgs.
The first 009 is in color and is a re imagining of a classic manga. The second novel is a reprint of the classic black and white manga (reads backwards). A secret organization is creating war like cyborgs.
June 11, 2022
A sweet retelling of the sci-fi anime of metal clad heroes taking on the sinister arms dealing organization known as Black Ghost.
July 24, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Cyborg 009 is a beautifully illustrated modern retelling of the Japanese manga and anime classic. The artists/author do a great job of taking the heart of the original and creating a modern, more accessible retelling for the new audiences.
The original Cyborg 009, published in Japan from the 1960s to 1980s, featured a lot of the tropes that are honestly feeling dated and less nostalgic: cartoony over-emphasized facial/body features (big pointy or bulbous noses, large eyes, impossibly squad forms, etc.), and over simplified moustache twirling bad guys out for world domination. This graphic novel takes those themes body creates a more streamlined and western look and feel. It's surprising how well this works.
This story, as with the original, follows the awakening of Joe as cyborg 009 - a slave created from his stolen life to become an instrument of war. Along with cyborgs 001 through 008 (all of whom have a special power) and the professor who created them, they will fight their fate while striving to maintain their humanity. In this novel, they fight against the ones who created them while 009 grapples with the lost life (and love) left behind in Tokyo.
In all, I greatly enjoyed this retelling. I love both manga and graphic novels and appreciated this reverent but original retelling of a Japanese manga classic.
Received as an ARC from the publisher.
October 1, 2013
This is classic super hero action with the super powers coming from cybernetic redesign of humans. 009 wakes up in a lab. He has been kidnapped and experimented on by Sekar and his scientists. His memory of his former life is suppressed and he cannot remember how he wound up in the lab. Together with the eight cyborgs who were created before him (000 - 008), he escapes and tried to stop their former captors from kidnapping anyone else and creating more unwilling cyborgs.
The team comes from a variety of backgrounds and each has different strengths and skills. One of the scientists involved in their creation was only looking for a way to save his son - much like the scientist in Resident Evil that created the virus to help regenerate his daughter's cells, but then it turned into a mutagenic nightmare.
If you enjoy super heroes, especially those who work in teams and have the interaction back and forth, then you will probably enjoy Cyborg 009.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
The team comes from a variety of backgrounds and each has different strengths and skills. One of the scientists involved in their creation was only looking for a way to save his son - much like the scientist in Resident Evil that created the virus to help regenerate his daughter's cells, but then it turned into a mutagenic nightmare.
If you enjoy super heroes, especially those who work in teams and have the interaction back and forth, then you will probably enjoy Cyborg 009.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
July 22, 2015
I picked this up because the illustrations were too awesome. I understand that this graphic novel is a re-make of the classic manga and anime of the same name, but being someone who has no prior knowledge of the original Cyborg 009, I simply can't make a justified comparison. However, I went to do a little research and watched the first episode of the anime, and I must say the graphic novel has really beefed up the way the characters were drawn. Perhaps a little more...westernised? Though I thought the illustrators were quite faithful to most of the the original elements.
Concept was pretty cool, though I had a few issues with the flow between frames. There wasn't sufficient fluidity in the story sequencing, resulting in a rushed and abrupt plot.
I wish the graphic novel was longer so that we get to see more development of the various characters, but the numerous action scenes and brilliant drawings did make the read very satisfying.
I should probably catch up on the anime!
Concept was pretty cool, though I had a few issues with the flow between frames. There wasn't sufficient fluidity in the story sequencing, resulting in a rushed and abrupt plot.
I wish the graphic novel was longer so that we get to see more development of the various characters, but the numerous action scenes and brilliant drawings did make the read very satisfying.
I should probably catch up on the anime!
September 6, 2013
Cyborg 009? Wait, Cyborg 009, a favorite manga and anime from my childhood, has been completely re-imagined and redrawn?! It's true! Shotaro Ishinomori's classic tale about future warfare is back.
After awaking without memories, 009 learns that he is no longer fully human but a cyborg. He's a weapon created by the Black Ghost Organization, an organization that manufactures weapons and wars for profit. 009 must choose the cause for which he will fight.
The new character designs pay tribute to the original drawings but still manage to seem modern. At the start, the pacing feels choppy but is corrected by the end. This volume is devoted to necessary back story and introductions which are not thrilling but it does manage to give Cyborgs 001-009 their first major battle and victory. A very promising series.
Highly recommended.
After awaking without memories, 009 learns that he is no longer fully human but a cyborg. He's a weapon created by the Black Ghost Organization, an organization that manufactures weapons and wars for profit. 009 must choose the cause for which he will fight.
The new character designs pay tribute to the original drawings but still manage to seem modern. At the start, the pacing feels choppy but is corrected by the end. This volume is devoted to necessary back story and introductions which are not thrilling but it does manage to give Cyborgs 001-009 their first major battle and victory. A very promising series.
Highly recommended.
May 23, 2014
The only reason I read this was for Marcus To's artwork. His artwork is always wonderful and this book was no exception. It seems to me that he is advancing in his work. The character designs (though based on the original) were all unique, something that I think he's struggled with a bit in the past.
The story itself was very typical and predictable. A man becomes a hero not by choice, he cannot return to the life he once knew, and now he must rise to the occasion to save the world. The villain becomes almost less-than-human in his scientific endeavours, making him more difficult to sympathize with.
The pacing was a little too quick, for my tastes. The story could have been drawn out more to include deeper backstories and more character development. Overall, it seemed as though it was a very shallow story.
The story itself was very typical and predictable. A man becomes a hero not by choice, he cannot return to the life he once knew, and now he must rise to the occasion to save the world. The villain becomes almost less-than-human in his scientific endeavours, making him more difficult to sympathize with.
The pacing was a little too quick, for my tastes. The story could have been drawn out more to include deeper backstories and more character development. Overall, it seemed as though it was a very shallow story.
May 28, 2015
Cyborg 009 is a great graphic novel. It brought me back to my childhood when I first started watching anime and Cyborg 009 used to be on tv. The artwork in the graphic novel is definitely different than the anime/manga, but I still liked it a lot. It's like they gave it a little more realism with ought being completely realistic in appearence. It was a great story line of how the cyborgs 001-009 came to be, where they call came from, and what their real names are from before they were turned cyborg. I'd definitely read it again.
April 6, 2014
Great artwork, and a fantastic reimagining of the original! But the story just wasn't there for me. I understood what the author was going for, but transitions lacked fluidity and the GN was simply too short to really contain the full scope of everything the story was trying to accomplish. But a great tribute to the original!
July 31, 2014
Probably one of the best presentations that Archaia has done. Cyborg 009 is a labor of love from the designer and artist. Although the story read a little quick, I could understand he need because it was only one volume.
Marcus To was definitely the best choice for the art. Ishinomori would definitely have been proud of this tribute.
Marcus To was definitely the best choice for the art. Ishinomori would definitely have been proud of this tribute.
August 10, 2018
I feel as though over half the story is missing. Everything happens much too quickly, making the narrative very ineffective. This is hardly surprising since they've condensed the story from 1933 pages of manga into a 120 page graphic novel. At the end of it, I'm still not emotionally invested in anything that happened.
And, boy, are these characters fond of striking dramatic group poses.
And, boy, are these characters fond of striking dramatic group poses.
December 7, 2013
http://instagram.com/p/hoXw2UnbIg/ Bought this book from the Archaia booth for the beautiful coloring (Ian Herring). Was not disappointed. It's not a bad adaptation, but I have a feeling the original manga is better. Will have to check it out at some point.
October 5, 2017
Great reimagining of the first chapter of the first chapter of the original manga. Also includes the original first chapter as comparison for when you finish. Really hope that they release the whole thing on kindle when is ready for instant downloads for everybody who wants it.
March 1, 2017
Looks fantastic, but the story wasn't for me.
October 24, 2013
Read my review here:
http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2013/09/18...
http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2013/09/18...
April 11, 2014
Terrible and boring. Was there a super team chilche they couldn't fit into this?
January 16, 2016
It had been ages since the last I read a manga. It is like a x-men comic that tell a common story about a cyborg and his proto-type saving the world!
September 20, 2013
great art and story.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews