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Yojimbot #1, Part 1

Yojimbot - Part 1

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In a dystopian not-too-distant future in Japan, Hiro lives with his father on an island populated by androids, where they eke out a meager existence while trying to keep out of sight. But when they run afoul of a troop of high-tech military thugs, Hiro's dad sacrifices himself to save his son, turning Hiro's already-bleak world upside-down. He is then rescued by a samurai robot called a "yojimbot," and together they seek to avenge his father's death and make contact with a mysterious associate known only as the "rights holder," before the soldiers and their drones close in... In a dystopian not-too-distant future in Japan, Hiro lives with his father on an island populated by androids, where they eke out a meager existence while trying to keep out of sight. But when they run afoul of a troop of high-tech military thugs, Hiro's dad sacrifices himself to save his son, turning Hiro's already-bleak world upside-down. He is then rescued by a samurai robot called a "yojimbot," and together they seek to avenge his father's death and make contact with a mysterious associate known only as the "rights holder," before the soldiers and their drones close in...

Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2021

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Sylvain Repos

22 books10 followers

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5 stars
18 (13%)
4 stars
57 (42%)
3 stars
53 (39%)
2 stars
4 (3%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
Profile Image for Alexander Peterhans.
Author 2 books297 followers
May 16, 2021
Yojimbot suffers a bit from the European way comics are produced as 60 page albums, and from being the first in a series, and therefore having to establish place and characters.

Because the art is fantastic, and the story is intriguing, but stops uncermoniously at the exact moment everyone has been introduced and the story would really get going.



The story. It's the future! A man and his son are hiding on a Japanese island, that seems to house a defunct samurai themepark, where the samurai are crusty old androids. I say defunct, but a couple of the androids are still cycling through their routines.



There are more humans, though - some kind of mercenary force, which is hunting the aforementioned man and son. Then there's a nice bit of the ultra-violence, and the son ends up with one of the robot samurai (the titular Yojimbot, I'm guessing.)



And there is a lot of guessing involved, as the book only hints at what is going on. And I liked that! It can be terribly frustrating, but here it feels part of the package. I can't wait for part 2.

3.5 stars

(Picked up a review copy through NetGalley)
Profile Image for Chad.
10.3k reviews1,055 followers
May 20, 2022
This first volume is all set up and introducing the characters. It takes place at an old samurai amusement park where a few of the samurai robots still function. One of them comes across a boy and his father who are being pursued by some kind of military team. Larger things are hinted at through their conversation but not enough to get more than a taste of the bigger picture.

The art is where this book really shines. The action sequences are fast paced and dynamic. What I presume is Yojimbot is awesome how it looks and moves around. I'll be checking the next volume of this European comic out.
Profile Image for Bianca .
386 reviews24 followers
May 23, 2021
Wow, even though it was so short and there wasn't much dialogue, this graphic novel was brutal and incredible. The drawing is amazing and explicit (which, I love). I need the next part.

Thank you Netgalley and Europe Comics for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review :D
Profile Image for Logan.
1,022 reviews38 followers
April 27, 2021
Really good first issue with some great art! Gave me some Samurai Jack vibes!
Profile Image for Momo .
566 reviews4 followers
May 19, 2021
5/5 Great start to this short series!

First off, the art in this book is so beautiful! I love how well everything blend together but also contrast at the same time. The story is fairly short and can be read in under 10 minuets which is great! This feels like a pilot episode with how little it went over but it really set the scene for the next part. If you like robots and fighting I would check this out.

I read this for free on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Ankita Goswami.
294 reviews26 followers
June 9, 2021
3.5/5

A NetGalley ARC.

It's a quick read; took me less than 30 minutes to finish it. The art is amazing (love the colour palette), but since it's the first book of the series, the story isn't very clear to me yet. The Yojimbot reminds me of Baymax from 'Big Hero 6' a little bit, which I liked. There was also some good humour in the panels, so I think I would like to read the upcoming chapters too.
Profile Image for Naadhira Zahari.
Author 4 books95 followers
May 20, 2021
A short graphic novel set in dystopian Japan about how a robot saved a boy's life from the corrupted higher ups. This is a very short read that I managed to read in one sitting and its super intriguing. The colours, illustrations and story is absolutely breathtaking. I would totally recommend.
Profile Image for Ana.
949 reviews769 followers
May 12, 2021
3 stars *may change

This was unexpectedly short? I've read quite a few graphic novels, and usually, they exceed the 100-page mark, but this one was way under it. There wasn't really much story for me to go off of with just a single volume.

I mean, I can say it's got a lovely art style and that the concept itself is very interesting—feudal Japan being abandoned by robots only for robot samurai to take over—but I'd need more volumes to really get a good grasp of it. So far though, it's a nice beginning.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced reader's copy.
Profile Image for David Gibson.
101 reviews23 followers
May 6, 2021

If you mix equal parts Wall-E, Logan, and Kill Bill you’d get Yojimbot. This was just the first part so it was short, but DANG if it didn’t pack a punch.

It’s a super quick read as many panels have no dialogue, but in these few pages there’s a decent amount of story and a bunch of action....and blood.

The art work has a distinct manga style and the coloring is vibrant, making the whole experience even more enjoyable.

A great little read and I look forward to future volumes.
8,860 reviews128 followers
May 9, 2021
Hmmm... A waste of a post-apocalyptic Tokyo Disney-styled theme park setting, something about samurai robots, and Asimov's Laws, all crunched together. At least it takes no more than ten minutes to read – and a lot less than that to realise this isn't much cop.
Profile Image for Louise.
123 reviews4 followers
May 23, 2021
Very nice start to a series, however even though it packed a punch it felt extremely short.

The art style is absolutely stunning, and the colour pallette works very well. Overall very cohesive.

An intriguing introduction to the world of Yojimbot!
Profile Image for Cale.
3,913 reviews27 followers
June 4, 2022
This book has a unique look and distinctive style, but this is little more than a first issue, rather than a full volume. It's only setting up the main characters, although it does so with a plethora of intense action sequences. It's worth a look, but you may want to aim for the full collection rather than reading this first part on its own.
Profile Image for Claire.
3,390 reviews43 followers
June 17, 2025
The art is so beautiful! The colours and imagery is just amazing. The story is pretty interesting as well. I am not familiar with the original version, I have read a chibi version which was good not great. This is amazing! Will definitely keep reading this series.
Profile Image for Cassie James.
590 reviews3 followers
June 2, 2022
I didn't expect i would like it, then finally some plot. Will be picking up another issue. Graphics and color are amazing 👏
Profile Image for Ashlyn.
1,730 reviews12 followers
June 21, 2022
I liked the art style a lot but I was having a bit of trouble following the story. I am intrigued enough to read more though and I’m interested to see where it goes next!
Profile Image for Alri Moore.
220 reviews
August 31, 2024
Robots samurais con referencias a Isaac Asimov y Lobo Solitario.
Simplemente espectacular.
Profile Image for ryan wilkey.
376 reviews30 followers
June 6, 2022
First, I love samurai stories. Second, robots freak me the frickle-frack out.

I totally chose this one on a whim because the cover art is beautiful. And, something about a robot samurai is intriguing. I’m curious to see where this one goes. It was too short.
Profile Image for Stephen.
556 reviews7 followers
May 24, 2021
NOTE: I received a free preliminary, and likely unedited copy of this book from Netgalley for the purposes of providing an honest, unbiased review of the material. Thank you to all involved.

I’ve seen a couple of science fiction re-imaginings of various Kurosawa samurai films over the years – most notably an anime called Samurai 7. With most of them, they end up largely being the same story, albeit with a setting shift and slight alterations to characters. Yojimbot was interesting because it takes the idea behind “Yojimbo” (or The Bodyguard) and applies it to a dystopian hellscape where robots have seemingly taken everything over, and whatever humans are left appear to be a militarized force in a secured base.

In a dystopian not-too-distant future in Japan, Hiro lives with his father on an island populated by androids, where they eke out a meager existence while trying to keep out of sight. But when they run afoul of a troop of high-tech military thugs, Hiro’s dad sacrifices himself to save his son, turning Hiro’s already-bleak world upside-down. He is then rescued by a samurai robot called a “yojimbot,” and together they seek to avenge his father’s death and make contact with a mysterious associate known only as the “rights holder,” before the soldiers and their drones close in…


The artwork is nice and fluid, with mecha designs reminiscent of the works of Neil Blomkamp (Chappie for example). While the artwork is reminiscent of many Japanese comics out there, the artist did their own thing rather than try to copy the overall style of said comics. I think this was a good idea, as most western comics that try to be Manga seem to always fall flat for whatever reason, with few exceptions. As a result of this melding of a European comic art design style, mixed with Japanese storytelling techniques, Yojimbot stands out as something I haven’t really seen in a while, and it gives it it’s own character.

This was an entertaining book, and I’m eager to check out volume two. It seems like the story was just about to pick up when it hit “to be continued” so I’m somewhat sad that I’ll have to wait for the other half, that is assuming this is in two parts. This is well worth the read, especially if you are a samurai or manga fan.
Profile Image for Misa.
1,606 reviews2 followers
May 6, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was short but amazing and I loved the art which was fantastic. The story is mesmerizing and gets you curious to know what really happened to the world and what's going to happen to the main characters. From page one you are captivated by the story of this Yojimbot a " Samourai Robot", I mean just this idea got me eager to read more, and a little boy called Hiro who is saved from death after his father is killed while trying to protect him. The Yojimbot decides then that this kid must be saved and protected.

I liked it and I'm happy that I discovered this story.

Merged review:

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was short but amazing and I loved the art which was fantastic. The story is mesmerizing and gets you curious to know what really happened to the world and what's going to happen to the main characters. From page one you are captivated by the story of this Yojimbot a " Samourai Robot", I mean just this idea got me eager to read more, and a little boy called Hiro who is saved from death after his father is killed while trying to protect him. The Yojimbot decides then that this kid must be saved and protected.

I liked it and I'm happy that I discovered this story.
Profile Image for Leighton.
1,045 reviews11 followers
May 16, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Yojimbot by Sylvain Repos is a sci-fi thriller graphic novel set in the future. The plot revolves around a Japanese father and son who live alone on an island. One day, a robot arrives near their home. The son becomes friends with the robot, but it turns out that the robot had inadvertently alerted a bunch of assassins as to the location of the father and the son. This mistake turns tragic. One highlight of this book is the cinematic and gorgeous artwork. I felt like I was watching a sci-fi movie on TV.

Overall, Yojimbot is an exciting, action-packed graphic novel that will appeal to fans of Westworld and I, Robot. I could not put this book down and sped through it within an hour. The book ends on a major cliffhanger, and I am definitely interested in seeing where the story goes in Volume 2. Although I did enjoy this book, I took off one star because I thought it was rather short - about half the size of a typical graphic novel. This is completely an artistic choice and isn't the book's fault, but I'm just explaining why it wasn't a 5-star read for me personally. If you're intrigued by the description above, or if you're a fan of graphic novels, I highly recommend that you check out this book. It is out now!
Profile Image for Jungian.Reader.
1,399 reviews63 followers
May 21, 2021
Thanks to #Netgalley and Europe Comics for making this book available to me.

I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel and I think the concept is really cool, the graphics were well done, loved the colour contrast.
Set in a not-so-far future Japan, where the country is run by robot and the land is populated by androids. Hiro lives on an island with his father and they apparently are on the run from some highly-teched out militiamen. Hiro comes across a robot who seems out of place in the forest and he approaches it.
Before long the militiamen catch up with them and they ask Hiro's father who is some scientist who had escaped from them because he found out that the air was polluted (the real issue was not explained). Hiro's father dies while protecting Hiro, who is then saved by the robot he met earlier. The robot kills or the militiamen and Hiro decides to go with the robot.

The story really was not long enough for me to develop a solid opinion of the book. Since this is the First Part, I know there is a lot more to come but it would have been great if there was a bit more story in this part.
Profile Image for Leander.
217 reviews5 followers
May 9, 2021
The flash comic begins in media res, with two robots having a sword fight. The fight ends with a robot's sword shattering into pieces.
A little boy picks up that piece when the robots go away, and there begins the real story.
The comic raises a question, asking us to think about it, while not really demanding an answer. 'Once the authority starts reigning supreme unchallenged, does any difference remain between humans and mindless drones? And if robots become autonomous, does that place them at par with humans?'

The comic ends a bit too soon, turning into more of a prologue than a chapter, setting the pace for the entire series that'll hopefully follow. But unless it's a weekly updated comic, I hate to say this but people will slowly lose interest over time. To counter that, the least that can be done is increase the length of the story told in a chapter. Hopefully, Yojimbot will soon blossom into something greater than what it is.
But as of now, I can't give it more than three stars.

>>>DIGITAL ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY<<<
Profile Image for Jenn Marshall.
1,139 reviews29 followers
August 2, 2022
The story is set in dystopian Japan. A boy is trying to stay out of sight from the androids that live on his island, but his dad is killed and he is rescued by Yojimbot. Together they will try to avenge his father's death.

I love how the robots are combined with samurai imagery. The battle scenes come early and give the whole book a anime feel to it. They are perfect for setting the tone of a dystopia. You know that something bad is going to happen, especially when the colors turn to shades of red. I felt myself getting anxious before even reading what was on the page because so much emotion was put into the art and colors.

I feel like the story is just getting started. There is a lot of set up and world building, but it isn't boring. Everything draws you in and I am excited to see where it is going next.

Creative Team:
Writer and Artist: Sylvain Repos
Colorist: Noiry
Published by Europe Comics
Profile Image for Mykhailo Gasyuk.
974 reviews15 followers
June 26, 2021
Один великий французький том розділили на три частини заради адаптованої англійської версії.

Щодо малюнку - ніяких радикальних висловлювань, вигляда як якісна дитяча розфарбована манга, в яку додали трохи сцен жорстокості. Динамічно та детально.

Сюжет про хлопчика та його шлях. Його шлях - це втеча та, можливо, помста, йому допомагають роботи. В першій частині стається основна драма, далі йде боротьба з її наслідками. Закинутий робосамурайський парк виглядає цікаво, сама історія, хоч і простенька, більше інтриги вносить щодо свого сеттінгу, ніж про подорож малюка. Той випадок, коли краще не читати офіційну анотацію.

Діалоги короткі, але хай так: маємо ж справу з дитиною. Вона в чомусь знається, в багатьох речах - ні, відповідно, і не видає якісь філософські цитати. Тобто за проробку образу малого хлопця можна ставити плюс.

Самі роботи німі, тож уважно слідкуйте за їх жестами. Інколи гумор ситуації прослідковується саме в них.
Profile Image for Riya Bhatia.
719 reviews17 followers
May 28, 2021
I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics.
Even though there wasn't a lot of dialogue, I'm intrigued (and a little confused). So the story follows this older samurai robot who breaks his sword in a fight and tries to get it fixed only to realise a part of sword is missing and it turns out a kid found it. We don't quite know why the robot was fighting, what is it doing in a a park and who is this kid. Anyway, the story then follows this robot and the kid and his father's story. These two humans are on the run for some reason from what looks like other authority humans and robots and the samurai robot protects the kid. It truly is rather confusing as there isn't much backstory, but I hope we get it soon.
Profile Image for Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads).
3,329 reviews181 followers
May 6, 2021
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it

This was an interesting start for this story. This is a dystopian world with samurai robots that are programmed to protect humans. Part 1 stops right after the death of Hiro’s father. The world is interesting but we know very little about who Hiro or his father is, why there are robot samurai, or what is going on in this world from these few pages.

While we don’t get a lot in these few pages, it was interesting and I want to know more now. Also the art style is very good and I love the bold colors that were used.

*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*

You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews

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