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Dimension W #1
Dimension W
2072. L’humanité a enfin trouvé la solution à tous les problèmes d’approvisionnement en énergie. Les coils, des bobines électromagnétiques qui fournissent des ressources inépuisables, ont relégué batteries et autres câbles au rang d’antiquités.
Kyoma Mabuchi, lui, a tourné le dos à cette technologie révolutionnaire. Amoureux des bonnes vieilles voitures à essence, il préfère passer son temps à bricoler ses bolides. Pour gagner sa vie, ce chasseur de primes d’un genre nouveau s’est spécialisé dans la récupération des coils illégaux, qui, détournés de leur usage de base, peuvent se transformer en armes redoutables…
Alors qu’il enquête sur deux petites frappes des bas quartiers, son chemin croise celui de Mira, une mystérieuse prisonnière dont le destin semble intimement lié aux coils. À ses côtés, Kyoma va vite découvrir que cette technologie miraculeuse pourrait bien conduire l’humanité à sa perte…
Kyoma Mabuchi, lui, a tourné le dos à cette technologie révolutionnaire. Amoureux des bonnes vieilles voitures à essence, il préfère passer son temps à bricoler ses bolides. Pour gagner sa vie, ce chasseur de primes d’un genre nouveau s’est spécialisé dans la récupération des coils illégaux, qui, détournés de leur usage de base, peuvent se transformer en armes redoutables…
Alors qu’il enquête sur deux petites frappes des bas quartiers, son chemin croise celui de Mira, une mystérieuse prisonnière dont le destin semble intimement lié aux coils. À ses côtés, Kyoma va vite découvrir que cette technologie miraculeuse pourrait bien conduire l’humanité à sa perte…
208 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 25, 2012
24 people are currently reading
544 people want to read
About the author
Yuji Iwahara
57 books52 followersIWAHARA Yuji
Japanese Name (岩原裕二)
Associated Names:
ИВАХАРА Юдзи
IWAHARA Yuuji
Blood Type: B
Japanese Name (岩原裕二)
Associated Names:
ИВАХАРА Юдзи
IWAHARA Yuuji
Blood Type: B
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
January 26, 2018
This was so-so. Sadly we haven't visited or really even talked about the mysterious Dimension W in the first volume; it's just thrown out there as the source of a "wireless" energy that now powers everything. There are robots, and a main character who doesn't like technology and is mostly a jerk. I'm mildly interested in finding out about the never-successful art thief, but probably not enough to read more.
March 23, 2017
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I knew nothing going in, but I'm glad I gave this a go.
Dimension W takes place in the future, when people have figured out how to harness Tesla's amazing research to create "coils," batteries that are powered remotely so that users get "infinite" power delivered to wherever they are. The series focuses on a "collector", a bounty hunter who finds illegally modified coils for the mega-corporation that powers the globe. While on the job, he ends up saddled with an android girl with a powerful human-like AI, even though he hates anything to do with coils.
This volume is about two-thirds introduction and one third "on-the-job" with our collector pair. It's a good beginning that kept me reading, and if you like sci-fi bounty hunters, you'll want to give this a look.
Dimension W takes place in the future, when people have figured out how to harness Tesla's amazing research to create "coils," batteries that are powered remotely so that users get "infinite" power delivered to wherever they are. The series focuses on a "collector", a bounty hunter who finds illegally modified coils for the mega-corporation that powers the globe. While on the job, he ends up saddled with an android girl with a powerful human-like AI, even though he hates anything to do with coils.
This volume is about two-thirds introduction and one third "on-the-job" with our collector pair. It's a good beginning that kept me reading, and if you like sci-fi bounty hunters, you'll want to give this a look.
February 9, 2017
VERY Cowboy Bebop. But fun.
March 29, 2017
Having watched the anime before checking this out, I was really impressed with how different but still how great the series was presented. It has a different mood (this one is more fun) but it still carries the seriousness of the anime. For a first volume it did a great job at introducing our main characters, explaining how the world works, and starting up the plot. A great read!
This book was reviewed on Otaku Gamer Zone:
Dimension W: The Manga vs. The Anime
This book was reviewed on Otaku Gamer Zone:
Dimension W: The Manga vs. The Anime
December 8, 2018
The cover is very attractive and the interior art is nice as well. The concept seemed very interesting, but it wasn't really what I expected, so I'm a bit disappointed.
June 6, 2016
I only began reading comics and graphic novels in earnest a few years ago. The launch of the DC New 52 is what initially pulled me into the world of comics. Eventually I branched out beyond DC and superheroes, but the manga section of the bookstore remained off limits. One of the reasons it took me so long to get into comics is because I didn't know where to start. With its right-to-left format, manga was even more intimidating and confusing. But with a little help from the website Panels and the beginning of a new cartoon series, I decided it was finally time to give manga a try.
I first came across Dimension W in anime form and really liked it. A post on Panels.net taught me about the relationship between anime and manga, namely that anime cartoons are adapted from manga. I wondered if that meant Dimension W had a textual counterpart and finding that it did, decided it was time to read my first manga.
Dimension W takes place in the year of 2072. The world's energy problems have been solved with the invention of coils. The power behind coils comes from Dimension W, a recently discovered fourth dimension beyond X, Y, and Z. (I have to admit it took seeing a drawing of a Cartesian coordinate system with its X, Y, and Z axis before I fully grasped the concept of a fourth W dimension.) Kyouma Mabuchi makes a living as a Collector, retrieving illegal coils that can be dangerous. While on his latest retrieval job he comes across Mira, a very human-like robot. Their meeting starts them on a journey to learning some of the secrets behind coils, their inventor, and much more.
A little bit of mystery and heap of science fiction made Dimension W a really fun read. The characters are funny and complex, especially Kyouma who clings to old technology while making a living chasing down old versions of new technology, and Mira who seems to feel human emotions even though she's more steel than flesh. I already knew the story from having watched the anime but reading it was still great. The only thing I wish was different were the black-and white drawings. There were a few color pages and they popped off the page. I wish the whole book was in color. Overall I'd say my first attempt at manga was pretty successful.
I first came across Dimension W in anime form and really liked it. A post on Panels.net taught me about the relationship between anime and manga, namely that anime cartoons are adapted from manga. I wondered if that meant Dimension W had a textual counterpart and finding that it did, decided it was time to read my first manga.
Dimension W takes place in the year of 2072. The world's energy problems have been solved with the invention of coils. The power behind coils comes from Dimension W, a recently discovered fourth dimension beyond X, Y, and Z. (I have to admit it took seeing a drawing of a Cartesian coordinate system with its X, Y, and Z axis before I fully grasped the concept of a fourth W dimension.) Kyouma Mabuchi makes a living as a Collector, retrieving illegal coils that can be dangerous. While on his latest retrieval job he comes across Mira, a very human-like robot. Their meeting starts them on a journey to learning some of the secrets behind coils, their inventor, and much more.
A little bit of mystery and heap of science fiction made Dimension W a really fun read. The characters are funny and complex, especially Kyouma who clings to old technology while making a living chasing down old versions of new technology, and Mira who seems to feel human emotions even though she's more steel than flesh. I already knew the story from having watched the anime but reading it was still great. The only thing I wish was different were the black-and white drawings. There were a few color pages and they popped off the page. I wish the whole book was in color. Overall I'd say my first attempt at manga was pretty successful.
May 25, 2016
Interesting premise and world building with a decent story framework. Would like to read more.
Review: https://derailmentsofthought.wordpres...
Review: https://derailmentsofthought.wordpres...
January 29, 2020
It wasn't very interesting before the upskirt shot, actually.
January 5, 2025
Version Japonaise de I, Robot de Will Smith sans plus. Je me demande si cela s'améliore avec les autres tômes.
July 11, 2017
Iwahara Yuji, known for his work on Cat Paradise (Gakuen Sousei Nekotan!) and Darker than Black – Jet Black Flower (Daakuu zan Burakku – Shikkoku no Hana), returns to the page with his latest new series: Dimension W (Dimenshon W). Published in Square-Enix’s monthly seinen magazine, Big Gangan, Dimension W is is Iwahara’s ninth series to date and currently stands as his longest one yet. Yen Press’s English release, a loving adaptation with an embossed cover and a selection of colored pages, is translated by Amanda Haley who has also done work for Yen Press in the adaptation of The Heroic Legend of Arslan (Arusuraan Senki), among others.
In the not-so distant future, the face of technology as we know it is changed by a groundbreaking discovery: Dimension W. Possessing a seemingly infinite source of energy, scientists discover a way to tap into this dimension’s power to create a wireless network of easily available energy. The only catch is that this energy must be captured by small, highly regulated devices called coils. Yet in any age there’s always those trying to duck the regulations for their own gain. Mabuchi Kyouma, a man out of time with a deep set distrust for coils and the power they harness, is just one of many collectors who seek to reap the bounties that the New Tesla Energy company will pay for turning in illegal coils wherever they crop up. Yet when a seemingly normal collection goes south, Kyouma finds himself in possession of the last surviving member of the missing founder of NTE Yurizaki Shidou’s family: the original model for the modern android made by Shidou’s wife Seira, a robot girl named Mira. The questions quickly pile up when Mira reveals that the reason for her father’s disappearance is because it was NTE that murdered her mother and sister many years ago. Determined to find her father and unravel the mystery of NTE’s betrayal, Mira begs Kyouma to allow her to join him in their pursuit of the world’s illegal coils.
In writing a near future sci-fi manga rife with intrigue and the promise of more to come, Iwahara certainly impresses with the depth of world building that we can see in Dimension W. The premise of coil technology–as well as the nod to the work of Nikola Tesla–is sure to appeal to fans of the genre, while Iwahara’s strength in drawing unique character silhouettes and settings make it easy to believe that the Japan that Kyouma and Mira live in is a world only half a century away. The side characters in particular provide a wonderful sense of depth and dimension to the story, from the queen pin design of Kyouma’s collector contact Mary to the straight laced Albert Schuman who works for NTE’s Dimensional Administration Bureau. Perhaps the only place where the Iwahara’s designs seem inconsistent with the character they’re given to is the choice to give Mira a “tail” that’s an almost debilitating weak point and her original costume that results in a completely unnecessary two page upskirt spread when she and Kyouma first meet. However, by the end of the volume Mira’s given a new wardrobe and the bizarre innuendo of her tail’s weak point is isolated to one incident so far.
In terms of story, Iwahara presents a very clean introduction in his first volume. We’re given just enough foreshadowing and hints at more to come with Kyouma’s flashbacks and the open-ended interactions between Shidou, Albert, and the new leadership of NTE. From there, the story seems to easily transition into what seems like a setup for a “monster of the week” style pacing, with the phantom thief Loser presenting himself as what will likely be the first of many illegal coil users that Kyouma and Mira encounter on their search for the truth. Although this simple format makes the story feel somewhat predictable, Iwahara’s strength lies in the honesty of his characters on the page. The choices they make–whether it’s Kyouma’s decision to take the unconscious Mira with him or Mira’s choice in revealing her past to Kyouma and Mary–never feel forced to suit the needs of the story.
Haley does a commendable job of bringing these characters to life on the page with her translation. Her notes cover only the necessary details without being over the top. The natural cadence of each character’s voice also shines through in her word choice. It’s easy to read Kyouma’s lazy drawl or Koorogi’s playful snark in the way Haley puts their words on the page.
Dimension W may not break the mold of sci-fi manga in the story it chooses to tell, but with a diverse cast of cleanly written, compelling characters in the hands of a talented artist like Iwahara, it promises to be an enjoyable story for any fans of the genre.
In the not-so distant future, the face of technology as we know it is changed by a groundbreaking discovery: Dimension W. Possessing a seemingly infinite source of energy, scientists discover a way to tap into this dimension’s power to create a wireless network of easily available energy. The only catch is that this energy must be captured by small, highly regulated devices called coils. Yet in any age there’s always those trying to duck the regulations for their own gain. Mabuchi Kyouma, a man out of time with a deep set distrust for coils and the power they harness, is just one of many collectors who seek to reap the bounties that the New Tesla Energy company will pay for turning in illegal coils wherever they crop up. Yet when a seemingly normal collection goes south, Kyouma finds himself in possession of the last surviving member of the missing founder of NTE Yurizaki Shidou’s family: the original model for the modern android made by Shidou’s wife Seira, a robot girl named Mira. The questions quickly pile up when Mira reveals that the reason for her father’s disappearance is because it was NTE that murdered her mother and sister many years ago. Determined to find her father and unravel the mystery of NTE’s betrayal, Mira begs Kyouma to allow her to join him in their pursuit of the world’s illegal coils.
In writing a near future sci-fi manga rife with intrigue and the promise of more to come, Iwahara certainly impresses with the depth of world building that we can see in Dimension W. The premise of coil technology–as well as the nod to the work of Nikola Tesla–is sure to appeal to fans of the genre, while Iwahara’s strength in drawing unique character silhouettes and settings make it easy to believe that the Japan that Kyouma and Mira live in is a world only half a century away. The side characters in particular provide a wonderful sense of depth and dimension to the story, from the queen pin design of Kyouma’s collector contact Mary to the straight laced Albert Schuman who works for NTE’s Dimensional Administration Bureau. Perhaps the only place where the Iwahara’s designs seem inconsistent with the character they’re given to is the choice to give Mira a “tail” that’s an almost debilitating weak point and her original costume that results in a completely unnecessary two page upskirt spread when she and Kyouma first meet. However, by the end of the volume Mira’s given a new wardrobe and the bizarre innuendo of her tail’s weak point is isolated to one incident so far.
In terms of story, Iwahara presents a very clean introduction in his first volume. We’re given just enough foreshadowing and hints at more to come with Kyouma’s flashbacks and the open-ended interactions between Shidou, Albert, and the new leadership of NTE. From there, the story seems to easily transition into what seems like a setup for a “monster of the week” style pacing, with the phantom thief Loser presenting himself as what will likely be the first of many illegal coil users that Kyouma and Mira encounter on their search for the truth. Although this simple format makes the story feel somewhat predictable, Iwahara’s strength lies in the honesty of his characters on the page. The choices they make–whether it’s Kyouma’s decision to take the unconscious Mira with him or Mira’s choice in revealing her past to Kyouma and Mary–never feel forced to suit the needs of the story.
Haley does a commendable job of bringing these characters to life on the page with her translation. Her notes cover only the necessary details without being over the top. The natural cadence of each character’s voice also shines through in her word choice. It’s easy to read Kyouma’s lazy drawl or Koorogi’s playful snark in the way Haley puts their words on the page.
Dimension W may not break the mold of sci-fi manga in the story it chooses to tell, but with a diverse cast of cleanly written, compelling characters in the hands of a talented artist like Iwahara, it promises to be an enjoyable story for any fans of the genre.
March 1, 2024
I can't remember the last time a volume of manga took me this long to read. The story is cool and engaging, at least in the first half of the volume. I suspect there to be many detours from the main story, like the one in the volume's second half. A slow read with detours doesn't attract me. It had such potential with the reference to 47.
Nikola Tesla's vision of wirelessly powering the globe has become a reality. There's even a Central 47 in the global array of towers built by New Tesla that stabilize the energy coming from the newly discovered dimension W. The hardware in use is based on Coils, so everyone wants a slice of the pie, from civilians, to illegal organizations. The counterfeit Coils are a valued commodity that earn bounty hunters a hefty amount. Kyouma Mabuchi is such a bounty hunter, also called collector, and a mechanic of the soon-to-be-outlawed gasoline vehicles.
Nikola Tesla's vision of wirelessly powering the globe has become a reality. There's even a Central 47 in the global array of towers built by New Tesla that stabilize the energy coming from the newly discovered dimension W. The hardware in use is based on Coils, so everyone wants a slice of the pie, from civilians, to illegal organizations. The counterfeit Coils are a valued commodity that earn bounty hunters a hefty amount. Kyouma Mabuchi is such a bounty hunter, also called collector, and a mechanic of the soon-to-be-outlawed gasoline vehicles.
January 31, 2021
The first volume failed to expand on it's concept or world building in any intriguing way.
Kyouma has a decent character design with a pretty standard protag personality. Although he isn't bringing anything new to the table, yet, he at least has some promise and identity. His counterpart Mira fairs far worse. Mira is a text book study in moe animal girl cliche: Her design is cutesy and non-functional, within several pages of meeting her she is targeted for rape and we get an uncalled for up-skirt shot, and she has big eyes that she stares at everything in wonder with. She may be less annoying than many other characters like her, but she got a big eye roll out of me from the moment I met her till the moment I finished chapter 7.
Speaking of chapter 7. I'm not sure why the author thought it was a good idea to start off their story about pulling endless energy from another dimensional line with a recovery mission that focuses on an incompetent art thief named "Loser," but it did nothing to indicate to me that the main story had any potential.
I'm guessing the focus is going to be the antagonistic relationship between the coil hating Kyouma and robot Mira, and where I do love character driven stories, past experience with characters like Mira have taught me that their eventual partnership/friendship isn't going to be nearly profound as I'm going to want it to be. I was drawn in by the other-dimensional energy, but after the first volume I don't think this one is going to be for me.
Kyouma has a decent character design with a pretty standard protag personality. Although he isn't bringing anything new to the table, yet, he at least has some promise and identity. His counterpart Mira fairs far worse. Mira is a text book study in moe animal girl cliche: Her design is cutesy and non-functional, within several pages of meeting her she is targeted for rape and we get an uncalled for up-skirt shot, and she has big eyes that she stares at everything in wonder with. She may be less annoying than many other characters like her, but she got a big eye roll out of me from the moment I met her till the moment I finished chapter 7.
Speaking of chapter 7. I'm not sure why the author thought it was a good idea to start off their story about pulling endless energy from another dimensional line with a recovery mission that focuses on an incompetent art thief named "Loser," but it did nothing to indicate to me that the main story had any potential.
I'm guessing the focus is going to be the antagonistic relationship between the coil hating Kyouma and robot Mira, and where I do love character driven stories, past experience with characters like Mira have taught me that their eventual partnership/friendship isn't going to be nearly profound as I'm going to want it to be. I was drawn in by the other-dimensional energy, but after the first volume I don't think this one is going to be for me.
May 12, 2020
Auspicious start to a series - I think Mabuchi is a little too mean to Mira, but he’s clearly got mysterious traumatic backstory that makes him like that. They should have revealed it sooner, however, because he just comes off like a gruff jerk for most of this volume.
Otherwise you have the piles of mysteries and half-truths and overpowered girl robots that are part and parcel of this style of story. Mira’s a pretty great character and she’s got far more drive and independence than I was expecting.
The story picks up as it goes too; I love the concept of Loser- he’s an art thief who announces his targets and then gets foiled by the police every time yet manages to escape. When he shows up in the last section of the manga it bodes well for the future, as this is the point where the story really starts to coalesce for me.
I like the sci-fi setting and the art is dynamite. I really enjoyed this author’s style on King of Thorn, so I’ll put this on the list for future volumes. As a bonus, this might be one of my favourite manga covers ever. The colours are simply gorgeous and quite unusual for a manga.
Otherwise you have the piles of mysteries and half-truths and overpowered girl robots that are part and parcel of this style of story. Mira’s a pretty great character and she’s got far more drive and independence than I was expecting.
The story picks up as it goes too; I love the concept of Loser- he’s an art thief who announces his targets and then gets foiled by the police every time yet manages to escape. When he shows up in the last section of the manga it bodes well for the future, as this is the point where the story really starts to coalesce for me.
I like the sci-fi setting and the art is dynamite. I really enjoyed this author’s style on King of Thorn, so I’ll put this on the list for future volumes. As a bonus, this might be one of my favourite manga covers ever. The colours are simply gorgeous and quite unusual for a manga.
March 23, 2018
It's a fun sci-fi read, where a new type of energy source takes over the world, granting the company behind it Orwellian control of every aspect of people's lives. Anyone who hacks the the power devices, or coils, as they are known, has them retrieved by the Company's private army or by bounty hunters who seek to cash in on any potential rewards.
The hero is one of those bounty hunters, apparently The Best at What He Does (he even wields his throwing skewers like Wolverine's claws), and although he's strictly anti-tech, ends up in the middle of an enormous conspiracy that escapes his understanding. Add a sentient robo-girl built of impossible tech, and hijinks ensue.
I'll probably read a few more, as I liked the art.
The hero is one of those bounty hunters, apparently The Best at What He Does (he even wields his throwing skewers like Wolverine's claws), and although he's strictly anti-tech, ends up in the middle of an enormous conspiracy that escapes his understanding. Add a sentient robo-girl built of impossible tech, and hijinks ensue.
I'll probably read a few more, as I liked the art.
January 8, 2018
This has my curiosity thus far. A guy who refuses to embrace the future for unknown reasons. A girl who is pretty much, the next step in human evolution are forced to work together to uncover a scandal that will quite literally rock the world. What I like is that the MC isn't stupid. He's one of those types that think on his feet. The girl while young and innocent is a far cry from the damsel in distress and can hold her own. While the plot of this story is nothing new, the characters themselves bring something together that I haven't seen since Cowboy Bebop. Seriously. If you like futuristic type Manga, this isn't a bad read.
September 22, 2025
I watched the anime many years ago and approached the manga on a positive note. Have to say that despite the nostalgic feelings, the manga felt overly simplified in many key moments. the first saga is intriguing, and the whole dimension W was very well built. As manga readers, too often, experience the ending, it was abrupt here as well. On a positive note, I think the author managed to bring to a decent end most of the threads he had started. Too bad for the main villain going down in few pages, I kinda liked him.
Recommended to readers that look for innovative ideas in their manga rather than complex and well developed plots.
Recommended to readers that look for innovative ideas in their manga rather than complex and well developed plots.
October 12, 2023
Decent, my first foray into manga, so we'll see how it goes. I don't like the cliffhanger it left off on, I would prefer it closes what feels like a scene, but maybe that's a norm in this field.
The art was decent, lots of movement shown and sound descriptions. The start of some background story. Interested enough I am reading #2. The world building is a little black and white (no pun intended) so far but we are starting to see some of it.
Definitely focuses on androids and power sources and not so much any other sci-fiction element so far.
The art was decent, lots of movement shown and sound descriptions. The start of some background story. Interested enough I am reading #2. The world building is a little black and white (no pun intended) so far but we are starting to see some of it.
Definitely focuses on androids and power sources and not so much any other sci-fiction element so far.
July 6, 2021
Quelle belle découverte que ce manga. Une histoire intéressante, de la science fiction juste sur le bord de l'absurde et des personnages ultra intéressants. Le dessin est vraiment beau, la production est top notch et c'est un manga que j'aurai pas le choix de relire, car je suis pas certain d'avoir tout compris.
Vraiment une perle dans le domaine, un excellent seinen
Chaudement recommandé.
Vraiment une perle dans le domaine, un excellent seinen
Chaudement recommandé.
August 28, 2017
Une très bonne découverte ! L'univers qui se dévoile un peu me semble riche à souhait, les personnages sont intéressants et l'intrigue carrément prometteuse, bref un très bon premier tome, je suis bien contente d'avoir eu la curiosité de tenter de manga après le bien que j'avais entendu dessus !
February 28, 2019
All I could think about while reading Dimension W was Cowboy Bebop. In Cowboy Bebop, the characters are more people bounty hunters, but in Dimension W the characters are bounty hunters for illegal tech. For someone who grew up with and still loves Cowboy Bebop, I am all over this!
September 25, 2022
The first volume does a good job of setting up the world and explaining the coil energy. There’s also unanswered questions about the two main characters past lives to look forward to. Just enough action and humor. I’m gonna continue it since I never finished the anime.
May 14, 2017
I really enjoy the premise of this series! I can't wait to read the next one. :)
June 21, 2017
Onay started reading the series after watching the anime. Just found this series too.
Very enjoyable.
Very enjoyable.
April 4, 2018
Maybe it will get there...
July 6, 2018
Me llevé una grata sorpresa.
July 21, 2018
A neat concept on the future and worth checking out.
June 26, 2019
I liked this enough to order the next 4 volumes. Good interaction between the two principal characters.
August 25, 2019
Carino ma niente di che😅 Speriamo migliori andando avanti🤞
March 9, 2020
This manga took a minute to really get me interested, but I found myself thinking about picking up the second volume after finishing it, so I guess I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews