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7 Billion Needles #4
7 Billion Needles, Vol. 4
WE ARE NOT ALONE
Should life on earth just start over from its primordial methanogen form? For a high school girl, that all depends on whether she can connect to her classmates. But what does oneness mean? This concluding volume also includes the short comic “Hikikomori Headphone Girl,” the series’ precursor.
Should life on earth just start over from its primordial methanogen form? For a high school girl, that all depends on whether she can connect to her classmates. But what does oneness mean? This concluding volume also includes the short comic “Hikikomori Headphone Girl,” the series’ precursor.
194 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 6, 2014
7 Billion Needles is a cohesive, building story, and this final volume continues directly from the previous. There's no point in starting here - go back to the beginning.
Horizon and Maelstrom's experiences with Hikaru have prompted a turning point for the Earth, but Hikaru isn't content to sit back and wait for the results of the Moderator's experiment.
I've thoroughly enjoyed 7 Billion Needles from start to finish. The odd yet imaginative premise grabbed me right away and unfolded beautifully over four tightly paced volumes. Each story arc and the layered plotlines were compelling, logical, and relevant to the overarching tale.
Most of all, as with every truly great story the author remembered that the characters have to be the heart of the tale, and Hikaru and her supporting cast were easy to connect to and root for. Add in thought provoking themes, well used science fiction elements, striking art and and a strong ending and 7 Billion Needles is quite the impressive read.
Having started this series without any background I'm ecstatic to have found another series that easily jumped onto my all time favorites list. Phenomenal stuff.
Horizon and Maelstrom's experiences with Hikaru have prompted a turning point for the Earth, but Hikaru isn't content to sit back and wait for the results of the Moderator's experiment.
I've thoroughly enjoyed 7 Billion Needles from start to finish. The odd yet imaginative premise grabbed me right away and unfolded beautifully over four tightly paced volumes. Each story arc and the layered plotlines were compelling, logical, and relevant to the overarching tale.
Most of all, as with every truly great story the author remembered that the characters have to be the heart of the tale, and Hikaru and her supporting cast were easy to connect to and root for. Add in thought provoking themes, well used science fiction elements, striking art and and a strong ending and 7 Billion Needles is quite the impressive read.
Having started this series without any background I'm ecstatic to have found another series that easily jumped onto my all time favorites list. Phenomenal stuff.
February 1, 2014
This review is for all four volumes of 7 Billion Needles.
This was on the border of being really interesting and making absolutely no sense to me. Everything was good until volume three when the subspecies and the Moderator were the focal point and things got very science-fictiony. It was intense.
I think that ultimately the series was about friendship. It seems so simple and almost cheesy after all that, but when it all came down to it there seemed to be the overriding theme of loneliness. Once Hikaru was taken in by Nao and Saya she wasn't so lonely and was able to open up more. Which then prompted her to help Chika who she saw as herself before Nao and Saya. Hikaru became a spectator (who actually mostly just ignored everyone) to an active human. She participated in life which ended up allowing her to save the world.
More sci-fi than I usually read, but I enjoyed it thoroughly!
This was on the border of being really interesting and making absolutely no sense to me. Everything was good until volume three when the subspecies and the Moderator were the focal point and things got very science-fictiony. It was intense.
I think that ultimately the series was about friendship. It seems so simple and almost cheesy after all that, but when it all came down to it there seemed to be the overriding theme of loneliness. Once Hikaru was taken in by Nao and Saya she wasn't so lonely and was able to open up more. Which then prompted her to help Chika who she saw as herself before Nao and Saya. Hikaru became a spectator (who actually mostly just ignored everyone) to an active human. She participated in life which ended up allowing her to save the world.
More sci-fi than I usually read, but I enjoyed it thoroughly!
May 15, 2013
A short, but sweet sci-fi epic which follows Hikaru Takabe, a closed-off teenager, who is constantly on her headphones and pretty much is isolated from the whole world. One day a terrible accident befalls her she dies, only to be awake the next day. She feels different and suddenly realized she is not alone anymore. Horizon, an intergalactic force of order now resides within her and she is forced into a conflict of cosmic proportion again Maesltrom, a force of chaos. During the story she must not only confront and fend the decline of humanity as we know it, but also open her heart to others which may prove the more challenging of the two tasks. A great, easy to read manga for sci-fi nuts.
