Immortal Regis (2006)

Immortal Regis tells the story of Jae Hyuk, a high school student struggling to take care of himself and his ailing brother. One night when Jae Hyuk's brother falls ill, our hero tries to take him to the hospital when he encounters demoness Serin, a resident of Chaos. Jae Hyuk gets killed in the battle between Serin and a random demon. This would be a short story for sure but Serin resurrects Jae Hyuk with the powers of her clan. Now an Undead, Jae Hyuk can no longer remain in the human world and is forced to travel to Chaos. While there, Jae Hyuk learns that if he can acquire the fire spirit he may be able to return home to watch over his little brother. But he'll have to contend with vicious monsters, a corrupt political system, and even the very laws of Chaos itself which are all tied to the apocalypse.

Immortal Regis is an intensely satisfying read for many reasons. The manga has layer upon layer of narrative including: myths, lineages, relationships between clans, and even science. It's difficult to discuss the finer details of the plot without spoiling some of the numerous plot twists, a few of which left this reader stunned. What starts as a simple shonen-esque tale of heroism quickly turns into something darker and more mature. Immortal Regis doesn't immediately seem like it's aiming for a piece of popularity pie, rather it emulates ancient myths to create its own and expand upon the themes and tropes therein. On top of that, the manga does a great job in leading the reader on and making one think it's going in a particular direction when a plot twist or new development within the narrative makes a hard right into something amazing.

Immortal Regis is remarkably refreshing because despite it's imaginative story and fantasy setting, the developments within this world are grounded in reality. Power dominates Chaos and it's the common end of whatever means our characters might employ. The cast is considerably more mature than what you find in other titles and they're fully aware that the tropes you see hammered in other manga such as friendship and hugs doesn't actually get things done. We see characters cutting deals, stabbing each other in the back (literally), and trying to take control of ancient powers and prophecies to fulfill their own ambition, while the people of Chaos are largely ignorant of what is actually going on behind the scenes. There is social commentary here in a way.

The characters in Immortal Regis are deep and varied. In a way it seems as though they're not characters but people placed in fantastic situations. What this means is that you have your Machiavellian types, agents of chaos, and pawns in political chess games which includes innocent people like Jae Hyuk and Serin who become guilty by associating with the wrong clans or worse yet, happening upon ancient powers which are the key to someone else's grand conspiracy. Speaking of our main characters, Immortal Regis does an amazing job of centering its plot around a pair of protagonists whereas most manga have trouble dealing with one. In a sense, Immortal Regis serves up helpings of tragedy, drama, and political intrigue in fashions Shakespeare himself would applaud.

Serin is our heroine in this story. She has all the earmarks that you'd expect of a badass. She's powerful, cunning, knowledgeable about the social and political structure of Chaos and the field of battle, but she also has a compassionate side and a very strong sense of duty. After Jae Hyuk is killed when Serin's fight with a demon got out of control, she takes it upon herself to save Jae Hyuk's life and watch over him even though she has no obligation to do so except that which she placed upon herself via her moral code.

Jae Hyuk is a complex character as well. He has the tragic flaw that you'd expect from a tragic hero but this isn't a spoiler per se. It is true that Jae Hyuk's loyalty and devotion to his younger brother is his driving force. The crux of loyalty in the world of Chaos is that it may very well get you killed, but as Jae Hyuk becomes more and more driven to return home he becomes the beneficiary of great and in some ways terrible power - power which appears to be driving him insane at certain points with his madness only being quelled by Serin's compassion. Not only that but as Jae Hyuk becomes more and more involved with the world of Chaos, he does recognize that the duty to save this world may be more important than returning home. It is that recognition of duty, how it conflicts with loyalty, and the influence of power which complicates Jae Hyuk's character and the events that stem from his decisions.

The environments of Chaos blend ancient structures sporting a mix of European and East Asian architecture alongside futuristic laboratories. Modes of transportation include dragons, horses, and carriages. There are large satellites, meticulously detailed holograms, and beautiful hanging gardens. Usually when creators try to mash so many anachronisms together it comes off as garish but in Immortal Regis the artist makes it work. From the standpoint of the character design, the characters do look oddly proportioned for the first volume but that's par for the course where manga is concerned. There is a gradual but very noticeable evolution of art which sees our characters transition from odd to being artistically breathtaking - even more so in the sequel manga Cavalier of the Abyss.

Immortal Regis is epic, beautiful, and incredibly well put together. To say it is unlike any manga out there would be a very good approximation of how different and how good it truly is. It doesn't aim to be like the big three or fit the needs of one particular audience. The aim of Immortal Regis is to weave an epic tale of complex characters set in a world of paradoxical aesthetics and it succeeds. Immortal Regis delivers in dividends and somehow, it's sequel piece actually improves upon the groundwork laid down by this manga. To say Immortal Regis is a must read is something of an understatement as it is absolutely amazing. If you've never read this title you're missing out.