Battle Angel Alita 2

by Yukito Kishiro

Own the manga thrill ride that changed global comics and inspired the James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez's cyberpunk action film Alita: Battle Angel ! This new paperback edition features an updated translation in six affordable, 300-page volumes.

Contains chapters 10-17 of Battle Angel Alita .

In a dump in the lawless settlement of Scrapyard, far beneath the mysterious space city of Zalem, disgraced cyber-doctor Daisuke Ido makes a strange find: the detached head of a cyborg woman who has lost all her memories. He names her Alita and equips her with a powerful new body, the Berserker. While Alita remembers no details of her former life, a moment of desperation reawakens in her nerves the legendary school of martial arts known as Panzer Kunst. In a place where there is no justice but what people make for themselves, Alita decides to become a hunter-killer, tracking down and taking out those who prey on the weak. But can she hold onto her humanity as she begins to revel in her own bloodlust?

Genres: Manga, Science Fiction, Comics, Fantasy

301 pages, Paperback

Published September 7, 2021

About the author

Yukito Kishiro (Japanese: 木城ゆきと) is a Japanese manga artist born in Tokyo in 1967 and raised in Chiba. As a teenager he was influenced by the mecha anime Armored Trooper Votoms and Mobile Suit Gundam, in particular the designs of Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, as well as the works of manga artist Rumiko Takahashi. He began his career at age 17, with his debut manga, Space Oddity, in the Weekly Shonen Sunday. He is best known for the cyberpunk series Battle Angel Alita.

Reviews

[Martyn Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. This volume covers Alita's entry into the Motorball league and something of a fall out with Ido. This wasn't covered in the 1990's Anime, but is touched on in the film. Of course in the film Yugo introduces Alita to Motorball and she's already played Motorball by the time Yugo's story arc comes to a close.

I haven't read too many Manga's so far. I used to read 2000AD with Slaine and Nemesis the Warlock and Judge Dredd as a kid. Reading a manga is a very similar experience to that. Except of course with Manga you start at the back!

That said, Alita volume 2 has great artwork, a great story and she's a fascinating and complex character. I fully intend to read the other volumes soon.

Oh, before we go! Free plug - if you like fantasy read my Deathsworn Arc books! If you like vampires, give my Ofelia: a go!


Martyn Stanley

[MajesticalLion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I'm caught back up to where I was the first time I started Alita. Next volume is set to come out in November, so I'll probably have more to say in that review. But until then, I don't have a lot of new thoughts. Series is great. Glad they're reprinting it in paperback so I get to experience it physically.

[natalia !! · Rating 3 out of 5]

not the biggest fan of this motorball arc but the art makes up for it :)) ido pissing me right the fuck off.

[Michael Emond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this second volume. The art is still amazing (if not better). The story keeps evolving as Alita and Yugo's relationship moves along. Although it does feel a little rushed. But the ending carries a lot of emotional weight. The one complaint I have is these little paperbacks aren't packaged as a story and either begin abruptly or end in the middle of a scene.

We then get Alita's movement to Motorball (reminds me of Rollerball from the 70's movie) and various battles with competitors: one in the 3rd league, one in private to win someone's number 99 when she moves to the 2nd league and the start of her competition against the Motorball champion. In the background we get her "father" Ido coming to grips with her moving on from him.

It was an excellent story and well told. I'm excited to read the next volume.

These paperbacks are a bit small but an affordable way to collect the series. Also - they read from right to left (as do all Japanese Manga) which takes a little getting used to.

[Tyler Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is still gorgeous as all hell. I just love gawking at all the detail. The story was pretty consistently good, although I’m not as into the Motorball arc as I was the previous one. Maybe it’ll grow on me, but it kinda feels like the Blitzball of this universe. Interesting, but not super compelling.

I do really enjoy the writing, even if the translation feels on the nose. I think some other folks have expressed frustration with that, but it doesn’t bother me particularly. It comes with the territory sometimes and this world and its characters are too good to stop reading.

[Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

The previous volume I read was a "Deluxe edition" that I found cheap, and it contained a couple of the chapters from this one. This volume covers Alita's introduction to motorball. It's a fun time, though sometimes the relationships and Alita's emotional immaturity can be frustrating. More frustrating though is seeing Ido's own emotional immaturity. Just part of the story though.

[Elijah]

There's a panel in this where Yubo is despairing of life and Alita calls him a coward. It's a tall, thin panel that consists entirely of Alita's face. If I could I would blow it up and hang it on the wall.

The series matures considerably in these issues, both artistically and thematically. I'm excited to see where this goes.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, the art and story is just as fantastic as normal. The story overall is also very endearing. The thing I had issues with was that the characters became so much more toxic this volume and made them less enjoyable to root for.

[Caroline Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume went in some directions I wasn't expecting. Still entertaining and I'm looking forward to seeing where Volume 3 takes us.

[Matt Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome seeing the Alita character take out her rage through sport. A sense of her "youth" and innocence is lost as the reader makes their way through the pages.

[Alexandre C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darker and better!

[HornFan2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched Alita: Battle Angel, then decided that I wanted to read Yukito Kishiro's Battle Angel Alita, 6 volume graphic novel series, enjoyed it and want too read more in the manga genre. Really like the Alita character a lot, weird that she and Ido ignore each other, the best part of this was Motorball, as a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series fan really liked that part of the storyline and easily could visualize myself as a fan of it while reading.