April 25, 2018
This series had me really invested at the beginning, but feels like it could be split into two separate stories: Hikaru coming out of her self created isolation from others, and the Akira-like sci-fi story of alien beings and their attempts to affect human evolution.
I actually really enjoyed the first half, but once the tropey sci-fi elements were brought to the foreground in volume 3, I lost interest pretty quickly. The story became too predictable & the action scenes were almost incoherently drawn, which is a bummer, because the artwork is my favorite element of the series. The character designs are great and the backgrounds are beautifully detailed at times.
Included in volume 4 is the prototype version of the story, which funny enough, I like MUCH better than the completed work. Perhaps the inclusion of the alien space monsters works for some, but for me, if it just stayed a slightly weird story of a girl in headphones learning to let others in, this may have been a 5 star review.
I actually really enjoyed the first half, but once the tropey sci-fi elements were brought to the foreground in volume 3, I lost interest pretty quickly. The story became too predictable & the action scenes were almost incoherently drawn, which is a bummer, because the artwork is my favorite element of the series. The character designs are great and the backgrounds are beautifully detailed at times.
Included in volume 4 is the prototype version of the story, which funny enough, I like MUCH better than the completed work. Perhaps the inclusion of the alien space monsters works for some, but for me, if it just stayed a slightly weird story of a girl in headphones learning to let others in, this may have been a 5 star review.
May 11, 2014
This review originally appeared on my blog, Shared Universe Reviews.
Volume 3:
The third volume of Nabuaki Tadano’s science fiction manga based on “Needle” by Hal Clement mixes elements Tadano previously established in the previous volume with some strange new things and dials it up to eleven. Hikaru continues to make friends and spending time with them is beginning to really affect them in special ways. The introduction of an evolutionary sub-species and a new alien contribute to keeping the chaos that erupts in this volume. If you were concerned about the lack of action in the series thus far, no worries, Tadano brings his A game.
Evolution becomes increasingly important as the series goes on. Earth is ready for a macro evolution and the arrival of Horizon and Maelstrom seems to have triggered that. There are more aliens present other than Horizon and Maelstrom. All these events are starting to converge and 7 Billion Needles volume three is an erratic and sporadic read. Tadano’s storytelling abilities ensure that it never feels chaotic. I'm frankly surprised at how much story is contained between both covers of volume three. It's not so much that the comic is dense, the pace of this volume is quicker than the first two, but so many events happen. There are a lot of storytelling beats, and Tadano pummels the reader with them with increasing speed. Volume three is a barrage of science fiction ideas, art and action. It’s a sheer delight after the relatively slow burn of the first two volumes.
Despite the advancements and new complexities of the story, it feels quite natural. It's a progression of what came before. The biggest surprise in volume three is the shift of tone. It resembles something more akin to shonen or your adult action manga but there is an adult sensibility that adds a lot of depth. The story feels unique though. The tone is closer to shonen by the story is uniquely its own. And this new tone would not be as engaging and quite simply so good if it wasn't for the building blocks Tadano put in the first two volumes. That's also what prevents the reader from being lost in the multitude of events that transpire in this penultimate volume.
Volume 4:
I wasn’t as surprised as I was pleased that Tadano sticks the landing in this final volume. He’s clearly demonstrated that he’s an excellent storyteller. Still, it’s very nice to have that confirm with an ending that feels like it belongs with the rest of the story. There is no copout here. It’s emotionally satisfying and that’s what we really needed for this to work. It would not have been enough for Tadano to give us 150 pages of non-stop action in a battle to save the planet if there wasn’t also some emotional depth. Such a big part, and I believe the essential part, of the manga so far has been Hikaru’s personal growth and the growth of a few other characters. Even Horizon and Maelstrom mature and change throughout the story.
In short, all of 7 Billion Needles's themes crystallize in volume four. Tadano wraps everything up. There weren't a lot of questions being answered in the series so far but volume four answers most of the questions. I don't want to go into any further detail because this manga volume should be experienced firsthand.
To Tadano’s credit, he’s made me want to go and find a copy of Hal Clement’s book Needle. I want to see how many of the themes found in 7 Billion Needles were also in Clement’s story. I have a feeling that the psyche of individuals who lived during the Cold War has been transported and redefined in modern terms. Characters in 7 Billion Needles make a big deal out of being alone or not alone. To Chika, it’s so important not to be alone that she makes an attempt of absorbing every living thing into one huge entity. In the first volume it was incredibly important for Hikaru to be alone. Her isolation was so important to her it made everything else look unimportant and unworthy of her attention. There’s a fight for individuality in opposition to a fight for a society that conforms to strict standards and practices. The last two volumes bring forward themes that weren’t present in the first two that remind me of Rick Veitch’s masterful The One comic.
I’m not sure I entirely understand this feeling of wanting to be isolated but that’s ok because a story that acts as a precursor to 7 Billion Needles is included in the final volume. “Hikikomori Headphone Girl” is a short story about an experimental treatment to Hikikomori. For those who have never heard of Hikikomori (this was my first time) it’s a phenomenon that, in short, can be described as an acute form of social withdrawal that affects a surprisingly large number of Japanese teens and young adults. It’s thought by some that this isn’t the cause of other psychological problems, but can nonetheless result from one. It’s pretty complicated and something that’s widely discussed in Japan. If anything else, the inclusion of “Hikikomori Headphone Girl” helps me to understand and sympathize with the Hikaru we encounter in volume 1. It also makes the four volumes of 7 Billion Needles a complete collection that begs, and deserves, to have a place on your shelf next to you favourite science fiction stories.
Volume 3:
The third volume of Nabuaki Tadano’s science fiction manga based on “Needle” by Hal Clement mixes elements Tadano previously established in the previous volume with some strange new things and dials it up to eleven. Hikaru continues to make friends and spending time with them is beginning to really affect them in special ways. The introduction of an evolutionary sub-species and a new alien contribute to keeping the chaos that erupts in this volume. If you were concerned about the lack of action in the series thus far, no worries, Tadano brings his A game.
Evolution becomes increasingly important as the series goes on. Earth is ready for a macro evolution and the arrival of Horizon and Maelstrom seems to have triggered that. There are more aliens present other than Horizon and Maelstrom. All these events are starting to converge and 7 Billion Needles volume three is an erratic and sporadic read. Tadano’s storytelling abilities ensure that it never feels chaotic. I'm frankly surprised at how much story is contained between both covers of volume three. It's not so much that the comic is dense, the pace of this volume is quicker than the first two, but so many events happen. There are a lot of storytelling beats, and Tadano pummels the reader with them with increasing speed. Volume three is a barrage of science fiction ideas, art and action. It’s a sheer delight after the relatively slow burn of the first two volumes.
Despite the advancements and new complexities of the story, it feels quite natural. It's a progression of what came before. The biggest surprise in volume three is the shift of tone. It resembles something more akin to shonen or your adult action manga but there is an adult sensibility that adds a lot of depth. The story feels unique though. The tone is closer to shonen by the story is uniquely its own. And this new tone would not be as engaging and quite simply so good if it wasn't for the building blocks Tadano put in the first two volumes. That's also what prevents the reader from being lost in the multitude of events that transpire in this penultimate volume.
Volume 4:
I wasn’t as surprised as I was pleased that Tadano sticks the landing in this final volume. He’s clearly demonstrated that he’s an excellent storyteller. Still, it’s very nice to have that confirm with an ending that feels like it belongs with the rest of the story. There is no copout here. It’s emotionally satisfying and that’s what we really needed for this to work. It would not have been enough for Tadano to give us 150 pages of non-stop action in a battle to save the planet if there wasn’t also some emotional depth. Such a big part, and I believe the essential part, of the manga so far has been Hikaru’s personal growth and the growth of a few other characters. Even Horizon and Maelstrom mature and change throughout the story.
In short, all of 7 Billion Needles's themes crystallize in volume four. Tadano wraps everything up. There weren't a lot of questions being answered in the series so far but volume four answers most of the questions. I don't want to go into any further detail because this manga volume should be experienced firsthand.
To Tadano’s credit, he’s made me want to go and find a copy of Hal Clement’s book Needle. I want to see how many of the themes found in 7 Billion Needles were also in Clement’s story. I have a feeling that the psyche of individuals who lived during the Cold War has been transported and redefined in modern terms. Characters in 7 Billion Needles make a big deal out of being alone or not alone. To Chika, it’s so important not to be alone that she makes an attempt of absorbing every living thing into one huge entity. In the first volume it was incredibly important for Hikaru to be alone. Her isolation was so important to her it made everything else look unimportant and unworthy of her attention. There’s a fight for individuality in opposition to a fight for a society that conforms to strict standards and practices. The last two volumes bring forward themes that weren’t present in the first two that remind me of Rick Veitch’s masterful The One comic.
I’m not sure I entirely understand this feeling of wanting to be isolated but that’s ok because a story that acts as a precursor to 7 Billion Needles is included in the final volume. “Hikikomori Headphone Girl” is a short story about an experimental treatment to Hikikomori. For those who have never heard of Hikikomori (this was my first time) it’s a phenomenon that, in short, can be described as an acute form of social withdrawal that affects a surprisingly large number of Japanese teens and young adults. It’s thought by some that this isn’t the cause of other psychological problems, but can nonetheless result from one. It’s pretty complicated and something that’s widely discussed in Japan. If anything else, the inclusion of “Hikikomori Headphone Girl” helps me to understand and sympathize with the Hikaru we encounter in volume 1. It also makes the four volumes of 7 Billion Needles a complete collection that begs, and deserves, to have a place on your shelf next to you favourite science fiction stories.
May 14, 2026
I thought 7 Billion Needles Vol. 4 was okay overall. The story still has a really interesting concept, and there were a few moments that kept me invested, but it didn’t hit as hard for me as I feel it could have. The pacing felt a little uneven at times, though I still liked seeing how everything continued to unfold. Not my favorite, but still worth reading if you’ve already been following it.
August 3, 2022
For the full series:
A decent-enough Parasyte rip that actually gets a surprising, intriguing hook halfway through, then wastes it on a typical "should humans go into the big biological soup" thing.
A decent-enough Parasyte rip that actually gets a surprising, intriguing hook halfway through, then wastes it on a typical "should humans go into the big biological soup" thing.
September 20, 2018
Of course it ended how it ended. That wasn't a surprise.
January 7, 2022
I'd rate the extra story at the end 4.5 stars if possible, but the actual four volumes were a mix of just ok to good. As a whole, I did like the art, characters, and overall theme.
February 1, 2023
The ending was nice. Overall the story was 3.5 stars. The main character learns to not take things for granted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2023
4.25 rounded down
March 5, 2015
I'd heard good things before I started this series, so I had high hopes. However, I just can't seem to see what so many others have.
This series could have easily been complete in two volumes. The story wasn't anything grand, but the ending of volume two was satisfying enough. Instead, we get these two extra volumes that don't really offer much in the way of story.
I found it kind of weird that the alien beings all talked in a normal human way. Granted, I'm talking about the English translation, so the original may be slightly different, but it seemed kind of weird that these aliens used Earth speech so flippantly.
I'm really not a fan of the art. I know it's been praised, but it's just not my style. It felt to me like Tadano was trying to write a movie. There were way too many landscape shots and panels used to show movement. I prefer the manga I read to use most of its panels to move the story along. The art in 7 Billion was even worse than shoujo at times. At least in shoujo when there's a panel full of someone's face in the midst of sparkles you can get meaning and emotion from the character. The most I could get out of Tadano's landscape panels was "oh, something's moving...can't really tell how or what, though."
This series could have easily been complete in two volumes. The story wasn't anything grand, but the ending of volume two was satisfying enough. Instead, we get these two extra volumes that don't really offer much in the way of story.
I found it kind of weird that the alien beings all talked in a normal human way. Granted, I'm talking about the English translation, so the original may be slightly different, but it seemed kind of weird that these aliens used Earth speech so flippantly.
I'm really not a fan of the art. I know it's been praised, but it's just not my style. It felt to me like Tadano was trying to write a movie. There were way too many landscape shots and panels used to show movement. I prefer the manga I read to use most of its panels to move the story along. The art in 7 Billion was even worse than shoujo at times. At least in shoujo when there's a panel full of someone's face in the midst of sparkles you can get meaning and emotion from the character. The most I could get out of Tadano's landscape panels was "oh, something's moving...can't really tell how or what, though."
February 23, 2017
Some quick thoughts:
Originality
Not having read Hal Clement's work, I can't say how original Tadano's work is as an adaptation. Nonetheless, I can't recall when I've encountered these kinds of aliens, which provide food for thought.
I'm getting tired of the "gotta save your loved ones" trope. Is that a shonen requirement?
Artwork
I love Tadano's depiction of the horrible states into which people transmogrify. They leave you with a very organic, syrupy, moist feeling on your hands.
Characterization
Hikaru's supporting characters are fairly stock (the tough friend, the caring step-parents) yet believable. Even the alien personalities are not terribly complex once you get to know them. Interestingly, her childhood friend, Masaya, is more complex and his character is morally ambiguous.
Story
The narrative is well-paced and succinct--I had to go back to reread what a "subspecies" was.
Personal Notes
It's a strange mix of teenager concerns and a cursory exploration of the nature of the universe. The story, its originality and the artwork made it work for me.
I ordered Hal Clement's Needle through inter-library loan.
Originality
Not having read Hal Clement's work, I can't say how original Tadano's work is as an adaptation. Nonetheless, I can't recall when I've encountered these kinds of aliens, which provide food for thought.
I'm getting tired of the "gotta save your loved ones" trope. Is that a shonen requirement?
Artwork
I love Tadano's depiction of the horrible states into which people transmogrify. They leave you with a very organic, syrupy, moist feeling on your hands.
Characterization
Hikaru's supporting characters are fairly stock (the tough friend, the caring step-parents) yet believable. Even the alien personalities are not terribly complex once you get to know them. Interestingly, her childhood friend, Masaya, is more complex and his character is morally ambiguous.
Story
The narrative is well-paced and succinct--I had to go back to reread what a "subspecies" was.
Personal Notes
It's a strange mix of teenager concerns and a cursory exploration of the nature of the universe. The story, its originality and the artwork made it work for me.
I ordered Hal Clement's Needle through inter-library loan.
November 25, 2013
I'm split on the ending of this series. On the one hand, it's visually striking, with several highly imaginative creature mutations as the genetic havoc unfolds across the world. Even Hikaru experiences some freaky melting problems that are better seen than described.
And the book is all heart. It gets downright ridiculous with how much the global genocide is reduced to a conflict between two lonely teenagers who've just been touched by the aliens. We're eventually treated to the sentiment that evolution itself is life's way of desperately trying to escape loneliness, which is a sweet idea. It's also laughable.
That's the conundrum of the wrap-up for 7 Billion Needles. The series is unarguably striking to look at, and it digs into some rare ideas of how non-biological aliens might observe our evolution. But it's also quite cheesy and reductive, and by this volume has shed any of its genre blending in favor of big explosions and implosions of climax. There's nothing wrong with a popcorn manga; you just need to know that's what you're picking up.
And the book is all heart. It gets downright ridiculous with how much the global genocide is reduced to a conflict between two lonely teenagers who've just been touched by the aliens. We're eventually treated to the sentiment that evolution itself is life's way of desperately trying to escape loneliness, which is a sweet idea. It's also laughable.
That's the conundrum of the wrap-up for 7 Billion Needles. The series is unarguably striking to look at, and it digs into some rare ideas of how non-biological aliens might observe our evolution. But it's also quite cheesy and reductive, and by this volume has shed any of its genre blending in favor of big explosions and implosions of climax. There's nothing wrong with a popcorn manga; you just need to know that's what you're picking up.
January 24, 2017
Obviamente el contenido explícito del manga lidia con el problema de la soledad y angustia adolescente, su manifestación en circulos viciosos de autoaislamiento y reclusión (problema fundamental de la sociedad actual en Japón) y de la inherente capacidad humana de expresiòn de amor y solidaridad que será siempre capaz de sobreponerse en estos conflictos.
Todo esto, aún si el manga nos dice que para que esto pase, y la adolescente que nunca se quita sus audifonos reasimile las intrincadas nociones del contacto humano, es necesario que sea desintegrada por un meteorito y su cuerpo sea reconstruido y asimilado parasitariamente por un ente policial trans-galactico en su persecución de una fuerza de terror cosmica destructura de mundos, para despues acabar salvando al planeta solo asimilando a ambas dentro su organismo y confrontar al "Moderador", una presencia divina aún mas grande que las anteriories que en vista de la suspensión de la cacería dialectica de la otras dos fuerzas decide llevar al planeta tierra a una megaevolución.
Todo esto, aún si el manga nos dice que para que esto pase, y la adolescente que nunca se quita sus audifonos reasimile las intrincadas nociones del contacto humano, es necesario que sea desintegrada por un meteorito y su cuerpo sea reconstruido y asimilado parasitariamente por un ente policial trans-galactico en su persecución de una fuerza de terror cosmica destructura de mundos, para despues acabar salvando al planeta solo asimilando a ambas dentro su organismo y confrontar al "Moderador", una presencia divina aún mas grande que las anteriories que en vista de la suspensión de la cacería dialectica de la otras dos fuerzas decide llevar al planeta tierra a una megaevolución.
December 23, 2016
Nobuaki Tadano’s clearly demonstrated that he’s an excellent storyteller. Still, it’s very nice to know how original Tadano's work? Is it an adaptation or not? Not having read Hal Clement's Needle, I can't say that.
7 Billion Needles is proving to be a wonderful little science fiction series with a lot of heart. Good read!
My only criticism is regarding his art is the background and scenery type panels. They’re so incredibly detailed and use a lot of what can only been some sort of computerized technique. They’re nice on their own but when combined with the cleaner, gentler lines used on the characters, it’s jarring.
The story narrative is well-paced and interesting.7 Billion Needles is proving to be a wonderful little science fiction series with a lot of heart. Good read!
April 17, 2015
Overall this series gets four stars from me despite the fact that I didn't give any volume higher than three stars. The third volume was the weakest with a cliffhanger ending and some confusing speech bubbles and the sudden appearance of the subspecies, but the fourth volume managed to bring it all back together and wrap it up in a satisfying way. The first volume is by far my favorite out of the four, but I really enjoyed them all taken as a whole.
July 12, 2011
Final chapter. Good. A bit chaotic, I think I lost the thread of what was going on in some scenes, and it took me a while to remember where things had left off, but I generally liked it. Nice to see a new company with some worthwhile contributions to the manga mix, and also to see some new work from some different creators.
August 13, 2011
A satisfying end to one of the best things I've read in a long time. While the narrative is much shorter, 7 Billion Needles is easily on par with Evangelion or Akira in terms of depth and storytelling.
March 8, 2012
This book would make absolutely no sense if I hadn't read the previous three, but it does wrap those up really well. The art continues to be accessible but lovely. I, personally, like it when I can tell that a drawing is a drawing and how it was done, this wasn't over polished.
March 16, 2014
Quite an odd little series. It reminds me of Fort of Apocalypse in its grimy, extra-terrestrial content, but I also liked the addition of Hikaru's high school life, and meaningful relationships with friends, family, and her past. A quick, but good read!
January 19, 2011
Final volume. A bit of a weird ending, but satisfactory. I also liked the one-shot story at the end.
June 13, 2011
Great series.
January 6, 2013
Excellent, short series. It isn't a classic, but it's a worthy read, and this volume ends it well.
April 18, 2014
Cool series. Gets weirder as it goes on. Definitely recommended, and I want to read the original novel.
November 21, 2014
Real coherence problem at the end. I almost want to give it only one star just for that.
Short version: I'm not sure who the duck is.
Short version: I'm not sure who the duck is.
April 19, 2016
Aww, I will actually miss those jerk aliens!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews