20th Century Boys, Volume 12

20th Century Boys [20世紀少年] #12

by Naoki Urasawa

Will 2015 bring an end to human history?! An urgent but mysterious message left by her mother Kiriko in 2002 finally reaches Kanna. But where is Kiriko, who developed the germ warfare weapons used on Bloody New Year's Eve, and what is she doing now? Memories of New Years past flood the minds of Kenji's friends and family. Will Yoshitsune's clandestine actions eventually prove fruitful, or are they doomed to repeat the tragedies of the year 2000?

Meanwhile, Otcho and Kakuta are busily trying to track down Kiriko's former colleague, Dr. Yamane. Unexpectedly, their search leads them to the very neighborhood that Otcho, Kenji, Maruo and the rest of their childhood pals grew up in. Can a visit to their old school shed new light on a bizarre incident that happened when they were all in the sixth grade?

Genres: Manga, Comics, Science Fiction, Mystery, Seinen, Graphic Novels, Fiction

232 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2003

About the author

Urasawa Naoki (浦沢直樹) is a Japanese mangaka. He is perhaps best known for Monster (which drew praise from Junot Díaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner) and 20th Century Boys.

Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.

Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing

Reviews

[Tawfek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe i had Fukubei as one of my final suspects, and i let them all go for yamane.
You can easily tell early on when marou reaches the house of the 3 kids, who kenji cooked for them and they really liked his recipe, that he was making sure that its fukubei.
I feel stupid though because at the time, i thought that the kids were his, but they changed the identity of him, by adding the photo of someone else lol.
I was so wrong.
Or when they remember who took the photo, and while i didn't remember exactly that volume, but what i know is Fukubei was the only one missing from that photo.
You know you could always tell all along that it was one of the friends the close friends, and for me at one point it came down to all the ones who died, Kenji made so much sense at one point, but then i was like no its not him, then i was suspecting Fukubei or donkey or mon chan because they all died.
I remember thinking one time that its Fukubei, because no one made him jump that fence, he went over there himself, and he even stopped Kenji from trying to follow, and when u learn that he is ESP, it means basically that he can save himself by floating, and not hitting the ground from that height, because we saw that one of his abilities was floating, and defying gravity early on, back then we thought it might be stage trick, but when you learn about Kanna's ESP abilities, and that she took them from her father it all makes sense.
I said in one of my updates that i thought the singer was Kenji in disguise, i don't think that anymore, his face feels so fake its like the exact same emotion, and smile at all time like a real mask, but at one point you realize that he is just helping Marou, that he owes him somehow and is trying to help him, plus Kenji can't draw, plus at one point you feel his smile change slightly, you might not even be able to tell the difference, but it was a smile of sadness almost, or concern for Marou when he got out of the car.
Naoki Ursawa is such a tease i swear to god, he will be the death of me, come on man more than 150 pages in this volume alone, where everyone is realizing who friend is, miraculously at the exact same time, and we are left in the dark to the end of the volume.
Now expectations do you think Fukubei survives?
I think he will! i mean he has an organization, that can probably survive without the head of the snake, but his men being there and him being almost the world leader with infinite resources at his disposal, he will probably be saved easy.
When will Kenji make his comeback and why? we are getting closer to that point, since Kenji is the only one missing and unaccounted for now, after we finally found out what happened to Marou.

[Anthony Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've made it this far, congratulations, stick with it, amazing things are being revealed in this mystery. One problem with any series built around a mystery is that at some point you have to start giving answers or readers will walk away; Moreover, for 11 books readers have been taunted by the question of who is the "Friend?" Who is this architect of the Bloody New Years Eve, mass murderer and leader of the "Friendship" Party and ruler of the shadow government of Japan?

Introducing book 12, where we finally get those answers, and wow, Urasawa delivers in extraordinary style.

Yes Urasawa has dragged it out. But I believe that he has done a fine job of it.

This volume is a real page turner filled with tense scenes and dramatic twists.

This volume is chock full of flashbacks at the elementary school science lab, and reveals the lies of 1970 and 1971. I quite enjoyed Maruo's mental struggle and realization that he isn't cut out to be a suicide bomber. From New Years Eve past to New Years Day present, much is revealed.

If you're worried about whether or not to continue with 20th Century Boys trust me, stick with it, it's worth the wait.

[yel ᰔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 of 5 stars

[Anna Kļaviņa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meeting of the secret society
Time: The night of January 1st, 2015. The last year of modern history.
Place: The science room.

[Thikrayat Al-aradi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Friend's identity is finally revealed.. ?
This doesn't make much sense to me, I don't think that's the real friend, there is more to this story..

Also this volume gets only 2 stars because everyone in the book knew who friend was but they waited until the last panel to reveal it, which felt like a filler

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequence of events in this volume are move moving and compelling than in the previous, although its not without its (necessary?) lulls. Nonetheless, there are high moments here that are significant to the overall series' trajectory...at least I assume they're significant.

[Rahul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is now completely messed up. How Fukubei is alive and how he is behind Friend Mask ? This is getting hell lot serious.

[Noninuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kanna still looking for traces of her mom. This time around we get to see more of the boys' past. Pulling & pushing between the past and present, still under the mystery of who is Friend. Did we met him in the previous volumes or this is just another hoax?

Man, that ending would normally get me looking back at all previous instalments but now, it made me a bit bitter. Is the author playing with us or what?

[Shubhankar Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I KNEW IT!!

-History book photo, 6 people. 1 missing.

-Fukubei flashback during the reunion is similar to Sadakiyo flashback.

-Fukubei never actually introducing himself to Kenji.

-Fukubei being present for the spoon bending incident reveal during the reunion.

-Fukubei being weird all of a sudden on the rooftop on Bloody New year's Eve.

And then the famous 'Reichenbach Fall'. How did I not notice it for so long?

Bloody brilliant!!

But Ninja Hattori manga was written by Fujiko Fujio, 2 people : Hiroshi Fujimoto & Motoo Abiko.

Friend wore the Hattori mask. I am assuming there are 2 "Friend".

I need more. I am losing my mind here.

[Kesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time: The night of January 1st, 2015 ...

I kind of suspected Fukubei. His death didn't seem real. The scene where he didn't let Kenji get over the fence was suspicious. Naoki Urasawa is a genius. So much suspense.

[Andria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good twist.

[Mateen Mahboubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friend’s identity revealed? Do we believe it? Couldn’t possibly die so early in the series? What will the next volume reveal? Can’t wait.

[Alo ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"reseña" atrasada 🗣️

WOAAAHHHHHHH ESTE SIN PEDOS ES EL MEJOR TOMO QUE HE LEIDO HASTA EL MOMENTO. Todo el tomo me la pase AFERRADA AL ASIENTO, la tensión, la atmósfera, los secretos TODO fue increíble. VIVA YOSHITSUNE, TE AMO MI REY 😘

[Matty Dub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yo wtf!!!!!

[AV]

Oh my god . . .

[Shenniferr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Demasiada emoción en todas las líneas temporales.

[Adam Spanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

The suspense continues to build with the latest volume of Naoki Urasawa's "20th CENTURY BOYS".

For so long, many have wondered what happened to Maruo and finally, this latest volume shows us that despite meeting financial success, since the massacre, Maruo continues to mourn for Kenji and friends.

Volume 12 is a gripping, exciting, pulse-pounding volume of Naoki Urasawa's "20th CENTURY BOYS". It just gets better and better!

If you haven't started already and you are looking for a deep, well-drawn, well-written manga series, Naoki Urasawa's "20th CENTURY BOYS" is highly recommended!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

We find out who the friend is this volume. A pretty wicked twist in the fact that (if I remember right) he committed suicide in front of Kenji only to be later revealed that he was alive in the showdown between him and Kenji. I'm thinking this isn't the real friend and given there's still 8 volumes I don't expect them all to be a major fallout from this revelation if true.

[Farhana Lüba · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was also a meh chapter for me. And what the heck is this ending -_-

[The Rev. Dr. Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm just over halfway done the series and I feel like I need to re-read everything again wtf

[ti☆ra · Rating 4 out of 5]

guessed it right. kinda silly for yoshitsune to realize just by asking his elementary school teacher. but to think it’s still 12 volumes to go, is he really friend?

[Julie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

2014 is drawing to a close. Fourteen years since Bloody New Years Eve. A new year, new beginnings. But what will 2015 hold?

A large gathering is being held for the occasion in Friendship Plaza, with Haru Namio singing the “Hello, Hello Expo Song”. Watching the events on television, Yoshitsune and his group are celebrating in a much quieter way. Kanna has gone to where her uncle used to sing, and is listening to a street singer. Finishing his performance, Haru leaves for home, accompanied by his right-hand man…. Maruo!

The next day, Haru goes to make a New Year’s visit to Friend, Maruo by his side, although Maruo has to wait in the outer office. Admission to Friend’s presence is strictly limited. Maruo tells Haru that he has explosives strapped to his body, but that isn’t entirely true. As he sits in the outer office and waits, Kenji’s words keep going through Maruo’s mind: “Try to make sure ordinary people don’t get caught in the crossfire.” And “If you ever feel your own life is in danger, turn and run like Hell.” Can Maruo do what he feels needs to be done to rid the world of Friend?

Acting on an old tip, Otcho and Kakuta go to the last known address of Dr Yamane. It’s a long shot, sure, but what else can do they? They believe he holds the key to what is going on. The house is deserted but a neighbor is able to give them useful information. Otcho is startled to realize the address she gives them is in the neighborhood where he grew up. Suddenly Otcho remembers a conversation he had with a classmate many years ago, and says it’s imperative he go to his old school. The conversation included the New Book of Prophecy and germ warfare!

Otcho and Kakuta find Dr Yamane at the old Science Lab. As he waits for what he feels is Friend’s imminent arrival, he tells them a little about Kanna’s mother and her involvement with the group. Yoshitsune and his group are studying the infamous Bloody New Year’s Eve photo. Koizumi claims it’s photostopped, clearly, but Yoshitsune says it isn’t, that is actually them facing the monster. But then, who took the picture from behind them?

The moment we’ve been waiting for has arrived… or has it? Now I’m not sure that what we think happened happened, but I have to wait for the next volume to know for sure. The face of the Friend has been revealed. Maybe. So much going on, like threads being woven together to form a complete picture. This series just keeps on getting better. Can’t wait for the next book to find out what’s really going on.

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review of the entire series.

Synopsis: Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. This is the story of a gang of boys who try to save the world. Failed rock musician Kenji's memories of his past come rushing back when one of his childhood friends mysteriously commits suicide. Could this new death be related to the rise of a bizarre new cult that's been implicated in several other murders and disappearances? Determined to dig deeper, Kenji reunites with some of his old buddies in the hope of learning the truth behind it all.

Review: This is basically the manga equivalent of a Stephen King novel, channeling themes and plot devices from the likes of It, Dreamcatcher, The Running Man and quite a few others. A young group of friends that make an innocent promise which ends up creating the most dangerous cult in the world, a 'friend' turned into the world's greatest evil, a strange suicide that reunites a group of adults to solve a mystery from their childhood which ended up leading to an apocalyptic police state, clever use of cultural references, rock songs and historical allegories to tell the full story, extremely small actions resulting in extremely massive consequences, an eerie threat lurking in the shadows that may or may not be of supernatural origins, kids overthrowing a totalitarian regime and rebelling against society while fighting against a sinister threat that no one else knows about; sound King enough for ya?

Though I don't think it's quite as good as Monster by the same author, it's definitely very close. It's a masterpiece of intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, deep character development and psychological complexity. The villain's presence is suffocating from the very beginning while remaining mysterious and terrifying until the final chapter. It's intense, it's relatable, it's horrifying and it's an emotional rollercoaster. Be careful who you call your friend and be careful of the promises you make. You might just end up causing the end of the world.

[Zare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slowly, story lines converge and we follow our protagonists as they find their way back to Kenji's school. Here they will encounter mysterious Dr. Yamane and finally come eye to eye with the mysterious Friend.

As one of the reviewers noted this volume acts more like a season 1 ending of any TV show. We follow all the characters and their uttering "I know who Friend is! It's..." only to switch to another party and their story line. It might feel like a filler but it does make sense considering that this was serialized manga and we are in the middle of the story.

I always get this feeling when reading collected volumes all at once - somehow it always escapes me that it took time to get to that specific point in story.

So all in all, not a bad volume, little bit slower than the other volumes but man what a twist at the end. Now I am truly puzzled how will story go on.

Art as always pure joy for the eyes.

I am sure interested to see how will the events develop further.

Highly recommended.

[Adam Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm finally a little over halfway through with this series, and they've decided to reveal the identity of The Big Bad. And it's one of those reveals that takes place over dozens of pages as every character in the book, no mater where they are, has the same revelation at the same time, despite them having been trying to solve the mystery, mostly independent from each other, for over two decades.

It's very silly.

And the reveal is very silly.

I'm not sure where the book is going now, as I felt nothing when they solved the central mystery, and the goal now is to stop a 2015 apocalypse, which they both did and didn't do during the 2000 storyline, six books ago. I hope there's something new to latch on to in the next volume.

[Estibaliz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume was absolutely mind blowing, with the return of one beloved character, presumed dead in Bloody New Year's Eve, and that heart stopping end, where... is it finally revealed who the Friend actually is? And was he someone we though it was dead too? :O

I do need some clarification on all of that ASAP, so I'll be biting my nails until I can resume this series (I'm just going to focus on finishing 'Monster' first, since I have only 3 volumes left, and ready for pick up at the library, and it's not giving me the same adrenaline rush as this one is now).

I can't believe we might finally be getting some good long awaited answers here... but, also, this is Urasawa, so I'll believe it when I see it...

[M. Ashraf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Friend's Face
20th Century Boys
Volume#12

Chapter List:
"Different New Year's Eve" (それぞれの大みそか, Sorezore no Ōmisoka)
"Pilgrimage" (参拝, Sanpai, "Worship")
"Self-Destruction" (自爆, Jibaku)
"A Secret Connection" (秘密の連絡, Himitsu no renraku)
"Library" (図書室, Toshokan)
"Science Room" (理科室, Rikashitsu)
"Under the Alcohol Lamp" (アルコールランプの下, Arukōruranpu no shita)
"Him" (その男, Sono otoko)
"Gunshot 1" (銃声1, Jūsei 1)
"Gunshot 2" (銃声2, Jūsei 2)
"The Real Gunshot" (銃声の正体, Jūsei no shōtai)
"The Face of a Friend" (ともだちの顔, Tomodachi no kao)

Germ/Virus Warfare
A New Book of Prophecy
And the book that never get borrowed from a library
A Secret meeting in the science room
Did we shot Friend!!!

[Dani Wladdimiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todo lo que respecta al arco de Maruo es bastante atractivo, la idea de considerar una bomba humana para liquidar por fin a Amigo es un gran acierto, como también el no hacerlo. Porque como dice Maruo, justamente son cosas que no haría Kenji, ellos eran salvadores, no terroristas. Luego, todo lo que conlleva a ese punto de encontrarse a "Amigo" con todas las pistas que van encontrando, es muy entretenido y adictivo, donde finalmente terminamos en la escuela con ese disparo. Todavía no puedo tragarme el disparo a "Amigo", quién fue revelado como Fukubei, si bien, es probablemente que haya muerto, dudo que haya dejado todo como si nada.

[Emiliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bro what

Despite answering the biggest question of the series, there’s still so many questions that need to be answered. The friend is finally revealed and like ok it makes sense but for some reason I don’t buy it nor do I think what happened to him is final. Also, didn’t expect a certain someone to be alive still like wow and I loved the suspense throughout the book towards the main reveal, I kept reading until the end. I’m frankly wondering what happens next due to the amount of volumes that’s still left. A reread of this series is gonna hit like crazy when noticing the details that were apparent from the beginning.

[Pavel R. Ocampo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soy fan de Urasawa. Esta serie ha sido complicada desde el tomo 2/3 debido al hermetismo que rodea a una sola identidad y la forma en que se oculta y se oculta y se oculta de forma tan prolongada. Por fin tenemos respuestas y quizás sea eso lo que me llevó a querer ponerle 5 estrellas a este tomo. Sin embargo, no puedo pasar por alto las convenientes escenas que desembocan en algo: Justo el día que recuerdan la biblioteca encuentran la nota que cita a participantes para ese día…
Fuera de eso, por fin se pone interesante.