Rai, Volume 1: Welcome to New Japan

Rai by Matt Kindt

by Matt Kindt, Clayton Crain (Artist)

Japan in the 41st Century!
The year is 4001 A.D. - led by the artificial intelligence called "Father," the island nation of Japan has expanded out of the Pacific and into geosynchronous orbit with the ravaged Earth below. With billions to feed and protect, it has fallen to one solitary guardian to enforce the law of Father's empire - the mysterious folk hero known as Rai. They say he can appear out of nowhere. They say he is a spirit...the ghost of Japan. But when the first murder in a thousand years threatens to topple Father's benevolent reign, Rai will be forced to confront the true face of a nation transformed...and his own long-lost humanity...
From New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (Unity, MIND MGMT) and superstar artist Clayton Crain (X-Force, Carnage), start reading to discover an astonishing new vision of the future that Comic Book Resources calls "an immersive experience...unlike anything else in comics."

Collecting: Rai 1-4

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Superheroes, Comic Book

122 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 28, 2014

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally Rai is back. Rai was always my favorite comic from the original Valiant Universe. It's 4001 and Japan is now a satellite circling the Earth. Rai is Japan's superhero and investigating the first murder there in 1,000 years. How will Rai react when he discovers the truth about himself? Clayton Crain's art looks like it was made for future Japan.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the year 4001 Japan has moved into earth orbit and is lead by an unseen authority called Father. To regulate the growth of the population, people are living with A.I. companions that cater to their everyday needs. War is a thing of the past, and there hasn’t been a murder in a thousand years. Until now.

There’s a group of revolutionaries that are opposed to Father and every form of technology. And when two of the Raddies dispose of a female body Father sends the protector of Japan, Rai, to investigate. Things turn out to be much different than they seem, and Rai has to make a difficult choice.

To be honest, I’ve not been the biggest fan of the main character, as for someone so legendary among the populace he seemed to be rather weak. But since he has to develop a sense of independence first, it might get better in future volumes. We’ll see. The story holds some intrigue, but was a bit messy in this first volume. Sometimes I just couldn’t understand how we got from one point to another, as quite a bit seems to happen in between panels.



The artwork is fantastic, though. I like the look of this far future Japan a lot, and the characters look pretty cool as well. Even though, once again, the main character did strike me as a little bland. It’s a shame. Because the rest of this comic has style in abundance. And the coloring is great too. I also like that the characters can visit recreations of different eras, if they go to certain levels in the vertically grown world.



Will continue with this one mainly for the artwork at this point.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed it for the art and wild world-building, less so for the transhumanist plot and multiple entities shouting at poor old Rai "You deserve to know the truth!" and the like.

Welcome to Japan

[Oscar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story outstanding artwork

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different, yet kind of cool, look into the future of Japan.

So it's the year 4001. Everything is obviously super advance, looks slick, and Japan of all places looks stunning. Now there'a crime committed and it's the first one in a very long time. Rai, the protector of Japan, decides it's time to hunt down the person(s) behind the act and bring them to justice. However the deeper Rai gets into it the darker the future is for the robotichumaniod thingy (sorry I'm still not clear what he is). Will this turn out good in the end for our protector? Obviously fucking not but is it fun to read?

Good: I enjoy the atmosphere of the future of Japan. Super futuristic with lots of colorful shots that make this Japan something very different. Rai's fighting style is a Samurai on crack and he's just slicing and dicing and it looks badass. I also thought the ending dropped a nice "oh shit" moment that makes you want to read more.

Bad: The heavy exposition in issues can get annoying. It's the classic "don't tell just show" that was obvious here. Just a heavy dump of explaining instead of showing. I get they need to be somewhat limited due to the artist here usually being slow but still. Also, talking about art, this isn't my favorite style. Hyper realistic just isn't my thing and with this style it fits at times (some of the action is nuts) other-times characters look like toys in a painted background.

Overall this was solid and fun. Sure, some of the dialog could have been cut, and I'm not in love with the art, but I do enjoy it's atmosphere and interesting story progression with some good side characters. I'll be checking out volume 2 for sure! A 3 out of 5.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the year 4001AD, the country of Japan has taken off, and now floats in space above the Earth. Run by the enigmatic Father, and protected by Rai, a cybernetic samurai dude, all is perfect...until the first murder in 1000 years brings everything Rai believes about Father and his existence into question.

To set up an entire world as well as tell a compelling story in just 4 issues is a tall order, and I've never been Matt Kindt's biggest fan, but he does a pretty good job in this volume. There are lots of dangling threads, and we don't get an exact explanation of the nature of Father and his relationship with Rai, but it's definitely laid the groundwork for a character I like the look of, and I'm definitely curious to see where we're going next. The story is mostly told from other people's perspective, which makes Rai even more enigmatic.

The real selling point though is Clayton Crain's artwork; the guy knows how to draw pretty stuff. He's also reined in his knack of making everything so dark you can't see what's going on, instead rendering New Japan as a neon-infused metropolis full of bright lights and brighter characters, and his action scenes are full of high energy.

I'm not sure yet how/if Rai connects to the great Valiant Universe, but I'm definitely in for the long haul with this one.

[Blindzider · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe 2.5 starts because I like Crain's artwork.

[Fahim Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me just get this out the of the way first. Clayton Crain's art is freaking brilliant! As soon as I read the first few pages I realized that his watercolor style is perfect fit for a story with such a heavy sci-fi bend. After all, 'Rai' is set in 'New Japan', an island in geosynchronous orbit floating over the Pacific in the year 4001 AD. What immediately hit me were the terminologies used as well as the different 'sectors' that exist in this far future version of Japan. You'll immediately realize that the creators have attempted to create a world that's not just 200 years in the future, but rather 2000 years in the future. On that I'd say they've done a great job with world-building. Crain's fantastic artwork helps sell this even further.



Despite all the sci-fi elements 'Rai' at it's heart is a murder mystery surrounded by a larger conspiracy. Matt Kindt's story has a lot more going on beneath the surface than the story lets on. However, as much as I appreciated the build up to the mystery I really do wish the content was a bit more 'meaty' and therein lies my problem with this comic. It's too short and I wish it was longer. Valiant continue to stick to their policy of four issues a trade and although I'm perfectly happy with the story that I got, I'm sure that I'd have preferred if I got a bit more exposition and character development. This was especially compounded in the final scene when Rai suddenly makes big decision without much self-reflection. Having said those things, I was thoroughly entertained by the story and its direction. The final twist was rather stunning and I definitely want to see what will happen in future volumes.



In conclusion, Rai is a multi-layered and multi-faceted story that's a treat to read especially with the genre-defining art of Clayton Crain. It's also that unique kind of comic where you don't know where the story ends and art starts, so I might have enjoyed the story than I normally would have if the artist had been different. Heck the guy nominated for Best Artist at the 2015 Harvey Award and it was crying shame that he wasn't nominated for the Eisner Awards, basically the Golden Globes and Oscars respectively for comics. I'll stop gushing about him now. So, if you enjoy a good story with awesome art then try out 'Rai'.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork is as otherworldly as the setting for the story. The high level of detail can be confusing, but it just means you get to admire it more to figure out what's going on. The story is a solid scifi 1000 years in the future when Japan is a utopian man-made satellite in Earth orbit. Still, it has its terrorist groups, so a strong individual is sometimes needed to handle them. He is Rai and he has been living a lie his whole existence. This lie can destroy him or Japan.

The story starts with a murder of a woman who isn't in the digital archives. There hasn't been a murder in Japan for the last 1000 years, so Father (spiritual ruler and builder of Japan) sends the highly skilled Rai to investigate. He meets Lula Lee who shows him where he can find information on the dead woman, which leads him to Silk. Silk reveals that the dead woman was Rai's mother and that he isn't the only Rai. This has been a risky revelation for all previous Rai's as they lost their minds and started destroying Japan. They were all executed by Spylocke. This one is different, it is assumed because of his contact with Lula, and gets away, asking questions about his existence. His meeting with Father goes well, but Rai decides to kill him and free Japan

[C. Varn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4001 AD done right

While the attempt to launch the Eternal Warrior into the role of Magnus Robot Hunter fell flat, this relaunch of Rai in 4001 AD is quite good. Recapturing a cyberpunk, Neo-Tokyo aesthetic in the age of Apple is hard to do and Mindy does it. Paranoia mixes with slick production value really well here. A very promising title.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

The font was slightly too big. I thought everyone was shouting until I realised all the pages had the same size font.

The art is interesting and nothing I had really seen before. It's clearly computer generated, but it has a depth that sometimes digital drawings lack (they look very cold and unfinished, in my opinion). Here it's really interesting. But I would guess either you love it, or hate it.

The story is definitely compelling. I'm really curious to read the next volumes to see where everything goes. For a rather short first volume, I think we get quite a lot of elements that allow us to understand the world just enough.

[Luke Kondor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you don't expect to love a futuristic samurai cop uncovering mysteries in a floating city called New Japan in the year 4001.

But dammit ... by the end of the arc I was really digging it. I love how it ties into the whole Valiant universe whilst being so far off to the horizon.

And Silk??? Guy's got game.

[Devero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il primo Rai della vecchia Valiant, quella di Shooter, era qualcosa di estremamente interessante ma legato a Magnus Robot Fighter, personaggio che non è parte del nuovo universo Valiant. Questa versione ha diversi spunti interessanti e idee intriganti, lo stile grafico è decisamente azzeccato per quanto non sempre di facile lettura; la storia è un poco telefonata ma promette ottimi sviluppi.

[Tomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of this book is not something that will blow your mind but it is worth reading it. What really sets this book apart is well thought future world and the art. Every page is just awesome. I picked this book up because of futurism and art. And both of those can be found in here in abundance

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as part of the Rai Deluxe Edition, reviewed in full here on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Wing Kee · Rating 1 out of 5]

A mess of a book.

World: The art and colors are interesting but at the same time frustrating. The sense of motion is good but the art is a bit too messy making for a confusing read when readers don't really see what's happening. Panel to panel sometimes disconnects making for a choppy visual read. The world building here is creative and very Cyberpunk but it's told in such a nonchalant way that it leaves readers scratching their heads (this is also the case with the story and characters). Choppy.

Story: The story is choppy and janky. Scenes are missing, dialog is missing and motivation is missing. It's patchwork and a lot of the time the readers needs to think about what's happening. I don't like info dumps and I don't like excessive hand holding for new books, but at the same time I don't like lazy writing where the writer does not put effort in immersing and guiding readers, especially for an origin arc. The broad strokes of what happens is clear after the read, but there are a lot of blanks, not because these questions will be revealed in the future, but blanks due to I don't know if it's lazy writing or just a stylistic choice that does not really work. I like Bladerunner but even that film had that issue and it's the same here. The first arc ends with mysteries and a paper thin plot that leave me not really wanting to read anymore.

Characters: Rai is interesting as is the world but we don't get anything of depth from Kindt. We are suppose to care about his origin but we get a couple of panels and a few lines of dialog, that does not lend readers to relate and connect with the main character, which is a bad bad thing. Lula is not developed, Silk and whateverLocke...you see where I'm going with this. None of the characters get any real development and what we do get is all choppy and janky. It's a mess.

This book is a fractured choppy mess that for a first arc does nothing to hook readers.

Onward to the next book!

[Anchorpete · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has interesting concepts, but its execution left me wanting.

One of the comic book writer Pet Peeves is to limit the amount of dialogue within a single word bubble. also, you should limit the amount of word bubbles per panel. This book is filled with a ton of exposition dialogue, and then when the action scenes occur, you are extremely confused about what is actually going on. A good comic should be the inverse of this.

What I did enjoy about this book was seeing what the modern day Valiant Universe might one day become. I am hoping by the next trade, we see more development of Rai's character.

[Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rai, Welcome to New Japan by Matt Kindt and Illustrator Clayton Crain is a 2014 Graphic Novel that collects issues one through four in Valiant Entertainment’s reboot of the older Rai comic books from the 90s.

I enjoyed the older books but must admit that I never truly understood Rai. There was lots of action, martial arts kicking, punching, slashing and stabbing with swords in a far future setting, but I just never connected with it.

Fast forward thirty years to today and I did very much enjoy Kindt’s retelling of Rai. This one is more accessible and the artwork by Crain was really good.

Set in 4001, we find our protagonist in a William Gibsonesque far future as a mysterious entity entrusted to protect Japan. There is an even more mysterious “Father” who guides Rai. There are also cyberpunk “Raddies” who serve as antagonists but who have secrets that may change Rai’s perspective.

And all this rolled up in a smooth SF/fantasy storytelling.

Kindt’s world building is amazing and Crain’s art is beautifully done. I’ll read more of this series.

[Judah Radd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn’t an easy read for me, but nevertheless, I enjoyed it.

While it struggles to find it’s footing, it still manages to deliver a unique and compelling story. Tonally, I’m reminded of grounded future films like Equilibrium and Blade Runner.

This is the best art I’ve seen in a Valiant book. Clayton Crain (who you may remember from Carnage and X-Force) is simply unmatched.

All in all, despite the slow start, I really liked this. I look forward to uncovering more mysteries about Rai.

[Dávid Novotný · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, kind of detective story set in cyberpunk future. Twist is not very original, and first volume serves more like setting and character introduction, but art is great and pace ia good, not boring and not hasty either.

[Michael J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer Matt Kindt has done an amazing job building on the foundation of Rai and New Japan in the year 4001, adding complexity and depth to the original stories. Clayton Crain’s art is perfectly suited to enhance the storytelling with its sometimes fluid, sometimes erratic art and futuristic images.

New Japan is divided into different creative sectors, usually with names derived from history and separated by economic status and social class.
Sophisticated humanoid robots (Positronic Minds, or PTs) cater to the needs of the wealthy while middle and lower income residents live in discontent. Evidence at the scene of the first murder on New Japan in current history leads to an anti-technology sect called the Raddies.

Father’s artificial humanoid construct and “spirit guardian” is called on to investigate. During his investigation Rai meets rebel agents and forms alliances with several of them, as he begins to experience love for the first time and begins to question authority, developing a moral sense for what is unjust and what should be correct.

Rai’s new conscience is discovered by Father, who takes steps to dispose of and replace him with a new Rai XI. Meanwhile Rai learns that he was not the first Rai, and not merely a construct built by Father, but born to a human mother. It’s this realization of his true origins and his changing beliefs that Rai makes the decision to band together with his newfound allies to kill Father and free New Japan as the first story arc ends.

There is a lot to like here: an interesting cast of characters, conflicts, mystery and incredible futuristic world-building. Bring on more, please.

[Des Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rai is great stuff. A 90s style cyberpunk Japan hovers over a scorched Earth, living blissfully under the watchful eye of emperor/deity Father. Rai is Father's law keeper, the most recent in a line of livewire-construct-humans, born to uphold Japan's law, and punish the three unforgivable crimes. Each human is given a 'positron companion' in order to curb the urge to procreate, nobody dies until they are ready, and the written word of ink on wood pulp is a legend and holy experience in its rarity. All of these great concepts, both new and mined from Rai's 90s long boxes come together under Clayton Crain's gorgeous art. Rai is by far one of the highest quality books on the market, and easily one of Valiant's best efforts yet. If that sort of high-sci-fi appeals to you, read it immediately.

[Britt Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

this feels like a much matured version of Rai over the valiant hero from the 90's. the book maintains the hidden turmoil of the character with the same name, while updating it for a world full of post social media paranoia. the digital artwork, while off-putting at first, grew on me and feels appropriate for the setting, which is 100% what i'd expect a floating in low earth orbit in the year 4001 Japan would look like. one thing i did love about the valiant of the 90's was how each book felt connected, plot wise, to other books in the universe, and that feels absent here. Maybe that would be fixed in later stories(though Valiant no longer has the license for Magnus robot fighter :( )

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad start for the new Rai. Japan is a hovering "space station" above the Earth, totally automated and basically a utopia. Rai is its robotic protector. Or that's the story that's been told. The truth is much more complicated. And then there's Dr. Silk hanging around.

This series has a Blade Runner feel to it. The art by Clayton Crain can get confusing at times but for the most part is great.

Overall this is good but really we still have a long way to go with story development so I'm curious to see how things proceed.

[Tar Buendía · Rating 3 out of 5]

¡Mi primer cómic de Valiant!

No esperaba para nada empezar con Rai, pero las circunstancias me lo plantaron en bandeja y no le iba a decir que no.

Lo he disfrutado mucho, ha despertado mi curiosidad. Tanto el concepto como el arte son buenos. Tiene algunos altibajos, el principio es demasiado "voy a explicarte todo esto", pero a medida que se va asentando me ha ganado.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it's got kind of a Blade Runner feel. Everything is sleek and artificial lights glare but it's still dark. Even the lettering fits in. All of the order and technology hides ugly things and takes away humanity, though the people fighting it are killers. The art may be better than most, though I am not sure that the story is compelling enough to follow.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty enjoyable. The story set out to accomplish something I haven't seen done elsewhere. It has a Blade Runner vibe to it. I really enjoyed the characters and the artwork was gorgeous. It was always easy to tell what was happening in the panels. The story ended on a twist that left me wanting more!

[Arlomisty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say this was pretty entertaining and I will probably get the second volume in the series!

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent artwork and an innovative view of the future.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great mystery that hooks its reader from the beginning. I was fully immersed in this new world.