Sanctuary, Vol. 2

サンクチュアリ [Sanctuary] #2

by Ryōichi Ikegami (Illustrator), Shō Fumimura

As children, Akira Hojo and Chiaki Asami survived the horrors of the killing fields of Cambodia. Now young men, they vow to transform the destiny of Japan, by any means necessary. In this, the sixth volume of the erotically charged saga of political corruption, Asami and Hojo face life-threatening challenges in their respective rises to the top of the Japanese parliament and the yakuza crime syndicate. Meanwhile, a yakuza crime war is brewing and the police are hot on Hojo's trail.

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Comics, Crime, Fiction, Japan, Thriller

308 pages, Paperback

First published April 27, 1991

About the author

Ryōichi Ikegami (池上遼一) is a manga artist. He was assistant to manga artist Shigeru Mizuki in 1966. In 2001, he won the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga as the artist of Heat. He became a professor at Osaka University of Arts in 2005.

Ikegami has worked on several popular series, such as Mai, the Psychic Girl with writer Kazuya Kudo, Crying Freeman, with writer Kazuo Koike, as well as Sanctuary and Heat with writer Sho Fumimura. He also wrote and drew Spider-Man: The Manga, a manga version of Spider-Man and collaborated with Garon Tsuchiya for the manga BOX (BOX 暗い箱). His most recent work is Lord currently serialized in Big Comic Superior.

Reviews

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

The old guard, understanding the threat Hojo and Asami are to their power, try to trip them over. But the cubs have fangs too and outsmart their opponents. Tokai may be batshit crazy but shows he’s not stupid. The same can’t be said from Ishihara who again seems to have problems controlling her nerves.

That’d be my main critic. Ishihara is at best non-existent, at worst portrayed as temperamental verging on incompetent. I wish the chief inspector’d be more of a worthy threat, especially since she's the only woman of importance in a very macho world. For the time being Fumimura sadly fumbles with this character.

[Dan P · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rollicking psycho-drama full of smoky back rooms and big ideas. Ikegami's at is incredible as always. Has a few notable rough 90's edges but overall a thrilling read so far

[David Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sanctuary Vol 2 by Sho Fumimura and Ryoichi Ikegami is a crime drama set in modern-day Japan. It continues the story of two boys orphaned by war and toughened by the life they have chosen for themselves. Hojo, a young yakuza boss recently elevated in stature through a nearly bloodless coup that gives him power and respect but also makes him a target of old and new enemies and jealous rivals. Asami, a young aspiring politician, who along with Hojo plans to bring his country into the future by reshaping its political structure, an act that would shake the nation out of its slumber and to its core. Ishihara, a young female Deputy Chief of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, a young woman trying to understand the actions of a young and ambitious yakuza and secretly falling for the man she had sworn to bring to justice. Beautiful artwork, gripping storyline and excellent plot make Sanctuary Vol 2 a truly amazing read!

[Leonardo Etcheto · Rating 5 out of 5]

The anti old farts in power has a limit. The wise old man of the Yakusa who gives Hojo the green light to become Don sjnce he wants to make a new Japan.
The agenda becomes clear here, open borders and no restrictions on foreign business so the competiton makes Japan strong enough to protect its wealth. I like the cut of thei jib.
The Cambodia back story which was the forge that made Hojo and Asami is also revealed.
Reading avout the imminent take over of Hong Kong by China and the worries of the local gangs shows how well they knew what was coming. How Hong Kong would be picked clean as is now in full swing.
Live and let live vs eat or be eaten. Poor societies are cruel from necessity, there is not enough. How will the chinese gangs survive? By trying to take over Japan which is also Hojos plan.
Hard ball tactics in politics and gang warfare has begun. Will idealism mixed with rutessness triumph? On to vol 3.

[Ahmad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The two protagonists are still intriguing, and each of them is crafty in his own way. The pace is excellent, but some conflicts are resolved too quickly. This is not a major issue so far because the main conflict is well constructed and there is always a sense of danger that is only resolved through character action.

The development of the plotw will hinge on escalating stakes and adding layyers to the two worlds (politics & yakuza), now that both Hojo and Asami have crossed the threshold.

[Alexander Engel-Hodgkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8/5

This one's definitely building up to something big. Currently, it's still setting things up. Definitely slower than I expected, but I like where it's going. At this point complimenting Ikegami's artwork is redundant--it is consistently dynamic and damn-near photorealistic. As for the plot, it's progressing in an intriguing way, but I don't want to spoil anything.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hardboiled yakuza/political drama written by the fist of the north star guy and drawn by ryoichi ikegami. It is just so cool and wild. Please reprint this, VIZ.

[Wis_Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esto simplemente se pone mejor y mejor

[Greymalkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continues to be amazing, both in art and plot. The violence toward women in the book is a little hard to get through but also serves a purpose and it's not gratuitous for its own sake (or at least that's not the impression I get) so that makes it tolerable for now.

[Edwin Supriyadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

chilling