Проєкт “Цуґумі”. Том 1

Tsugumi Project #1

by Ippatu, Пітик Катерина (Translator)

Леон — елітний європейський солдат, який зовсім не хоче вирушати у ризиковану експедицію, але мусить, щоб відбілити репутацію після несправедливого звинувачення.

Кому взагалі може закортіти їхати в Японію — країну, залишену всім і всіма. Зруйновану і винищену. Та, подейкують, дещо там залишилося. І це дещо — завдання Леона. Він і його товариші мають знайти та відновити таємну зброю, яку розробляли для проєкту Цуґумі. Зброю, руйнівний потенціал якої мав затьмарити все, що існувало до нього. Зброю, через яку всі Японські острови всипали дощем з атомних бомб, лиш би зупинити розробку проєкту. Це було більше двох століть тому. Що там могло залишитися?

Десантування йде не за планом, літак розбивається, і Леон опиняється в Токійській затоці зовсім сам. Знесилений солдат сподівається на сякий-такий захист протирадіаційного костюма і страждає від голоду.

Але що ж це? Здається, тут і близько не так безлюдно, як всі говорять…

Genres: Manga, Comics, Science Fiction, Seinen, Bande Dessinée, Action

192 pages, Paperback

Published December 30, 2023

Reviews

[Anna Boklys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Перший том добре вводить читача у історію: показує конфлікт, головних героїв, локацію та світ. Ми знайомимось з Леоном та Цуґуї - дівчинкою-птахом, а ще з дивними мавпами в одязі. Антураж більше схожий на комп'ютерну гру, де герой знаходить всякі корисні штуки у забутих та пильних коробках.

Хоча ядерних постапокаліпсисів є купа, світ манґи має свою харизму. Він ніби й знайоми, але заманливий та небезпечний.

Одним словом - хороший початок.

А понад усе мені сподобався стиль малюнку. Так багато деталей, руху, харизми! Особливо мені сподобались пейзажі зруйнованого Токіо - їй хотілось розглядати, щоб побачити кожну деталь. Гарно!

[Bryan Burton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting vibes. Cool to see a manga that was published first in France. The author talks about being influenced by Magritte and getting into manga as an adult. Post-Fukushima fears make for an engrossing apocalyptic setting. Has to be heavily influenced by Escape from New York as well.

Just wish the storytelling was a little more developed. Its obviously the author's first work so hopefully this series will realize its potential in the following volumes.

[Janina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nicht mein Fall. Die Zeichnungen von Umgebung, Architektur etc. waren gut und das Grundkonzept 'nuklear verwüstete Stadt + Suche nach geheimer Waffe' hat mir gefallen, aber die Umsetzung war nicht meins. Die Figuren waren für mich uninteressant, die Nebencharaktere am Anfang kamen mir vom Aussehen eher wie leichte Karikaturen vor, weil bestimmte Gesichtsmerkmale etwas überspitzt wirkten. Die mutierten Bewohner haben mich leider auch nicht begeistert und das Mädchen mit den Vogelbeinen (die zweite Hauptfigur neben Léon) kam mir irgendwie fehl am Platz vor. Sie hat die Atmosphäre auch sehr viel weniger düster und gefährlich gemacht, was meiner Meinung auch dem Gefühl und dem Setting geschadet hat. Da die Reihe 'Das Tsugumi-Projekt' heißt und das Vogelmädchen Tsugumi ist, gehe ich mal (wie erwartet) davon aus, dass sie die 'Waffe' ist, nach der alle suchen. Leider, wie gesagt, interessiert sie mich als Charakter (und alles andere) nicht sehr, deshalb werde ich nicht weiterlesen.

tw/cw: Tiermord, Tiertod, Gewalt, Verletzungen, Strahlung, Mutationen, Mord

[365801 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This manga was beautiful! First and foremost, that needs to be said. It is a triumph of artistic endeavour and deserves to be seen. What an amazing achievement for the mangaka - the details are exquisite and the world is so richly presented that the post-apocalypticsetting is easy to sink into making this a believable SFF story.

We follow Leon, a soldier, who has been falsely accused and sent on a year-long suicide mission as his only chance of being pardoned and sent home to his wife and child. The mission is to make his way through the wastes of Tokyo 200 years since it was last inhabited by humans and discover the secrets of mysterious weapon known as Toratsugumi. He must survive and make it home somehow.

For fans of AKIRA, I am Legend, and The Walking Dead, this is intriquing and engaging in equal measure and Leon is instantly likable and I couldn't help but root for him from the second he was on the page. This is worth reading for the story but it is worth buying and having in your collection for the art!

4 stars

Thank you to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC copy so that I could give an honest review.

[Andri Nugraha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Membaca manga ini karena penasaran apa yang membuatnya jadi salah satu komik Jepang paling laris di Perancis. Gaya gambar Ippatu memang mirip dengan beberapa seniman Perancis, khususnya Bengal, hanya saja tarikan garisnya lebih kasar, menciptakan nuansa brutal dan keras. Ceritanya sebetulnya tidak terlalu istimewa. Konsepnya bisa dibilang post-apocalyptic, tapi dengan pendekatan bio-punk. Actionnya seru, dengan konsekuensi penokohan belum terlalu dalam. Kita belum banyak mengenal para tokoh yang terlibat di dalam judul ini. Tapi itu bukan masalah karena ini adalah judul serial. Karakterisasi bisa dilakukan di episode berikutnya.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting start to the series and the story is compelling enough to want to continue. The art is quite messy for the most part but then there is a stark difference with the way Tsugumi is drawn - so the messiness (for want of a better word) could well be deliberate - it does set the tone of the world well. The fight scenes are a bit confusing due to the art style but you can work out what is happening generally. The MC seems like someone you can get behind. There is quite a lot of action in the first volume that keeps you engaged - it gets going quickly. The characaturish nature of the character and design of Doudou is a little close to the line for me - but I am giving it the benefit of the doubt for now.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, mhm, was gibt es zu sagen.

Ich LIEBE die Zeichnungen, der Manga ist wirklich mal was anderes und nicht so typisch „Manga-esk“. Ich liebe all die Details und das alles auch dunkler gehalten wird. Das Charakterdesign finde ich bis jetzt ultra gut (vor allem Tsugumi) und ich bin sehr gespannt, mehr über die „Welt“ zu erfahren.

Mir geht im ersten Band alles ein wenig zu schnell ... es wirkt so, als würde ich einen Film auf zweifacher Geschwindigkeit schauen. Die Story ist spannend, die Charaktere auch ... es ist nur ... zu schnell.
Ich hoffe sehr, dass das jetzt nur am Anfang so ist und dass sich später mehr Zeit gelassen wird. Dranbleiben werde ich auf jeden Fall <3

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Kodansha Comics for an advanced copy of this graphic novel that mixes science fiction and the styles of both Japanese manga, and European comics.

Two hundred years from now the world seems a kind of familiar. Nation states are trying to gain power over their neighboring nation states, and war seems like a perpetual state. Governments are still treating their populous horribly, using control and fear to keep the people loyal. Humans still treat each other horribly, and the Island of Japan is overrun by monsters. The last statement might not be true, but I read a lot of manga and watch a lot of anime and kaiju movies, so I'm going to keep that open as a possible truth. Tsugumi Project Volume 1 by by rising star write and illustrator ippatu is a story about a man trying to beat impossible odds to get back to his family, and the creatures that are pursuing him, or maybe even helping.

Leon is a former soldier living in France with his wife who is pregnant with their first child. Leon is arrested , convicted and sentenced to death, but given a choice. Die now, or travel to the nuclear wasteland that was the Island of Japan. Find an object, a war weapon that can change the state of constant warfare that is the future, secure it and get it back to us. Failure will be death, either by dangers encountered in the mission, or by a bomb planted in Leon, that will detonate after one year passes. Leon is not the only one given this option, as he finds when he is loaded on a cargo plane with others. They are also criminals, though one loudmouth talks about being set up by the government, and that that they are not the only team. Something goes wrong and the cargo plane crashes, leaving Leon alone without supplies on an island that is radioactive and loaded with strange creatures. Creatures that want to kill Leon, though there is on creature a girl with odd legs and feet that seems helpful.

A story that might seem familiar to a lot of readers. Escape from New York, the Professional, Jurassic Park, Italian science fiction movies and more. All mixed to tell a good story, that has a lot of acton and mystery as well as a very interesting character in Leon. Leon is more a tactician than a straight out brawler. Leon looks at a situation, comes up with a plan and goes with that. When the plan goes wrong, yes he can fight, but his whole reason for being is getting home to his wife and the child he has never met. This is Volume 1 so there is a lot of introducing the story, but what is here is good, and makes one want to know more. Why Japan. Are these creatures mutants? Who is the girl? Who survived the plane crash, and what other forces might be on the island. The art is excellent. A mix of European 70's with 80's and 90's manga influences. The creatures are scary, the girl is different and Leon shows a lot of wear and tear, even in the short time he is on the ground in Japan. There is a confidence to the writing and art, and really carry the story forward. ippatu has an idea where he wants the story to go, and I want to find out also.

Akira meets Valerian with a lot of different kaiju in the mix. A very interesting story that can go a lot of places. Recommended for manga fans, and for science fiction fans in general. Some of the plot might seem familiar, but the writing is good, and the art really carries the story. I'm excited for Volume 2.

[Rae, shutupandbookup · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If you distinguish yourselves during this mission. . .the nation promises to absolve you of your crimes."


Leon is forced to go on a suicide mission in hopes of gaining his freedom. He must venture forth to a large island once known as Japan. Over two hundred years since the nuclear war has left the landmass to mother nature and other things. There's a hidden weapon somewhere in the midst of the wilderness and it's a race against other nations to retrieve it!


Leon has been formerly trained but nothing could prepare him for what he finds. The man must adapt fast or fall victim to the creatures that thrive in old Japan. But what stands out to him the most is a girl who seems to be surviving in this environment and she's not fully human. A new species? Was she born here? Is she connected to the secret weapon? Leon dives further into the unknown.


"I never know what's around the next corner. . ."


First of all, the artwork! I was utterly blown away by the detail put into the artwork and just the beauty of it all! Japan has returned to nature after having undergone nuclear war and the panels depicting what's left of the cityscapes are stunning. I really loved how everything was depicted and the amount of effort the author put into the work.


Leon is an interesting man, and I loved the twists with his character just from this first installment of the series. He understands what he must do to get his freedom back even if he doesn't like it. Leon has a plan for how he can go about finding answers and clues to hopefully lead him to the weapon known as "TORATSUGUMI".


Only as he's trying to survive, he finds himself in trouble and is saved by a child! One who is clearly only half human along with her terrifying partner. The girl and the beast keep an eye on the human but from a distance. Leon wants to understand more about her but small steps. He has to first get a grasp for his surroundings and secure the essentials. Along the way he discovers more oddities and wonders.


Leon doesn't have the best time with the landing, there are panels depicting his POV in a plane crash. This manga is about survival in a post nuclear world along with being viewed as a prisoner. Military clearly utilizing the men as pawns in their mission to obtain a weapon. Bloodshed and violence are shown pretty quickly within the first few panels. Some language along with scenes of animals hunting other animals, fighting, and more.


I'm really interested to see where this story goes! We do get a cliffhanger and I want the next installment! I really loved that there was an author interview at the end of the book and getting to see how the author started out. Fascinating story and I really love the path the author took with their writing and art style!


Enjoy the beautiful artwork and gritty story in this science fiction manga! Don't forget to give the author some stars!


shutupandbookup.com

[MangUA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Японія, зруйнована ядерною війною, колись була передовою технологічною державою. Минуло понад двісті років — і від її величі залишився лише уламок: зруйновані міста, покинуті заводи, зотлілі сліди цивілізації. Страх перед загадковою зброєю, яку нібито створювали тут, зробив ці острови забутою зоною.

Саме тут опиняється помилково засуджений Леон — французький солдат, якого розлучили з сім’єю та примусили відправитись в місію, що звучить як смертельний вирок. Його, як і інших іноземних шпигунів, прирекли на цю поїздку, тепер їм доведеться відшукати інформацію про проєкт “Цуґумі”. Начебто під цим ім’ям створювали зброю, яка здатна перетворити весь світ в попелище.

Очікувано, все від самого початку йде не за планом (а може в керівництва саме це і було планом) — літак падає, більшість пасажирів гине, проте Леон чудом залишається цілим і неушкодженим. Ні провізії, ні речей, ні медикаментів — а навколо тільки зруйнований мегаполіс, в якому навіть вціліла сокира вже неабиякий скарб.

Леону розповідали, що це місце — абсолютно безлюдне, адже рівень радіації після ядерних вибухів більше ста років був надто високим, аби тут могло зберегтись бодай якесь життя. Проте науковці з великої землі помилились. Японія кишить незрозумілими створіннями — їх зовнішній вигляд вже далеко від людського, втім людяності їм точно не займати.

Згадати бодай Цуґумі — одну з місцевих жительок. Обличчям вона схожа на звичайну дівчинку-підлітку, проте пересувається на масивних лапах, схожих на пташині. Незважаючи на нетипову зовнішність та надзвичайну могутність, приховану в тендітному тілі, дівчинка любить красиві речі, прикраси та свого гігантського псевдотигра Тору. Вона прикипає до Леона та його колеги Дуду всім серцем, тож супроводжуватиме їх під час виконання місії.

На своєму шляху Леону доведеться зустрітись з цілим бестіарієм незнайомих створінь. Вони бувають розумні, добрі, кмітливі, а ще ненажерливі, жадні та дріб’язкові. Проте кожен з них переслідує свої цілі, а добрі чи погані вони, залежить тільки від точки, з якої на них дивишся.

Манґа «Проєкт “Цуґумі”» — не просто історія про постапокаліпсис. Вона про страх, самотність, дружбу, необхідність довіряти та бути почутим, віру в краще, міцне кохання та бажання просто повернутись додому за будь-яку ціну.

А ще, ця манґа надзвичайно гарна. У ній несподівано, але гармонійно зійшлися дві школи мальопису: французька бандесіне — з її детальними фонами та нестандартними ракурсами, і японська манґа зі своєю емоційністю, чорно-білою стилістикою й особливою будовою сцен.

Цей тайтл затягує читача в постапокаліптичну Японію, змушує хвилюватись за життя головних героїв, спонукає подумати “а що насправді є вчинком, гідним звання людини?”, і чи може назватись справжньою людиною істота, яка зовсім на неї не схожа?

[Enairolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai eu la chance de recevoir ce manga dans le cadre de l’opération Masse Critique de Babelio, je remercie donc les éditions Ki-Oon pour l’envoi de ce premier tome. J’avais déjà entendu parler de ce titre et j’étais très intriguée. Alors lorsque j’ai vu que j’avais été sélectionnée, je fus ravie de pouvoir découvrir cette histoire. Résultat, j’ai beaucoup aimé ce premier tome. Ce n’est pas forcément le style de manga que je lis d’habitude mais moi qui aime élargir mes horizons en terme de lectures, je fus ravie de pouvoir découvrir de ce titre et j’ai énormément apprécié ce premier tome.

On va suivre le personnage de Léon, un soldat d’élite d’une Europe militariste, est embarqué de force dans une expédition secrète. Dans un Japon en ruine, abandonné depuis plus de 200 ans, lui et ses compagnons d’infortune doivent récupérer une arme terrifiante. Son nom de code: Tsugumi. Tout ce qu’on sait d’elle c’est que son potentiel de destruction est tel que le monde a préféré écraser l’archipel sous une pluie de bombes atomiques plutôt que de voir son développement mené à terme. Mais l’opération tourne court: l’avion s’écrase et Léon se retrouve seul dans la baie de Tokyo. Affamé, à out de forces avec pour unique protection une combinaison antiradiations, il découvre vite que la métropole n’est pas aussi déserte que prévu..

Clairement, ce premier tome lance la série sur les chapeaux de roues! On est de suite embarqué dans cette histoire et notre attention est captée dès les premières pages. C’est hyper intriguant comme univers, qui est vraiment bien exploité pour le coup. Ce Japon laissé à l’abandon est terrifiant, de drôles créatures se cachent dans l’ombre et font froid dans le dos. Tsugumi est un personnage vraiment intriguant, j’ai hâte d’en apprendre plus sur elle. Elle est très puissante et on a du mal à se dire que c’est cette si petite chose qui a fait tant de dégâts au final. J’ai également beaucoup aimé Léon, il se retrouve en très mauvaise posture mais sait très vite réagir et part en exploration pour essayer de trouver de quoi s’habiller et surtout de quoi se nourrir. Je suis très impatiente de découvrir la suite de ce manga qui va être absolument merveilleux à suivre.

Ce premier tome tient toutes ses promesses. C’est un manga qui réunit tout ce qu’il faut pour offrir un tome incroyable. Le coup de crayon est remarquable, c’est fin, c’est juste et vraiment très beau à regarder. On a là un scénario qui tient la route et surtout un scénario vraiment passionnant à lire. Après avoir tourné la dernière page de ce premier tome, je me suis dis qu’il fallait que je découvre la suite de ce manga. Ma curiosité a vraiment été piquée, je me pose beaucoup de questions. J’ai hâte d’avoir toutes les réponses!

[78sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der Manga besticht einfach durch seinen extrem detailreichen Zeichenstil. Egal ob Gesichter, Wesen, Hintergründe oder Landschaften, es ist einfach alles so präzise gezeichnet, dass es einen umhaut.
Die Story ist noch relativ offen und so recht weiß man als Leser nicht wo das ganze hinführt. Leon ist ein Mitglied einer Eliteeinheit der franz. Armee und wird zu unrecht verurteilt. Anstatt die Todesstrafe zu bekommen, wurde er in eine Gruppe aufgenommen, die sich in das, von einer Katastrophe zerstörten Japan begeben und dort nach eine besondere Waffe suchen. Japan gilt seit mehr als 200 Jahren als unbewohnt, aber ganz stimmt das nicht, was Leon schnell herausfindet. Doch wirklich menschlich sind die Wesen auf die er dort trifft nicht. Der Einsatz verläuft auch nicht nach Plan, da das Flugzeug, das die Truppe irgendwo absetzen sollte, über Tokio abstürzt. Somit ist Leon erst einmal völlig auf sich allein gestellt.
Er schlägt sich dann durch wirklich apokalyptisches Land und trifft auf verschiedene Wesen. Ich liebe zum einen solche Endzeit bzw. Apokalypse-Settings und zum anderen Protagonisten, die sehr militärisch vorgehen und fähig sind zu überleben, wo andere längst aufgegeben hätten. Leon ist so ein Typ und daher fand ich es spannend ihn zu begeleiten.
Auch die Wesen auf die er trifft sind sehr interessant, aber noch weiß man als Leser relativ wenig.
Für meinen Geschmack waren am Ende von Band 1 etwas zu viele Fragezeichen in meinem Kopf und ein bestimmter Charakter wurde sehr merkwürdig gezeichnet. Aus diesen Gründen konnte ich keine volle Punktzahl vergeben und habe mich für 4 Sterne entschieden.
Die Reihe werde ich auf jeden Fall weiterlesen.

Story 4,0/5
Emotionen 3,6/5
Charaktere 4,6/5
Unterhaltung 4,0/5
Zeichenstil 5,0/5
Lesegefühl 4,0/5
Spannung 4,0/5
Gesamt 4,0/5

[Whimsy Dearest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two hundred and sixty years after a deadly weapon wiped out Japan, Leon, along with a group of criminals, is sent to retrieve that very weapon in exchange for a pardon. However, as they’re being transported, their plane crashes.

When Leon’s attacked by ape-like creatures, he’s rescued by a mysterious bird-legged girl and a lion.

Now he must find a way to survive the year and complete his mission if he has any hopes of seeing his wife and child again.

Tsugumi Project, Vol. 1 by ippatu paints an imaginative post-apocalyptic survival thriller that uniquely blends sci-fi with fantasy.

I think what first jumped out to me about this series is how incredibly well-detailed the landscapes and background architecture is. The artwork really transports you to a derelict, post-apocalyptic Japan where crumbling buildings are being reclaimed by nature.



Now, Volume 1 very much feels like an introduction. We know next to nothing about the bird girl (Tsugumi) at the moment or what happened to life in Old Japan. Are the creatures’ mutations caused from radiation?

I’m not sure, but I’m intrigued enough to want to find out the answers.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kodansha, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Despina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting start to a post-apocalyptic manga series. A falsely accused prisoner is among a group given a mission 260 years after Japan was decimated in a nuclear war - find the missing nuclear weapons on the mainland. When they land, he discovers that there are monsters and creatures beyond his imagination there. This felt very much like the start of an action packed and gritty manga - I like the main character (and find all introduced characters interesting actually) and his motivations and I think the world of post-nuclear Japan (aka Old Japan) is very cool and a lot can be done with it.

The art sometimes blended in with the text a bit which I didnt think was the most accessible choice, but still legible if you looked closely enough. I do think the art style was also quite dark - with some panels having a lot more detail than others.

Overall I could see this being very interesting going forward and it's enough to get your appetite whet! Not really my cup of tea so I may pick this back up when I'm in the mood for post-apocalypse literature.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this volume by Kodansha via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily

[Sorcered · Rating 2 out of 5]

A group of disposable heroes are sent to a radioactive Tokyo, looking for a secret weapon that could give France the upper hand in this far future’s global power struggles. (why France? well, because the mangaka was really impressed by Nicolas de Crécy). Obviously, things go wrong very quickly, and the main hero finds himself alone in a derelict and dangerous metropolis. And yet, even if a guy is shot in the head on page 15, this feels more like a Ghibli film than a real thriller - the art is beautiful yet caricatural, we meet a magical girl with bird legs, a huge lion-like creature with a sweeping mane, and mysterious humanoids that look like yokai. The story is nothing special, so far - at its heart, this is just a typical post-apocalyptic survival manga, and this first volume didn’t really convince me to keep reading. Too bad, I liked the art, especially the color pages.

Disclaimer: I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.

[Siina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tsugumi Project is super interesting and it looks amazing! The cover got me interested in this and the insides are something else too. Our main character is Leon, who's captured and send to Old Japan to recover a secret weapon all the countries want. He and the rest of the team have a year to complete the mission, but the airplane crashes right away leaving Leon to survive alone. I love it that the government behind this mission is France! That was a great choice. Leon only knows some Japanese, which is awesome too. It seems he's innocent too and no one knows why he was captured in the first place, or at least we don't know yet. The mystery is thrilling as the creatures of the Old Japan are weird and creepy.

The art is amazing and the details of the city under destruction is something else. This is a great dystopian series and we get inside Leon's head too and have to survive with him. The story moves slowly and reminds me of Last of Us. I'm very much interested in seeing where this will go, since we've only seen a glimpse. Such a beautiful series and ugly at the same time.

[Drine Psylook · Rating 4 out of 5]

L’histoire n’est pas très originale, mais le gros point fort de ce manga est cet univers post-apocalyptique qui m’a tant attirée.
J’ai bien aimé Léon. Je déplore de ne pas en savoir davantage sur lui : à part l’existence de sa femme enceinte, on ignore tout. Il est réfléchi et se montre stratégique. Et il a l’air de savoir se battre dans une certaine mesure. Par contre, je l’ai trouvé lent d’esprit sur certaines évidences.
En ce qui concerne le tigre et la fillette à pattes de poulet qu’on voit sur la couverture, je ne sais pas trop quoi penser d’eux. J’apprécie leur duo, mais je réserve mon avis.
J’ai adoré cette lecture.
https://psylook.kimengumi.fr/2023/08/...

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty epic!

We basically have criminals sent on a mission to retrieve something from a city in ruins. And our main lead, Leon, is about to survive some crazy situations in Japan. Creatures mutated beyond belief, a little girl with a lower half of a bird, and a gigantic fire looking dog creature, and plenty of more. This is a fast paced, post apocalyptical, brutal and bloody adventure.

And I really enjoyed this. Was refreshing to have a 30+ year old lead in a Manga. On top of that the action flows nice with some really great fights and deaths. I also am intrigued on who is who, especially the girl who's half bird. I'll be checking out volume 2 for sure!

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty epic!

We basically have criminals sent on a mission to retrieve something from a city in ruins. And our main lead, Leon, is about to survive some crazy situations in Japan. Creatures mutated beyond belief, a little girl with a lower half of a bird, and a gigantic fire looking dog creature, and plenty of more. This is a fast paced, post apocalyptical, brutal and bloody adventure.

And I really enjoyed this. Was refreshing to have a 30+ year old lead in a Manga. On top of that the action flows nice with some really great fights and deaths. I also am intrigued on who is who, especially the girl who's half bird. I'll be checking out volume 2 for sure!

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely an interesting read. I very much enjoyed it. I hadn’t heard of Tsugumi Project before reading this so I basically went into it blind and I’m honestly really glad that I did. Since I had no expectations, I think I enjoyed the story more than I would have otherwise. Just from the cover I thought there would be more violence but I liked that it was more of a cerebral experience, though the book wasn’t without its violent moments. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot and will be reading the rest of the series as it comes out in English.

I would like to thank the publisher, author, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Ryan Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the art. It matches the series very well and splash pages are nice. There’s a lot of detail in the background and the world that the manga is created. I’m really intrigued in the set up with a bunch of convicts being sent to old Japan (the result of nuclear warfare) in order to retrieve a weapon that is tied to the destruction of old Japan. Really like the aesthetic and want to explore the outside forces intentions and approach as there seems to be many at play. It was a solid opening for me and would like to see where this is taken.

[Megan☾★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a pre-publication digital version of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Kodansha!**

This title is so different than what you would typically expect in the manga space. The flow and art style have a very distinct western comic influence that gives it a grittiness that fits the dystopian setting quite nicely. Very unique, I’m definitely going to be picking up physical copies of this series for my personal collection.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC!

A solid introduction to this world. My interests have certainly been piqued and I'm sure to come back for more volumes!

Great artwork! Good monster design. I do have some questions about character design. In particular concerns over how DouDou is drawn... But perhaps I'm projecting and there is no intended malice...

[Silvere · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought "Tsugumi Project" on a whim and I couldn't put it down. The post-apocalyptic setting is not anything new, but Ippatu avoids exposition dumps and maintains a lot of the mystery. I really like the Leon, he has understandable motivations and remains level headed. The amount of detail in his art is astounding, I would just stare and appreciate individual panels. Ippatu takes influence from French/Belgian comics more so than manga; "Tsugumi Project" gives off an European vibe.

[Wolle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das Tsugami-Projekt Band 1 lässt hoffen, dass es so gut weiter geht wie der Manga anfängt.
Wir befinden uns in einer eher fernen Zukunft ausgestossene aus der Gesellschaft, die meisten Verbrecher, werden in die Ruinen des Alten Japans geschickt um eine Wunderwaffe zu suchen.
Das beste an den Manga sind, die Zeichnungen. Episch Schön.
Die story ist noch am anlaufen verspricht aber viel.

[Andrew Lesiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Світ після ядерного конфлікту, в стані війни все ще бореться за зброю і аналізує здобутки інших держав… арена дослідження - зруйнована Японія. Дослідники - вʼязні яких не шкода. Виглядає жахливо, але досить реалістично для нашого людства. В цілому казати складно про історію в цілому, але завʼязка і перші враження дуже позитивні!

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leon has been given a mission which places him in Japan hundreds of years after its annihilation due to war and what he discovers is a series of science fiction scenarios that include a girl with chicken feet and unusual creatures and a horrific landscape.

It's visually interesting though the storyline is a little wonky.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was originally published in France by a Japanese creator with a healthy respect for French comics. It shows - the color art is excellent and the story itself is fascinating, even for someone like me who doesn't care much for post-apocalyptic stories.

[Victor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly great beginning to an interesting Escape From New York-style post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller complete with mutants! Depending on how the story develops I could see myself revising my score upwards, tbh.

[Shiritaku · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sehr bildgewaltig und kommt ohne viele Worte aus. Das Worldbuilding und die Charaktere sind cool gemacht, der Plot auch sehr interessant und mal was anderes. Ich weiß noch nicht genau, wohin die Reise geht, aber ich bin jedenfalls sehr neugierig 👀