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Icare / イカル [Ikaru] #2
Icaro: 2
Icaro, a young man blessed at birth with the fantastic ability of flight, has had his first taste of freedom - and is paying the price for it! Now imprisoned, soon Icaro will undergo a lobotomy that will turn him into a pliant slave to the scientists who control his life. Together with Yukiko, the woman he loves, they must somehow escape the vast complex that is Icaro's prison before it's too late. Their sage is an incredible story, one of the first significant original manga collaborations between East and West.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
1 person is currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Mœbius
575 books945 followersJean Henri Gaston Giraud (pen-name: Mœbius) was a French artist, cartoonist, and writer, who worked in the Franco-Belgian bandes dessinées tradition.
Also published as Jean Giraud.
Also published as Jean Giraud.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 7, 2018
I have read the two volumes of Icaro review both of them both here. I see there is an actual one-volume version, which would have been convenient, but this two-volume version was the only one available to me. This is the East-West comics/manga collaboration between two comics icons, Moebius (France) and Jirō Taniguchi (Japan). A sci-fi allegory of freedom.
The story is elaborately, even breath-takingly drawn, and so simple a story to only be described as an allegory. A boy, Icaro, is telekinetic and can fly; he is raised by evil government scientists and enslaved. He needs to be free.
A young woman, Yukiko, helps Icaro get free from the prison he is in. Love! The evil scientists want to give him a lobotomy so they can permanently enslave him for their scientific studies (well, they really want to use him as a weapon).
Some people see this is highly influenced by the complex Akira, as if it were a stripped-down version of Akira, and this could be true. It’s my understanding Moebius had the idea and some early drafts, and Taniguchi was enlisted to collaborate with and help complete the project.
The main reason to look at this is the artwork. Second, you might read this because these are two comics greats, and this is a rare East-West comics collaboration. The story is simple, but has some basic sweetness about it in the way of The Little Prince and things such as that.
The story is elaborately, even breath-takingly drawn, and so simple a story to only be described as an allegory. A boy, Icaro, is telekinetic and can fly; he is raised by evil government scientists and enslaved. He needs to be free.
A young woman, Yukiko, helps Icaro get free from the prison he is in. Love! The evil scientists want to give him a lobotomy so they can permanently enslave him for their scientific studies (well, they really want to use him as a weapon).
Some people see this is highly influenced by the complex Akira, as if it were a stripped-down version of Akira, and this could be true. It’s my understanding Moebius had the idea and some early drafts, and Taniguchi was enlisted to collaborate with and help complete the project.
The main reason to look at this is the artwork. Second, you might read this because these are two comics greats, and this is a rare East-West comics collaboration. The story is simple, but has some basic sweetness about it in the way of The Little Prince and things such as that.
August 14, 2018
Moebius e Taniguchi se unem pra fazer uma homenagem a uma influência que têm em comum: katsuhiro otomo. Era pra ter 15 volumes, mas foram publicados apenas dois, uma pena pois acredito que eles estavam no caminho... Só que vamos combinar, moebius é um dos maiores artistas gráficos da história, já taniguchi um artista super equilibrado que tem como um diferencial sua forma própria de levar as narrativas, eu jamais imaginaria que eles fossem inverter os papeis aqui, tá.. A arte do taniguchi nos faz lembrar mais do otomo e tal, mas porra deixar um jogador caro que nem o moebius no banco? É que nem por o messi pra jogar de goleiro.
April 26, 2016
Icaro is a retarded version of Akira with boobies and some hentai poses. The art is quality but the story is stupid, which is a shame. The set up is intriguing, though nearly all the dialogue is on the nose: (paraphrasing) "I don't want to be in a cage. I want to be free. I want to fly like a bird in the sky...Look I am flying! I am so happy!" Unfortunately, the art is too good to be in service of next to nothing. Moebius wrote this dreck and Jirō Taniguchi did all the art.
Moebius claimed that his version of Icarus had been in development for a long time; it stalled and then was eventually completed with the help of Taniguchi. This is Moebius' later work from 2000. It seems that his considerable drafting and storytelling powers were unfortunately failing him. While I did see Icarus sketches in Moebius' coffee table books from the 80s, I cynically believe this was a lame attempt to capitalize on the late 80s success of Akira. Both books share detailed cityscapes populated with numerous skyscrapers in obsessive regularity, a telekinetic lead boy and older telekinetic people who are the subject of government experimentation and secrecy, and failed attempts to contain the boy's burgeoning powers.
Akira had several storylines and came at its telekinetic protagonists from multiple angles. The government tries to weaponize telekinetic children and this goes horribly awry. The multifaceted events involve and affect bozozoku motorcycle gangs, the government bureaucracy, research scientists, the self defence force, fringe religious groups, domestic state failure, and autocratic microstates. There is almost too much content in Akira.
By contrast, Icaro is a telekinetic boy who can fly. He is experimented on by the government in order to weaponize him, because they are evil. Icaro is like "nah" and flies away with a hot lady scientist. Also, soft porn shots to pad things out a bit. In short, Icaro is not worth digging up.
Moebius claimed that his version of Icarus had been in development for a long time; it stalled and then was eventually completed with the help of Taniguchi. This is Moebius' later work from 2000. It seems that his considerable drafting and storytelling powers were unfortunately failing him. While I did see Icarus sketches in Moebius' coffee table books from the 80s, I cynically believe this was a lame attempt to capitalize on the late 80s success of Akira. Both books share detailed cityscapes populated with numerous skyscrapers in obsessive regularity, a telekinetic lead boy and older telekinetic people who are the subject of government experimentation and secrecy, and failed attempts to contain the boy's burgeoning powers.
Akira had several storylines and came at its telekinetic protagonists from multiple angles. The government tries to weaponize telekinetic children and this goes horribly awry. The multifaceted events involve and affect bozozoku motorcycle gangs, the government bureaucracy, research scientists, the self defence force, fringe religious groups, domestic state failure, and autocratic microstates. There is almost too much content in Akira.
By contrast, Icaro is a telekinetic boy who can fly. He is experimented on by the government in order to weaponize him, because they are evil. Icaro is like "nah" and flies away with a hot lady scientist. Also, soft porn shots to pad things out a bit. In short, Icaro is not worth digging up.
October 21, 2010
Pfff... what is this?! Why would you persist in ...this?! If you draw amazing things like Arzach and design the worlds of Alien, Tron and The Fifth Element ... it's ... Maybe it's a joke.
June 4, 2024
Not that the first volume was the definition of quality by any means, but this is somehow even worse. The story is frustratingly straightforward with next to no subversion at all - surprising given the nature of more of Mœbius' and Taniguchi's works. Icaro is trapped upon his attempt to escape in the previous volume and the entirety of this volume is his effort to escape with his crush Yukiko. There's nothing else to the story.
Jiro Taniguchi's art is perhaps sufficient to derive some enjoyment here, but given the rather dull nature of the narrative I couldn't connect with his artwork here at all. Like I said in my review for the previous volume - this is less than the sum of its parts.
Jiro Taniguchi's art is perhaps sufficient to derive some enjoyment here, but given the rather dull nature of the narrative I couldn't connect with his artwork here at all. Like I said in my review for the previous volume - this is less than the sum of its parts.
July 12, 2021
Icaro is a thrilling manga science fiction adventure in the tradition of Akira, Ghost in the Shell and Clamp's sf sagas.
Should read
Icaro is a well drawn half-baked idea aping several of its contemporaries most notably Akira.
The art is spectacular and it's always incredible to witness two masters collaborating but this felt really underdone.
Should read
Icaro is a well drawn half-baked idea aping several of its contemporaries most notably Akira.
The art is spectacular and it's always incredible to witness two masters collaborating but this felt really underdone.
September 20, 2021
I went ahead and read this without book one knowing that I'll never be able to attain the first book at a moderate price without drastic luck. I would not recommend doing so because you dive in knowing nothing about any of the characters and the next thing that you know you're at the end because it reads extremely quickly.
The art is detailed so wonderfully and appears ideally crisp.
The art is detailed so wonderfully and appears ideally crisp.
February 12, 2024
Une collaboration inattendue entre Mœbius et Taniguchi (France/Japon). Deux volumes qui marquent surtout par leur graphisme. L'histoire est celle d'Icaro, né avec l'aptitude de graviter, il vivra jusqu'à ses 20 ans dans un centre de test jusqu'à ce qu'il se rende pleinement compte de sa captivité. Tombé amoureux de Yukiko, il parviendra à s'échapper avec elle du centre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2017
Downhill to a ridiculous ending.
October 30, 2018
Idiotic Ending. big names coming together to make something retarded. what a waste of time.
December 26, 2019
Beautiful but I expected more at the ending
February 27, 2023
Dado os autores eu esperava bem mais..
February 1, 2025
Unsatisfying conclusion. Feels like there should have been more to come. Again, artwork is beautiful.
February 1, 2026
The artwork is stunning (except for the eyes sometimes) and while the story ended on an up note, it felt a little too shallow and expected. Needed a bit more depth and nuance.
May 8, 2016
I love Moebius's work, but Icaro really disappointed me. There was so little story, and the artwork was not particularly interesting or beautiful. We're supposed to be invested in Icaro's relationship with one of the scientists studying him, but I don't think it comes across at all. And when that relationship becomes the focus of the story I lose all investment in the story, as well. The translation into English is also absolutely awful. Overall, some pretty frames, but generally uninteresting artwork and story.
February 29, 2016
Second volume of Icaro leaves many storytelling threads unresolved. I can see that this should be the great saga in the making, but I can't see what it was supposed to be. For that, three stars. Idea and the art were great, but I was left unfulfilled in the end.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews