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Dominion: Conflict 1 - No More Noise
When crime gets tough, the law gets tougher. Crime has always been a problem in Newport, but lately it's gotten out of hand! A science-fiction police adventure with the light, comedic touch of writer/artist Masamune Shirow, creator of Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell.
117 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1997
8 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Masamune Shirow
426 books498 followersMasamune Shirow is an internationally renowned manga
Masanori Ota, better known by his pen name Masamune Shirow (Japanese: 士郎正宗), is a Japanese manga artist renowned for his influential contributions to the cyberpunk genre. Born in Kobe in 1961, he studied oil painting at Osaka University of Arts, where he developed an interest in manga. His early work Black Magic led to the critically acclaimed Appleseed, which won the 1986 Seiun Award for Best Manga. Shirow achieved global recognition with Ghost in the Shell, a groundbreaking manga that inspired multiple anime films and series, a live-action Hollywood adaptation, and numerous video games. His stories are known for blending action with philosophical inquiries into AI, post-human existence, and the ethics of technology. He has collaborated with Production I.G on projects like Ghost Hound and Real Drive. Shirow’s distinctive style and thought-provoking narratives have left a lasting impact on manga, anime, and science fiction worldwide, influencing creators including the Wachowskis of The Matrix fame.
Masanori Ota, better known by his pen name Masamune Shirow (Japanese: 士郎正宗), is a Japanese manga artist renowned for his influential contributions to the cyberpunk genre. Born in Kobe in 1961, he studied oil painting at Osaka University of Arts, where he developed an interest in manga. His early work Black Magic led to the critically acclaimed Appleseed, which won the 1986 Seiun Award for Best Manga. Shirow achieved global recognition with Ghost in the Shell, a groundbreaking manga that inspired multiple anime films and series, a live-action Hollywood adaptation, and numerous video games. His stories are known for blending action with philosophical inquiries into AI, post-human existence, and the ethics of technology. He has collaborated with Production I.G on projects like Ghost Hound and Real Drive. Shirow’s distinctive style and thought-provoking narratives have left a lasting impact on manga, anime, and science fiction worldwide, influencing creators including the Wachowskis of The Matrix fame.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 9, 2018
The Tank Police of Newport, led by Leona Ozaki, are on the trail of the Skyscraper Pirate with some new recruits in tow: The Puma Sisters!
The Afterword says that Masamune wants fans to treat Dominion: Conflict as if it happened in a parallel universe. That explains why it doesn't feel quite like the previous volume, although the Puma Sisters complicate matters.
Anyway, Leona and the Tank Police are up to their usual hijinks. There are a lot of laughs and the artwork is as good as the previous Dominion volume. While it's fun, it very much feels like an inferior rehash of the first Dominion book.
That's about all I have to say. It was a fun read and it was nice catching up with Leona, even though the first volume didn't really factor into things. I guess the best way to describe it would be "Good but unnecessary." Three out of five stars.
The Afterword says that Masamune wants fans to treat Dominion: Conflict as if it happened in a parallel universe. That explains why it doesn't feel quite like the previous volume, although the Puma Sisters complicate matters.
Anyway, Leona and the Tank Police are up to their usual hijinks. There are a lot of laughs and the artwork is as good as the previous Dominion volume. While it's fun, it very much feels like an inferior rehash of the first Dominion book.
That's about all I have to say. It was a fun read and it was nice catching up with Leona, even though the first volume didn't really factor into things. I guess the best way to describe it would be "Good but unnecessary." Three out of five stars.
August 5, 2022
8.5/10
Sixth book by Masamune Shirow read in four month. Please, somebody come save me. I am starting to dream girls riding bulbous war machines.
This book proves that Shirow was able to write perfectly intelligible comics, if he wanted. Actually, this could be Shirow's unsung masterpiece.
First and unfortunately last chapter of Dominion: Conflict (1993), this is more a reboot than a sequel to the previous series Dominion (1986), in the author's own words. Basically, the book tells a day in the life of a police precinct. Only, well, in a near future where Japanese police is equipped with tanks! And its greatest enemies are pacifist extremists and that damn government always trying to cut ammo budget to spend in the evil welfare system! The horror!
Lighthearted slapstick comedy meets procedural police action, the both supported by dense beautiful art stretching from the hyper-cartoony to the hyper-dynamic.
Shirow's trope of the 'super-competent military girl' finds its less disturbing interpretation in this comedic scenario. Deunan from Appleseed and Major Kusanagi from the Ghost in the Shell have funny personalities, but remain contradictory icons of a sort of 'feminist fascism'. Whereas the protagonist here, sergeant Leona Ozaki, is just a lovable tank geek.
This manga is basically Miyazaki - Shirow's favourite anime artist - meeting bour (right-wing?) humour. It's funny, it's stupid (with some outdated jokes in the background), but also a masterclass in comic storytelling. Chef kiss.
EDIT: Shirow's view of the world is less right-wing than his militaristic settings and his mockery of pacifism and social welfare would make you believe. Here are some quotes from rare interviews that he gave in the 90's:
Shirow on why police should not have tanks:
It goes without saying that manga are drawn for enjoyment. So of course, in the real world it's better if we don't need tanks and guns to control crime. Police aren't the same as an army. Law, social morals, all these things impact the way they can prevent and suppress crime. [...]
As an organization, the police can act only after a crime has already been committed. What are most indispensable for reducing the incidence of violent crime aren't tanks; they're loving families with plenty of quality time for each other, and an equitable and humane educational system.
Source: http://listification.blogspot.com/201...
On being in favour of social welfare:
If we do want technology to be useful for all mankind in the future, though, we'll need to do something about the growing gap between the rich and the poor. We'll probably need to create some sort of compassionate capitalism that has more social guarantees built into it, or else the worst part of capitalism-- where the strong always triumph over the weak and the income gap widens-- will just get worse. I'm not saying we should go back to socialism, just that we probably will need something in between, something with more balance.
Source: http://www.jai2.com/MSivu.htm
Always separate the art from the artist.
Sixth book by Masamune Shirow read in four month. Please, somebody come save me. I am starting to dream girls riding bulbous war machines.
This book proves that Shirow was able to write perfectly intelligible comics, if he wanted. Actually, this could be Shirow's unsung masterpiece.
First and unfortunately last chapter of Dominion: Conflict (1993), this is more a reboot than a sequel to the previous series Dominion (1986), in the author's own words. Basically, the book tells a day in the life of a police precinct. Only, well, in a near future where Japanese police is equipped with tanks! And its greatest enemies are pacifist extremists and that damn government always trying to cut ammo budget to spend in the evil welfare system! The horror!
Lighthearted slapstick comedy meets procedural police action, the both supported by dense beautiful art stretching from the hyper-cartoony to the hyper-dynamic.
Shirow's trope of the 'super-competent military girl' finds its less disturbing interpretation in this comedic scenario. Deunan from Appleseed and Major Kusanagi from the Ghost in the Shell have funny personalities, but remain contradictory icons of a sort of 'feminist fascism'. Whereas the protagonist here, sergeant Leona Ozaki, is just a lovable tank geek.
This manga is basically Miyazaki - Shirow's favourite anime artist - meeting bour (right-wing?) humour. It's funny, it's stupid (with some outdated jokes in the background), but also a masterclass in comic storytelling. Chef kiss.
EDIT: Shirow's view of the world is less right-wing than his militaristic settings and his mockery of pacifism and social welfare would make you believe. Here are some quotes from rare interviews that he gave in the 90's:
Shirow on why police should not have tanks:
It goes without saying that manga are drawn for enjoyment. So of course, in the real world it's better if we don't need tanks and guns to control crime. Police aren't the same as an army. Law, social morals, all these things impact the way they can prevent and suppress crime. [...]
As an organization, the police can act only after a crime has already been committed. What are most indispensable for reducing the incidence of violent crime aren't tanks; they're loving families with plenty of quality time for each other, and an equitable and humane educational system.
Source: http://listification.blogspot.com/201...
On being in favour of social welfare:
If we do want technology to be useful for all mankind in the future, though, we'll need to do something about the growing gap between the rich and the poor. We'll probably need to create some sort of compassionate capitalism that has more social guarantees built into it, or else the worst part of capitalism-- where the strong always triumph over the weak and the income gap widens-- will just get worse. I'm not saying we should go back to socialism, just that we probably will need something in between, something with more balance.
Source: http://www.jai2.com/MSivu.htm
Always separate the art from the artist.
July 17, 2022
3,5*
Even goofier than the previous volume but actually funnier. Shirow dropped out the over-polluted city of vol.1-which actually made ot look like Mos Esley-and gets back to a more regular urban environment which suits him way better.
The story kinda looks like Keystone cops meets 87th precinct and boy, sometimes it’s plain dumb. But it’s plain funny too-special award to hilarious Anna-with one great tank chase toward the end.
So, even if Dominion is not on par with Appleseed or GITS it’s still worth a look and Shirow’s fans just wouldn’t want to miss it.
Even goofier than the previous volume but actually funnier. Shirow dropped out the over-polluted city of vol.1-which actually made ot look like Mos Esley-and gets back to a more regular urban environment which suits him way better.
The story kinda looks like Keystone cops meets 87th precinct and boy, sometimes it’s plain dumb. But it’s plain funny too-special award to hilarious Anna-with one great tank chase toward the end.
So, even if Dominion is not on par with Appleseed or GITS it’s still worth a look and Shirow’s fans just wouldn’t want to miss it.
May 17, 2019
Rilettura. Masamune Shirow non mi dispiace ma l'affolamento di ballons in ogni pagina lo rende ostico. Ma sono io poi che detesto l'affolamento di ballon. 💬
May 25, 2020
Good short one volume manga, great art and pretty good story😁👌❤️
December 18, 2014
Simpatico :)
July 28, 2017
Pretty typical Shirow, very light hearted.
July 11, 2015
Whilst plenty has changed since the first Dominion volume (including many of the characters, with not much in the way of explanation given), Leona's fiery disposition and antics carry the story along well.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews