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I am a Hero Omnibus #11
I Am a Hero Omnibus, Volume 11
It's the end of humanity as we know it--but are you a part of the zombie-human hive mind or about to die outside of it?
With Hiromi absorbed into a huge, mobile ZQN nest, will Hideo be able to extract her or will he seal his death warrant with his ignorance and hasty choices? Humanity has a very slim chance for survival. See how several groups of survivors get it all wrong and possibly end the human race! Go further and get much stranger than the I Am a Hero film adaptation in creator Kengo Hanazawa's zombie catastrophe masterpiece!
Collects I Am a Hero original Japanese volumes 21 and 22.
With Hiromi absorbed into a huge, mobile ZQN nest, will Hideo be able to extract her or will he seal his death warrant with his ignorance and hasty choices? Humanity has a very slim chance for survival. See how several groups of survivors get it all wrong and possibly end the human race! Go further and get much stranger than the I Am a Hero film adaptation in creator Kengo Hanazawa's zombie catastrophe masterpiece!
Collects I Am a Hero original Japanese volumes 21 and 22.
440 pages, Paperback
Published November 5, 2019
3 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
Kengo Hanazawa
112 books136 followersKengo Hanazawa (花沢健吾 Hanazawa Kengo, born January 5, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist known for his seinen works. He won the Topic Award of the 2005 Sense of Gender Awards for Ressentiment and was nominated for the 3rd, 4th and 5th Manga Taisho for I Am a Hero.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 29, 2019
I shouldn't be surprised that an uneven, frustrating series like this has an anticlimactic ending. Sure, there is much violence and death, but it mostly focuses on the side characters and nothing much is done to resolve the big mythology or the arcs of the characters I really cared about. Left wide open for a sequel I guess?
September 3, 2019
I was so excited to finally reach the conclusion to a manga that had recently engulfed me in all it's glory - only to be deeply disappointed with the ending it ended up producing. So many unanswered questions (what happened to the zombies? what happened to the 'being' Hiromi was consumed by?) The pacing on the last few chapters was just all over the place and felt rushed. The ending has left me the same way the final season of Game Of Thrones left me. Meh.
December 14, 2019
Great ending. So many unanswered questions. Other than, we will prevail. Yay.
We're not spoonfed all of the answers to life's questions. That's my grand takeaway to this series.
We're not spoonfed all of the answers to life's questions. That's my grand takeaway to this series.
January 3, 2020
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ALIENS!?
January 10, 2021
Kengo Hanazawa's I Am a Hero series has been a bumpy ride for sure. And I mean that in regards to both the story itself as well as my experience reading it.
Overall, I Am a Hero is a fairly standard zombie apocalypse story that's elevated to slightly above average status by the wonderfully atypical protagonist and some brilliant moments of both heart and comedy.
But honestly, this series kind of put me through the wringer as far as character consistency, plot follow-through, unanswered questions, abandoned themes, artistry, pacing, and my levels of enjoyment were concerned.
I picked up the first book in this series back in April of 2019 and it took me about a year to make my way through the first 10 omnibus volumes. Honestly, this is pretty quick for me. I don't do well with long series and actively avoid them at this stage in my life. That being said, I actually would have finished this entire series much sooner, but I had to wait SIX DAMN MONTHS before this, the 11th and final volume, became available to me through my library system.
And now, finally, here we are, at the end of it all.
This was the last one, right???
I mean, I know this is the final volume of the manga, but to call it an end seems odd. There is a painfully inconclusive feel to this story that is such a damn shame it's almost tragic.
And it actually is kind of tragic.
From what little I was able to find on the subject, it seems that Hanazawa's father died around the time this final volume was being written and you can definitely feel the impact on the story. It feels like someone very sad and very distracted wrote this book and I can't help but think what the end would have been if things were different.
I'm not going to pick this book apart, kind of out of respect for the author who wrote it in a time of tragedy, but mostly out of disappointment and a deep desire to just be done with this series.
It was a long, bumpy ride and I've run out of gas.
But I'll say this: I actually really liked the very end of Hideo's story. We often forget that heroes are also human beings, and his tale reminds us of that in a very humbling way.
What I did not like was all the unanswered questions we are left with. Hideo's story may have been wrapped up well, but nothing else did imho.
I rated this volume 3 out of 5 stars. I would give the series as a whole a 3.25, which means it is slightly above average. This makes me sad. If this final volume had tied up more of the loose ends, this could have been a solidly above average series.
But death waits for nothing, not even manga.
I know there are a couple I Am a Hero spin offs and I think a movie, but like I said, I'm out of gas and don't think I can make it through another bumpy ride. I just want to stay still for a moment.
You might like this if you like: zombies, reminders that we are all human, and subtle endings.
Overall, I Am a Hero is a fairly standard zombie apocalypse story that's elevated to slightly above average status by the wonderfully atypical protagonist and some brilliant moments of both heart and comedy.
But honestly, this series kind of put me through the wringer as far as character consistency, plot follow-through, unanswered questions, abandoned themes, artistry, pacing, and my levels of enjoyment were concerned.
I picked up the first book in this series back in April of 2019 and it took me about a year to make my way through the first 10 omnibus volumes. Honestly, this is pretty quick for me. I don't do well with long series and actively avoid them at this stage in my life. That being said, I actually would have finished this entire series much sooner, but I had to wait SIX DAMN MONTHS before this, the 11th and final volume, became available to me through my library system.
And now, finally, here we are, at the end of it all.
This was the last one, right???
I mean, I know this is the final volume of the manga, but to call it an end seems odd. There is a painfully inconclusive feel to this story that is such a damn shame it's almost tragic.
And it actually is kind of tragic.
From what little I was able to find on the subject, it seems that Hanazawa's father died around the time this final volume was being written and you can definitely feel the impact on the story. It feels like someone very sad and very distracted wrote this book and I can't help but think what the end would have been if things were different.
I'm not going to pick this book apart, kind of out of respect for the author who wrote it in a time of tragedy, but mostly out of disappointment and a deep desire to just be done with this series.
It was a long, bumpy ride and I've run out of gas.
But I'll say this: I actually really liked the very end of Hideo's story. We often forget that heroes are also human beings, and his tale reminds us of that in a very humbling way.
What I did not like was all the unanswered questions we are left with. Hideo's story may have been wrapped up well, but nothing else did imho.
I rated this volume 3 out of 5 stars. I would give the series as a whole a 3.25, which means it is slightly above average. This makes me sad. If this final volume had tied up more of the loose ends, this could have been a solidly above average series.
But death waits for nothing, not even manga.
I know there are a couple I Am a Hero spin offs and I think a movie, but like I said, I'm out of gas and don't think I can make it through another bumpy ride. I just want to stay still for a moment.
You might like this if you like: zombies, reminders that we are all human, and subtle endings.
December 14, 2019
Quite the non-ending for the last entry to the series. A handful of nice moments, but ultimately unsatisfying
June 11, 2020
No zombie series has a good ending
December 7, 2025
sometimes the ending can be more realistic...
November 24, 2021
***Update: I reread the series completely again last month. I remember being really disappointed in the ending with my first read. However, on reread, I actually really enjoyed it. It's weird, bizarre, and doesn't explain everything, but I think that works.
At it's core, this is a series about a few people surviving this massive event. They won't get to know everything happening, they are just trying to live. Hideo forms the core of the volume, and the majority of the end, just as he should, with it ending showing him in a post apocalyptic world.
We don't get answers as to what the ZQNs were, or exactly what they are trying to achieve, but we get some hints, just as we get hints for some of the weird mutations and variations.
I think rereading it, knowing the direction it was going, I spent more time piecing hints together, as I knew I wouldn't get complete answers at the end. And it worked.
I don't think this series is for everyone, but I found it incredibly enjoyable*****
Welp, this concludes this series, sort of... I mean it is the final volume, but we don't get much in the way of closure.
This story throughout was odd and convoluted, and that is one of the reasons I loved it. Its main character didn't fit the archetype, his actions often didn't make sense, and frequently his supporting cast was dragging him along. Combine that with the often odd actions of the "Zombies" the horror of the survivors, and the just bizarre online chat room interactions and this was a refreshingly new look at the genre.
It has had its ups and downs, but I liked volume 9 + 10 a lot. But this volume just sort of ends...
I like how some things are hinted at but not fully explained. ZQNs forming a Nest, Kurusu being connected to it in some way, and even where the ZQNs came from all remain hinted at but not explained. This works great as it gives a lot of re readability to the series.
However, that characters' arcs aren't fully finished. Some of this may be because of the gap in time from when I read segments of the series though.
****Spoilers*******
****Spoilers******
Well, thought a lot of stuff happens in 11, nothing really seems to get resolved. Our Hideo survives, but not because of his actions, and it is sort of as a punishment. His mental health seems to completely have deteriorated. But, all the zombies are inexplicably gone...
Also, Hiromi, arguably as much of a main character as Hideo, just sort of gets engulfed and disappears into the "nest."
A group of survivors well survived after a brutal confrontation between the different factions. One of the older characters was rejuvenated into young, and is now having babies with all the other survivors because she is the only woman (rolls eyes). Also their kids seem to be aging faster then normal?
Overall, I liked the series, but the ending was a let down. I want to reread it, now that it is done, and see if the pieces click together better (after all I read volume 1 like 3 years ago now!)
At it's core, this is a series about a few people surviving this massive event. They won't get to know everything happening, they are just trying to live. Hideo forms the core of the volume, and the majority of the end, just as he should, with it ending showing him in a post apocalyptic world.
We don't get answers as to what the ZQNs were, or exactly what they are trying to achieve, but we get some hints, just as we get hints for some of the weird mutations and variations.
I think rereading it, knowing the direction it was going, I spent more time piecing hints together, as I knew I wouldn't get complete answers at the end. And it worked.
I don't think this series is for everyone, but I found it incredibly enjoyable*****
Welp, this concludes this series, sort of... I mean it is the final volume, but we don't get much in the way of closure.
This story throughout was odd and convoluted, and that is one of the reasons I loved it. Its main character didn't fit the archetype, his actions often didn't make sense, and frequently his supporting cast was dragging him along. Combine that with the often odd actions of the "Zombies" the horror of the survivors, and the just bizarre online chat room interactions and this was a refreshingly new look at the genre.
It has had its ups and downs, but I liked volume 9 + 10 a lot. But this volume just sort of ends...
I like how some things are hinted at but not fully explained. ZQNs forming a Nest, Kurusu being connected to it in some way, and even where the ZQNs came from all remain hinted at but not explained. This works great as it gives a lot of re readability to the series.
However, that characters' arcs aren't fully finished. Some of this may be because of the gap in time from when I read segments of the series though.
****Spoilers*******
****Spoilers******
Well, thought a lot of stuff happens in 11, nothing really seems to get resolved. Our Hideo survives, but not because of his actions, and it is sort of as a punishment. His mental health seems to completely have deteriorated. But, all the zombies are inexplicably gone...
Also, Hiromi, arguably as much of a main character as Hideo, just sort of gets engulfed and disappears into the "nest."
A group of survivors well survived after a brutal confrontation between the different factions. One of the older characters was rejuvenated into young, and is now having babies with all the other survivors because she is the only woman (rolls eyes). Also their kids seem to be aging faster then normal?
Overall, I liked the series, but the ending was a let down. I want to reread it, now that it is done, and see if the pieces click together better (after all I read volume 1 like 3 years ago now!)
January 16, 2020
Kind of hated the ending of the series. It was valid but disappointing. I did enjoy the high paced, high tension, and somewhat bizarre series of events that culminated in the conclusion of the series. I'll miss looking forward to the next Omnibus release.
March 30, 2021
Hideo is on his own after Hiromi is taken into a zombie mass.
This last ominibus of the series was a hard read for me. On one hand, it continues to have great artwork and there's a sense of 'anything can happen'. On the other hand, it's been six months since I read the last volume and I don't really remember the side characters who play a big role in this one. When they start facing off against one another, I don't know who to root for. Hideo, though - I'll always root for him. And one of the painful parts of this volume is the very deep reminder that Hideo has (and had before the zombie outbreak) very real mental health issues. The wrap-up of everyone's stories except Hideo felt rushed. Hideo's last chapters I respect.
All in all, this has been an excellent series. I enjoyed it more when it was 'straight zombie' up until about volume nine. After the author started trying to explain the zombies, it went off the rails a bit. Definitely worth reading in whole.
This last ominibus of the series was a hard read for me. On one hand, it continues to have great artwork and there's a sense of 'anything can happen'. On the other hand, it's been six months since I read the last volume and I don't really remember the side characters who play a big role in this one. When they start facing off against one another, I don't know who to root for. Hideo, though - I'll always root for him. And one of the painful parts of this volume is the very deep reminder that Hideo has (and had before the zombie outbreak) very real mental health issues. The wrap-up of everyone's stories except Hideo felt rushed. Hideo's last chapters I respect.
All in all, this has been an excellent series. I enjoyed it more when it was 'straight zombie' up until about volume nine. After the author started trying to explain the zombies, it went off the rails a bit. Definitely worth reading in whole.
May 16, 2023
A remarkably auspicious culmination to an arduous voyage. Although the zombie genre does not typically captivate my interest, I found this particular work to be quite pleasurable and remarkably relatable. Often, zombie narratives are replete with an excess of firearms and ceaseless gunfire, as if every character is armed to the teeth. However, this story veered away from that trope and adopted a more restrained approach to the utilization of weaponry.
While it is true that the inclusion of zombie elements in the manga did introduce an element of peculiarity as the plot progressed, the incorporation of everyday, slice-of-life themes was executed with finesse. The protagonist remained an ordinary individual throughout the tale, which proved to be a superb choice.
In conclusion, the denouement evoked a sense of sheer loveliness. Not every zombie story ends with life.
7/10
I Am a Hero
While it is true that the inclusion of zombie elements in the manga did introduce an element of peculiarity as the plot progressed, the incorporation of everyday, slice-of-life themes was executed with finesse. The protagonist remained an ordinary individual throughout the tale, which proved to be a superb choice.
In conclusion, the denouement evoked a sense of sheer loveliness. Not every zombie story ends with life.
7/10
I Am a Hero
October 20, 2020
I absolutely loved this manga. This series is a one of a kind. I have seen many zombie movies and shows and this series has some of the most unique qualities I have ever seen. The ending left something to be desired but over all it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. After reading the second omnibus I frantically searched to see if there was an anime based on this. Sadly there isn't, but there is a movie I ended up purchasing and now that I've finished reading the series I can finally watch it. This series is so fantastic I am shocked there isn't an anime yet, someone make this happen! I see myself reading this again in the near future it was so enjoyable.
Kengo Hanazawa please write more!!!
Kengo Hanazawa please write more!!!
January 21, 2020
Completed the 11th and final omnibus of I Am a Hero, called the greatest zombie manga of all time with just cause. So much happens across these thousands of pages, and there is so much detail: in the world building, the characters, the conflicts and especially the artwork that it took a couple of days after I put it down for the implications of its ending to fully sink in.
An epic, thinking man's journey through a particularly horrifying apocalypse, told from a uniquely Japanese perspective. Great stuff, I'm grateful for the translation.
An epic, thinking man's journey through a particularly horrifying apocalypse, told from a uniquely Japanese perspective. Great stuff, I'm grateful for the translation.
February 13, 2024
Yeah, so, I wish I did not spend all this time on reading this, since it was really just a waste of time. We got all of the good stuff of misogyny, sexism, rape, transphobia and many others, that I am way too tired to list, because I do not want to think about this series a second more. Don't read this.
February 4, 2021
Wait! What?! That was the end?? Ok. I enjoyed this series! It was definitely a page turner for me! I’m sad that it’s over. The ending was a bit of a let down. But I enjoyed my time reading it. I will definitely read it again knowing the ending.
December 22, 2021
I liked the ending but I also didn’t
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews