Variante, Vol. 1

Variante #1

by Iqura Sugimoto

一家惨殺事件の被害者・宝生アイコは、遺体処置室で息を吹き返した！　その左腕に、凶暴な異形を宿して……。あまりにも残酷で、あまりにも切ない運命に翻弄される彼女の明日に、光はあるのか？

Genres: Manga, Horror, Science Fiction, Shonen, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics

196 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2004

About the author

Japanese name: 杉基イクラ (SUGIMOTO Ikura)
Also uses the pseudonym Mao Kuon

Reviews

[Nix Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't really know what to write but I felt like I had to write a comment just to show my feelings and support for this manga. It's awesome. And sad. Very sad. There is a lot of excessive violence and misery. Please read it if you are ok with violence, you wouldn't want to miss this out.

The story starts with the brutal murder of a family. Even though the daughter Aiko should have been dead, her heart starts beating again. However, she has no idea what happened and upon waking up, she finds herself in a seemingly empty facility with a foreign (seemingly male) arm instead of her own left one. She snaps and passes out from shock. When she wakes again, she is tied down to her bed and a stranger asks if she remembers what happens. She doesn't want to remember, but is forced to when a moster attacks her. When she is about to be killed by this creature, her arm transforms into a huge monsterlike version and kills the chimera on its own without Aika doing anything. A moster like the one who attacked her, a 'chimera', killed her parents, but she has no idea what happened to her arm, neither do the researchers know, it was like this when they found her. Apparently the government knows about chimeras and fights, captures and researches them. Now she is given two options: becoming a guniea pig and being experimented on or using her arm and fighting chimera. It is an option between dying horribly and living horribly.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yep, give me all the crazy body horror. This gave me some much needed Parasyte -the maxim- vibes, and I was freaking living for it. I thought the art was cool, the fight scenes were awesome, and the character struggles were intense as all hell. Very glad that I stumbled upon this one.

(Picked up at AX 2019 Manga Lounge)

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've heard people say this is a more messed up version of Parasyte, but it's totally different and Parasyte is so much better. This manga pretty much solely relies on the gross imagery/ shock factor with very little character or plot substance at all. Like Lili-men (which isn't great either) but worse.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moves along quickly! Not as strong on the body horror as I'd expect, although there certainly seem to be a lot of evil flesh mounds to fight and bloodstains everywhere. Maybe I read it too fast to be caught up in the intended emotional highs and lows.

[Vulco1 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just ok. Lots of other graphic novels, manga, and anime with a similar plot. Not sure yet what makes this one better than any other.

[Gabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Yaroslav Chernovol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Загалом цілком стандартний сюжет. Але малюнок дуже зайшов. Та й мала кількість томів радує. І ще загалом забавно що це шьонен.

[David Doel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd dub this as horror, but not horrible. Three volumes to go.

[Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manga reminds me of Saikano, Black Cat and after all even Elfen Lied . And that is a good mix. Interesting, creepy story with good artwork. Give me more!

[Jascha · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. Absolut brutal, aber auch absolut herzzerreissend und komplex! Ich bin gespannt wie es weitergeht.

[Denisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another rating: 7/10

[Bertrand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un premier tome captivant !

[Bruno · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spannend, goede inleiding, benieuwd naar meer.