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Missing Road
An epic sci-fi adventure of love, loss and redemption. Three men work against time and a corrupt society to re-animate a dead planet.
In an elite mercenary force comprised of convicted criminals, Leo Bride struggles to protect his comrades, both from their enemies and the system itself.
In an elite mercenary force comprised of convicted criminals, Leo Bride struggles to protect his comrades, both from their enemies and the system itself.
200 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 19, 2018
I've recently become a big fan of this mangaka, but I have mixed feelings on this title. I've come to expect intricate, original plots full of twists you never see coming, which is something I love about this author, and her art is perfection. The uke in this book looks exactly like the uke from her manga "Junk," though, and this guy was a lot less likable...though his past is so tragic you can't help but feel a little bad for him.
What I didn't like about this book were the multiple rape scenes (pretty much every love scene in the book is actually a rape, at one point with a foreign object) and the fact that it doesn't end happily. I like dark stories but this one pushed the limit a bit for me.
What I didn't like about this book were the multiple rape scenes (pretty much every love scene in the book is actually a rape, at one point with a foreign object) and the fact that it doesn't end happily. I like dark stories but this one pushed the limit a bit for me.
July 10, 2022
Let me just pick my jaw up off the floor for a minute! I had no clue what this manga was about I quickly learned that it's a military futuristic kind of sci-fi story. What blew my mind was the amount of triggers in the single volume. It was just one terrible thing happening after another the torment increased as you read further on. There is nothing feel good about this , I would not classify this at all as anything romantic.
April 4, 2021
While the basic premise had potential and the art was pretty good, overall this was just too chaotic and underdeveloped to ever connect with, let alone understand.
October 10, 2016
Review originally posted at mangaupdates.com in January, 2011.
The phenomenal news is that DramaQueen has been reborn and her quality is once again lushly, sensuously beautiful. She's one of the most stunning English-language publishers in terms of quality: the sfx are all translated and flow with the graphics; the pages are crisp, white and blacks are toned sharply; and --most wonderful of all-- when she censors, she tells you in the credits on the last page where and why. I can just feel the honour and respect that DQ has for the art of manga, and the specific mangaka herself. So much love-love for DQ; all financial woes and imperfect business-customer decisions are forgiven. *sweep, sweep*
The other joyful trumpet blast is that there are three awesome things about this specific book DQ has chosen: one, the art is bishounen beautiful, all realistic, delicately-lined, Renaissance perfection; two, there are a few scenes that gave me an emotionally strong feeling; and finally, the wonder-ful way Leo's dreams flowed together into Iron Rose and AL's memories--that, my friends, was brilliant and unforgettable.
And that's where it ends. Missing Road should be retitled Missing Link.
What am I talking about? That would be the entire, overall, FRUSTRATING story plotting. Keep the story, Sakurai-sensei, just rethink it's delivery. Were you in a rush? Or maybe comedy is just more your forte, with less reliance on strong character development.
The story itself is amazing; it's creative, interesting, and meaningful. The story of all three characters made me want to know more about them; they all have such potential for compelling impact with the reader. Notice: Potential. It's the deliver that falls apart completely. And because of this very want, so much greater is the disappointment.
The plotting is like an abreviation of an abbreviation, and all I'm left with is a broken glimpse into Sakurai-sensei's mind that makes no believable human sense because too many leaps have been made by her in her private mind, and I can't follow her connections.
The emotions and relationships all ultimately fell very, very flat. (Seriously, this book could have had character development for at least a four-volume series.) And the ending? Cliche extrodinarre. Not in a good way. I literally rolled my eyes.
Happily, because I'm an academic manga lover, I'd buy it again. (That is, I spend endless enjoyable hours studying why and how a mangaka fails to, or succeeds in, making me get a good solid punch to the head and/or gut). But, I certainly do not recommend this book for simple leisure reading due to it's exceedingly jarring delivery of what otherwise could have been a great story. (Also, a small note on the hardcore violence and dark, harsh human cruelty within this story: these scenes could have made this story incredibly strong. Some of the most memorable and extremely compelling stories EVER are made up of these shocking elements as long as they have motive, sensitive plotting and an eucatastrophe... But they fail to work as an overall story in this manga.)
Although, it certainly is a sensual delight to hold the tangible beauty of DQ in your hands...
The phenomenal news is that DramaQueen has been reborn and her quality is once again lushly, sensuously beautiful. She's one of the most stunning English-language publishers in terms of quality: the sfx are all translated and flow with the graphics; the pages are crisp, white and blacks are toned sharply; and --most wonderful of all-- when she censors, she tells you in the credits on the last page where and why. I can just feel the honour and respect that DQ has for the art of manga, and the specific mangaka herself. So much love-love for DQ; all financial woes and imperfect business-customer decisions are forgiven. *sweep, sweep*
The other joyful trumpet blast is that there are three awesome things about this specific book DQ has chosen: one, the art is bishounen beautiful, all realistic, delicately-lined, Renaissance perfection; two, there are a few scenes that gave me an emotionally strong feeling; and finally, the wonder-ful way Leo's dreams flowed together into Iron Rose and AL's memories--that, my friends, was brilliant and unforgettable.
And that's where it ends. Missing Road should be retitled Missing Link.
What am I talking about? That would be the entire, overall, FRUSTRATING story plotting. Keep the story, Sakurai-sensei, just rethink it's delivery. Were you in a rush? Or maybe comedy is just more your forte, with less reliance on strong character development.
The story itself is amazing; it's creative, interesting, and meaningful. The story of all three characters made me want to know more about them; they all have such potential for compelling impact with the reader. Notice: Potential. It's the deliver that falls apart completely. And because of this very want, so much greater is the disappointment.
The plotting is like an abreviation of an abbreviation, and all I'm left with is a broken glimpse into Sakurai-sensei's mind that makes no believable human sense because too many leaps have been made by her in her private mind, and I can't follow her connections.
The emotions and relationships all ultimately fell very, very flat. (Seriously, this book could have had character development for at least a four-volume series.) And the ending? Cliche extrodinarre. Not in a good way. I literally rolled my eyes.
Happily, because I'm an academic manga lover, I'd buy it again. (That is, I spend endless enjoyable hours studying why and how a mangaka fails to, or succeeds in, making me get a good solid punch to the head and/or gut). But, I certainly do not recommend this book for simple leisure reading due to it's exceedingly jarring delivery of what otherwise could have been a great story. (Also, a small note on the hardcore violence and dark, harsh human cruelty within this story: these scenes could have made this story incredibly strong. Some of the most memorable and extremely compelling stories EVER are made up of these shocking elements as long as they have motive, sensitive plotting and an eucatastrophe... But they fail to work as an overall story in this manga.)
Although, it certainly is a sensual delight to hold the tangible beauty of DQ in your hands...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2017
I wanted to like it so bad, despite the iffy information I've seen on it. I think this could have made a good series if expanded upon and the basic plot would have been really interesting. I didn't like the confusing interpersonal relationships and mood swings between characters, let along the lack of development. Super disappointed.
May 15, 2011
It's a good manga but too depressing for me; not even the ending made me feel better. There's double crossing, death, rape and violence-and rape themed novels aren't something I enjoy-they just make me sad.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews