Year of Release: 2000-2013
Status: Complete
Story: Hiroya Oku
Artwork: Hiroya Oku
Gantz was a first for me. I had never encountered a manga quite like this one before. Well, that's a lie and we both know it. I had seen one previously that was similar. That one was Berserk, and that was quite a bit different because it was more of a spiritual/supernatural based story involving demons, rather than sci-fi based, as Gantz is. I was ultimately confused when reading it, however. Similar to the style of the manga Rosario + Vampire, and it's sequel series Rosario + Vampire 2, or the manhwa Trace and it's sequel series Trace 2.0, Gantz had split the manga into two seasons, the latter half being called Gantz 2.0. I couldn't really wrap my head around why they wouldn't just continue to call it Gantz and why the 2.0 on the end was necessary. It makes sense for the anime adaptation, because it's in two seasons, but the manga...?
Gantz is a story that revolves around two highschoolers, Kei Kurono and his estranged elementary school friend Masaru Kato, who get hit by a subway train on the way to school in an attempt to help a drunk guy that fell on the train tracks (because everyone is drunk at 7am in Japan). Instead of dying, though, they find themselves in a strange apartment with others they've never met before, all who have a similar "I was going to die, but then I found myself here" story. This black ball sits in the apartment with them, and it informs them via text interface that they will have a chance to return to their former lives if they can kill enough aliens to reach 100 points on a point-based system. But there's a time limit, and it's not as easy as it sounds. Also, nobody from outside the room can see them or their prey, and their prey can fight back.
Lots of death, lots of gore, some nudity, lots of crying kids, lots of aliens, big fucking guns, lots of spaceships, lots more guns, Sephiroth-style katanas, stealth cloaking devices, DINOSAURS!!!! You get the point. Definitely one of the more action packed series I've read recently. Worth reading, but only if you have the time to invest in reading, because it's a pretty long series.
Regardless, Gantz is a well done series. While the artist's drawing style isn't exactly in my top preferences for reading material, I trooped on and was rewarded for it in the end. There are times when it seems like the series just won't fucking end and I came close to just putting it down and never picking it up again, but somehow I made it through. One thing to note about it is that it received quite a bit of attention and criticism over the sexual content and violence within the pages of this rather unassuming looking series. But that's why you don't judge a book by it's cover. Unless it's a Harlequin Romance Novel.
You can learn more about Gantz here. Additionally, as previously mentioned, there is an anime adaptation of the series that spans 2 seasons. I have not seen it myself, so I cannot comment at this time. If I do watch it, rest assured that I will put a review up under the Anime Reviews section.
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