Scryed, Volume 1

Scryed #1

by Yosuke Kuroda, Yasunari Toda

When a new type of human--Alter-Users--becomes the center of an unexplained phenomenon, an elite squad of soldiers appears to keep the peace...or so it seems. This group, called Holy, has many hidden motives...and, in this case, what the public doesn't know Will hurt them. Alter-User Kazuma Torizuna may be the only one able to defy Holy in search of the truth.

Genres: Manga, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Comics Manga, Magic

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 11, 2003

Reviews

[dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up at HPB because I'd always been curious about the manga (I'm a big fan of the anime) and the first volume was definitely to my liking!

The art is older and has a bit of a Jojo vibe to it (or what I assume to be a Jojo vibe, I've never read or seen that show) with the very masculine features and exaggerated poses and shading. I'm not usually a fan of this type of art and avoid it but since this IS a series I like, I went ahead and read it. There are many big moments that I can match with the anime series but they also feel completely different and give off a different impression in the manga. It feels like a completely different story at moments and I'm curious as to where it will lead

[-moonprismpower- · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am obsessed with the anime. It’s amazing and it reminds me of my early teenager years.

Anyway, I thought I would try the manga, hoping it would be similar (but with more detail). This first volume is the closest to the anime and while the later parts might have similarities, the story is different.

I’m trying not to compare so I can leave an accurate review but it is hard. So far, volume 1 isn’t too bad. I enjoy Kazuma’s character. I like how much of a rebel he is. I also like Ryuhou. I feel like he and Kazuma fight for justice but in different ways.

And I have to end this review with how much I adore Kanami (manga and anime) and how I want the best for this sweet little angel!!!! “Kazu kun!!!”

[Ryofire · Rating 1 out of 5]

A truly dumb, generic story with truly terrible art and a bit of opening sort of pedophelia. Topped at the end with a dash of some of the most bizarre sexism (like it's shonen so I expected it, but how it's given is just... huh) and lots of badly drawn boobs in totally-not-sex panels. The series' only mercy is that it is short. Skip it. The anime has better art and it's toned down slightly storywise so it's even more of a generic powerup shonen series set in a post-apocalyptic world with some mild doses of future tech and Mad Max territorial stuff. If that's your type of thing, though, here's for you!

[LordSlaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird definitely, sexy a bit, violent frequently. A curious tale, a strange world. An interesting read with intense artwork. A fascinating pop-culture object.

[Tjibbe Wubbels · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story telling is a bit all over the place, but still a fun read.

[georgiaotaku · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not good but the nostalgia for me hits harder.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twenty-two years ago, Japan's Yokohama region was thrust skyward by an unknown seismic phenomenon. Now known as the Lost Ground, this post-apocalyptic landscape is home to a population of superhuman Alter Users, who can modify physical reality. "Native" Alter Users, like Monster Maestro (who can absorb others' bodies into his own to become a giant) or the carnivorous Lady Mantis (who-surprise!-can turn into a bug) build themselves fiefdoms and terrorize the weak. Opposing them is the borderline fascist Lost Ground Special Mission Police Force. In the middle is Kazuma Torusuna ("The Treasoner"), an independent Alter User with a prickly temper, a Lolita complex and a metallic arm that shoots emotional bullets. Confused? You ain't seen nothing yet. This hit manga series succeeded because of deliriously over-the-top action scenes and kinkiness that's just this side of actual fetish art, so story logic may not have been a concern. Instead, Kuroda's goal seems to be to take the most extreme features of the science fiction and superhero genres and combine them into a form that holds still long enough for Toda to illustrate it. Toda's art is competent and at times achieves a joyously trashy sense of movement. However, like Kuroda's script, the art also suffers from an excess of "kewl" and "extreme" aesthetics. Monster Maestro isn't just a Hulk clone-he's also got pecs four times as wide as his waist and six extra abdominal muscles. Lady Mantis isn't just a sexy Lady Death rip-off-she's a topless dominatrix. Scryed is the X-Men on steroids, for better and for worse.

[Hikaru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, a good read. The artwork is nice, but I kind of like the anime art more. The story deviates from the anime in places as well, leading to cases where the story is drastically different. However, (something that's good for me) there is more Ryuhou, who I find to be an intriguing character, though I can't say I have a character I dislike. Whereas the anime tended to focus just a little more on Kazuma, the manga has a more even balance between HOLY and Kazuma and co.

Whereas a lot of manga can be read as a substitute or a companion to an anime series, Scryed is one of those cases where the manga and anime differ so much, both in storyline and even characters, that at first it's a little jarring and something that needs to be gotten used to. I would recommend reading the manga first, mostly because it's only five volumes long (the anime is 25 episodes at a half hour each).

Overall I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys sci-fi manga. The plot and the whole thing about Alters? Interesting in and of itself, enough to explore through this manga.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the art is decent, the storyline is drastically different from what occured in the anime, even though it has some similar twists. New characters with some strange powers keep this from being too repetitive, but ultimately it fails to capture what made the series so fun. Also, ecchi should have been left out of this -- no one wants to see Cheris naked...

[Holly Letson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the weirdest manga that I have read in a long time, but it did keep my attention. Sadly, it also had a cliffhanger-y ending that makes you want to read more - and, I only own this volume.