Veritas (2005)

And you thought Crows was BADASS!!

Set in a near future in Seoul, Korea, Veritas is centered on a delinquent named Ma Gangryong. One day when Gangryong let's his mouth and bad attitude get the better of him, he finds himself facing down a gang and a serious beating. Just when things look hopeless a mysterious man known only as Lightning Tiger shows up and defeats the gang in seconds. Gangryong learns that Lightning Tiger practices an ancient art known as Enlightenment of Thunder and Lightning (EOTL). Having witnessed these incredible feats, Gangryong jumps at the opportunity to learn such a powerful art and after much convincing, eventually persuades Lightning Tiger to take him on as his apprentice.

Badass Bookworm? Close enough.

After training for some months and becoming a proficient EOTL user himself, Gangryong is entering a high school called Reunion which is named after the mega conglomerate which owns the school and pretty much everything else in Seoul. However, before Gangryong can even pass the front gate, suits from Reunion approach Gangryong and delivers to him the charred arm of his master and inform him that Lightning Tiger is dead. Who could have killed one of the most powerful martial arts masters in the world? Is Reunion connected? And why is Reunion using a high school to gather the most skilled martial artists of this generation? Gangryong enters the school with the resolve the beat the answers out of everyone he comes across.

The gauntlet is thrown!

Veritas is set in a world of badasses where the rule of cool is definitely on display. On its own, this approach isn't all that unique but Veritas is able to shine because it constantly defies conventions when it comes to dialogue, narrative, fight scenes, and even character development. When reading the manhwa the first thing one notices about Gangryong is how dissimilar he is to shonen heroes. He has a bad attitude, he's unapologetic, he's not altruistic, and he is more of a anti-hero than anything else. Another aspect of Gangryong I found interesting is either in whole or in part, often times his character traits play on conventional virtues. For example, Gangryong believes men and women are equal  and because they're equal he's fully justified in fighting a woman with the same ferocity and ruthlessness with which he'd fight a man. While this might offend some people I found it a very interesting character trait and I thought it was very creative how these traits carried over in the story and fight scenes.

Think Gangryong won't hit a girl? I'm afraid I've got some bad news.

One of the best fight scenes in the manhwa takes places between Ma Gangryong and Eunhwa Lee and without spoiling anything it is a fierce battle to behold with Lee not trying to play on her gender and Gangryong really not caring either way. It's quite telling because not only are both fighters highly skilled, but Gangryong shows another aspect of his character through his commitment to being the Dirtiest Player in the Game. If he had powder in his track pants you can rest assured he would have used it.

When Vera ties her hair back people die.

It's a good thing our protagonist isn't afraid to Ric Flair it up if it gets him the victory because he has to contend with a student body composed of fighters just as good if not better than himself. One student in particular, Vera Linus not only stands at the apex but also serves as our primary antagonist.

Told you.

In addition to serving as the student council president, Vera is also the leader of Reunion - the group responsible for the death of Gangryong's master. Vera is quite the chessmaster, she has influence inside and outside Reunion, and is always calm in the most cold, almost mechanical fashion I've seen from an antagonist in quite some-time. Not only that but in a school full of martial arts masters from around the world no one has even attempted to challenge her supremacy in years. Yes. She is That. Damn. Bad. However, she isn't evil in a traditional sense so much as she is Machiavellian and I felt that this was a unique way to characterize Vera in lieu of making her a megalomaniac or "the victim" as we've seen in far too many titles already. It's scenarios like this and many others where Veritas makes the reader think it's going to stick to convention and then makes a left turn.

Boy meets girl? Not quite.

There is a refreshing sense of unpredictability here because there's less of a reliance on tropes and more of an emphasis on organic story telling where the narrative is driven by believable characters. Further still, it challenges our views on these characters as well. Not every pretty face is a good girl and a few of the females in this manga are outright monsters. Likewise, not everyone who looks like a bully or a jock actually is one. "Don't judge a book by its cover", while not a blatant theme in this manhwa, definitely comes across because the characters are so different from what you might expect especially if you aim to compare Veritas with other comics out there.

Boy meets drunk girl? Not on Gangryong's watch!

Because Veritas doesn't stick to convention there is a lot of suspense in many of the scenes - more so than many titles in the marital arts genre where tension is usually only present in fight scenes. Sometimes two characters might share verbal jabs and things erupt into a violent fist fight. Other times characters who have had as much as they can stand of each other just come to blows and level the parking lot. Then there are those times where characters only exchange thinly veiled threats and you just know things are going to get dire in the very near future.

That one-time the call should've gone to voicemail.

Veritas's commitment to defying convention also comes across in its intense martial arts battles. This isn't one of those comics where the main character is always going to win because he's the MC. Veritas is a little more complicated than that partially because while many of the martial feats in the manhwa are outlandish there is some believable logic behind the ebb and flow of many battles. Ma Gangryong picks up on techniques quickly, he's a combat genius, and he's a really dirty fighter, but a guy who just started practicing martial arts a short time ago isn't going to best fighters who have been training since they were children simply because he's the protagonist.

Fire Dragon vs Ma Gangryong! Hypefest 2005!

Unlike other titles, winners and losers aren't a foregone conclusion in Veritas and that is what makes the fights intensely satisfying no matter who wins or loses because you simply don't know. Maybe Gangryong enters a battle with a clear cut advantage and takes an L out of nowhere. Maybe he goes up against someone who completely outclasses him and pulls out a win. You never know until the battle is over and that is what's so refreshing about the fights in this manhwa. Other pros of these battles is that while Gangryong is the main character he's not the only student who has a bone to pick with Reunion.

Stand Alone Complex pose.

Other characters have their own issues with Reunion, Vera, the other students on the council, or the school system as a whole. I won't go into everyone's back story but for some the reasons involve bringing down the entire conglomerate while for others revenge is motivation enough. And then there are those characters who keep their cards to the chest and no one knows what their true motives are. Just as these characters have their own motivations for entering Reunion, and fighting against Reunion, they also have their own fighting styles to boot. Sure you have your fragile speedsters, your powerhouses, and so on but there are also fighters who use techniques you wouldn't expect judging from their appearance. The outcome of many battles in Veritas are decided based on factors such as experience, real-time strategy, and unpredictability, and rarely does one move guarantee a victory.

"Let's watch this city burn, from the skylines on top of the world".

For the negative aspects of the manga, some demographics might be put-off by some of the suggestive themes. Fanservice consists of some female characters wearing really short skirts or shirts with low necklines which for me wasn't a big deal as there are many shonen titles which show off a lot more skin than you see in Veritas, but I felt I should mention it for certain audiences.

"We'll show those punks from Cromartie what happens when you mess with Bass High".

Veritas is a martial arts manhwa filled to the brim with BADASSITUDE. From the fight scenes, to the dialogue, and character interaction it's a title overflowing with style but it also has a great deal of substance too. The plot gets deeper and deeper as the chapter progresses but it never crosses that line where a comic can go from believable to absurd. It has a large cast of characters and while not everyone gets as much development as Gangryong, you do learn a lot about them. The art style is very eye-catching, the battles are surprising and even unconventional at times, and while the manga is fairly serious there's some comedy involved too - usually when Gangryong is doing what he does best. This is definitely one of the best martial arts comics I've ever read and it was Veritas that got me into The Breaker. This manhwa gets a very high recommendation. Fun stuff.

Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (2004 - 2005)

Let the die be cast.

Written by Natsuko Takahashi and Tomohiro Yamashita, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is an anime loosely based on the classic French novel  "Le Comte de Monte-Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas. This science fiction themed retelling opens on Luna which is enjoying a carnival. Two childhood friends, Viscount Albert de Morcerf and Baron Franz d'Épinay, are taking part in the festivities and endeavor to close their evening with a trip to the opera. While there, Albert catches a glimpse of the enigmatic Count of Monte Cristo, a charismatic figure who is the talk of the town and the focal point of many rumors. Some say he isn't actually a count but a ruffian who made it big in outer space, others say he's a conman, some say he's an alien, and there are even talks that he's a vampire or worse yet, something which is neither man nor beast. These rumors and the protests from Franz does little to deter Albert from trying to befriend the Count and when a messenger from the Count himself appeals to Albert for a meeting all seems to be going better than expected. However, it soon becomes apparent that Albert is a pawn in the Count's game of deception, ruin, and revenge.

Let the games begin.

Gankutsuou is quite different from most anime out there. First it's not based on a manga, game, or visual novel, but rather a French novel. The anime is also quite a ways more mature than many anime out there as it mainly emphasizes drama, social and political intrigue, and a fair amount of reflection on how people judge themselves and those who are different from them, as well as dealing with the demons from ones past, and the lengths men will go to for greed, power, and revenge. While it's not exactly action packed it's certainly quite sophisticated and it steps outside the box by centering much of the narrative around a villain protagonist.

The Count contemplates why it's hard being a pimp.

As anyone familiar with the novel is aware, the Count is not a good person. He isn't above using any means to achieve a certain end, whether the means in question include money, influence, or people. And he's not above destroying families if it means fulfilling his objective. Simply put, if the Count is out for revenge he's going to get it. What's especially interesting is how the Count takes revenge on those who have wronged him, often times by using the very things they cherish most to take everything away from them. Also of note is that the Count isn't comically or flamboyantly evil. He's affable, soft spoken, and far more refined than many of the characters who hail from high society. His outer character hides his villainous intent so well even the viewer will find themselves doubting whether or not he's one of the bad guys. Unlike many villains in anime who have cliche reasons behind their heel turn or some Freudian complex behind their villainy, the Count has a very striking background and one heck of a good reason for a heel turn if I ever saw one. I won't spoil it but I will say I found the Count very easy to relate to given his past, but I can't say I felt any similar connection to the other characters.

Franz (left) and Albert (right) The Ambiguously Bland Duo

Albert is the other main character in this anime and at the same-time he's also one of the larger detractors from the story. Albert's character arc is a coming of age story and while that is a fitting position for him to be in on the other side of the coin, Albert seems to only serve to test the viewer's patience. He's very naive in the ways of the world and human nature and while a certain level of ignorance among society's upper crust is to be expected, one would never think Albert could be this unwise in the ways of the world given how much he travels and how often he parties. We start to understand why this is as Albert is the type who seems to be unable to learn many of life's lessons. For example, Albert gets kidnapped on Luna because he wanted to have a fling with a girl who had "easy" and "trouble" written all over her. After Albert is rescued and Franz advises them to leave Luna, Albert protests because he already made plans to make a second attempt at a fling with the same girl. Eventually, Albert does start to show some signs of maturity but the anime is roughly three-quarters over by the time that happens and it was far too late for Albert to enter my good graces after he had fallen out by the fifth episode.

Franz is there to balance out Albert's immaturity but he doesn't do this by being wiser or more learned in the ways of the world, rather he is simply more prejudice in nature than Albert. In essence Franz doesn't assert himself as a better person but is at the opposite extreme of Albert's disposition towards others. Whereas Albert will trust anyone and befriend anyone naive though it is, Franz does not trust anyone different from him and if an individual is outside Franz's social class he regards them with prejudice and outright disdain given his interactions with the Count. Long before it becomes apparent that the Count is a villainous sort, Franz clearly disliked him because the Count was different from him. Albert actually called Franz out for this. Our heroine isn't exactly endearing either.

If Eugenie was your fiancee you wouldn't want to marry her either.

At the risk of exciting the feminist crowd I'm going to be blunt and say Eugenie's character is defined entirely by her mood swings and I'm just as upset as you are. When we first meet Eugenie she's yelling at Albert and deriding him for being friends with someone outside their class i.e. the Count who she wrote off as a conman before she even met him. And then when Albert points out that she shouldn't judge someone without knowing them (rightfully so Albert), Eugenie calls Albert naive. And while it's true he is, she labels him this only to justify her own prejudice of the Count which is quite a despicable character trait to have. When Albert ignores her she gets angry and acts passive-aggressive and when Albert does respond to her taunts she regards him as a child. While she could have the classic dog syndrome (she bites him because she likes him) it doesn't come across that way as Albert seems to be infuriated by her behavior and finds her less endearing than the viewer does.

Still a better love story than Twilight.

When Eugenie and Albert do fall in love with one another it not only comes from left field but one wonders from where did these emotions magically come about. I've seen this anime more than a few times and I still don't see how these characters got together outside the fact that they had to because the narrative says so. When Eugenie's father ends her engagement with Albert and Eugenie is outraged, her own father asks, "Why are you upset? You didn't want to marry Albert in the first place." Eugenie counters with a solid "You don't understand at all" and it's just left laying there. Now with all these characters I can only tolerate you'd think I wouldn't have too many good things to say, but much like the novel Gankutsuou succeeds at building a striking drama because even though not all the characters are endearing, the cast is rather large and there is so much suspense, backstabbing, and intrigue that kept me riveted especially because the characters are affected in different ways by the developments within the story.

Money In the Bank

As mentioned before the Count will often use a person's most cherish possession to destroy them but the action thereof and the result therefrom will affect a character in different ways. Baron Jullian Danglars for example often has his mind on his money and his money on his mind. When the Count targets his financial well-being it remains Baron Danglars sole focus, eventually becoming his obsession and his actions to hold onto as much of his wealth as possible causes him to not only neglect his family but take actions which actually bring his family to ruin.

Chaos is fair.

Eyes honed on revenge rarely see anything else and the Count is not above harming even the people who love him if it means bringing about the downfall of his enemies. I feel that this pathology is fascinating because not only is it very telling of the type of person the Count is, but it also gives the drama weight and leads the viewer to ask what could this character have possibly endured to make him go so far. The actions of the Count affects so many characters, building a believable drama that kept me watching. While the dialogue between some characters can sound melodramatic at times the script is solid overall with some very powerful lines delivered by the Count in particular.

Gankutsuou: King of the Caverns

"I am no longer alone in abject solitude. For I am surrounded by the Furies, the goddesses of vengeance. In the darkness, I awaited the dawn. And once dawn came, I cursed my flesh until night fell once more. I even prayed that I would lose my sanity. But those prayers went unheeded. I strove for death, but the Devil’s cold, pitiless hand held me back".

The score is impeccable, featuring several classical pieces as well as some which have been altered for the anime. Additional music has been provided by Jean-Jacques Burnel of English punk rock band The Stranglers. It doesn't sound at all out of place and it fits the setting really well. The animation itself is absolutely stellar which has numerous jaw-dropping backgrounds and some unique character designs. According to Wikipiedia: "Gankutsuou's unusual visual style layers Photoshop textures into digital animation, with backgrounds often rendered in 3D."

The Count and Haydee

Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo won't appeal to everyone. As previously mentioned the anime has little in the way of action as it's almost entirely dedicated to drama. There are a few violent encounters between various characters but if you're expecting action in a traditional sense you won't find it here. Also, how the Count comes into possession of an nigh endless number of resources to destroy his enemies is a bit perplexing as it's never explained. The futuristic science fiction setting may also be a turn off for traditionalists who enjoyed the original novel. I'm a traditionalist myself but I still found this anime very satisfying because even though liberties were taken the drama remains authentic. Brilliant performances from the Count's Japanese and English voice actors kept me hanging on his every word. While I didn't care for all the characters, the soap opera esque content of the anime made me invest my full attention into this series. A mature anime for a sophisticated audience, I thoroughly enjoyed this take on a classic novel.

Otoyomegatari (2008 - Ongoing)

Amira and Karluk

Written by famed mangaka Mori Kaoru, and published by Enterbrain in Japan and Yen Press in the United States, Otoyomegatari (A Bride's Tale) is a historical fiction/slice of life manga. Taking place during the late 19th Century and set in Turkic Central Asia, it follows the story of a young woman named Amira Hergal who is married off to a suitor named Karluk Ayhan as is the custom. Much to Amira's surprise however, her suitor is eight years younger than her. This unique irony is not lost on her or any of the other characters for that matter, but the two try to make the best of it. All is well until Amira's family shows up some months later and seek to end the arrangement with Karluk's family and marry Amira off to another tribal head who while possessing sizable land and military power, was also responsible for the deaths of his two previous wives who were also Amira's older sisters. When Amira's complete shock and utter terror isn't enough to deter her father's wishes, the breach in cultural norms turns into a full-blown tribal war.

Y'know how it is when your husband is a kid.

This might seem like something of a spoiler for a major plot point and while this conundrum becomes a focal point of the story there are events before and after the tribal war which not only focus on Amira and Karluk but other characters as well. Kaoru shows off her writing chops in building the main story and developing peripheral characters in addition to telling their stories as well.

Amira at home.

What is amazing about Kaoru's writing is that she is able to capture the beauty and significance in what might seem like the most mundane aspects of life but nothing here is trivial. She clearly did a great deal of research into the living habits and culture of 19th Century Turkish people and that comes across in nearly every panel in each chapter and is further accentuated by the characters personalities and habits across various tales. 

"All the power in the world resides in the eyes."

This is a "slice of life" manga which means that a lot of the narrative revolves around everyday things from family gatherings, to trips to the city, and hunting. This is important to note because these details also play a role in character development. We learn early on that Amira comes from a tribe of nomads and given their lifestyle hunting plays a major role in their survival. Even among her clansmen Amira is considered one of the best; excelling in tracking, archery, and horsemanship. On the other hand Karluk's tribe are pastoral in nature whose hunting techniques have been lost for at least three generations. There is a believable sense of amazement here not because Amira is a woman but because she not only knows "the old ways" but she excels at them. 

Amira is the best at what she does.

Amira is a great female lead in part because Kaoru never makes a big deal about how strong she is and how independent she is and omg look you guys she is so cool. In essence, Amira's role as a powerful female lead is a natural exploration of a nomadic woman from this time. In addition to being skilled at hunting, tracking, and horseback riding, she also knows her way around a fight and even her older brother who is an exceptional warrior acknowledges her. She isn't a superhero or the stalwart icon of anyone's particular agenda but a human character serving as a natural representation of the lifestyle and the times. At her core she's a badass normal character with personality and that is what makes her so appealing.

There will be blood.

All of the women in the manga are outspoken which in addition to being historically accurate also breaks down the western stereotype that outspoken women is somehow new. This is clearly seen in a thought-provoking and humorous exchange between the men and women of Karluk's clan when they argue about how Karluk and Amira should act towards each other, with neither of them being able to say anything. Karluk on account of not quite being a man and therefore having no say while Amira still being new to the family and not knowing quite what to say. While I'm tempted to go on about Amira for another three paragraphs (because she is cool she is badass and omg look you guys one of my favorite characters) she's not the only character explored in this title.

Prepare for trouble. Make that double.

This slice of life title doesn't just take slices out of Karluk's and Amira's life but the lives of several other characters as well. One of the side-stories involve two girls trying to find wealthy husbands so as to ease the financial strain on their family. What's funny is that the twins take off their head-coverings when they spot a man they want (because only a husband is allowed to see their wife's uncovered head) and try to use that as a ploy to force him into marriage. This never works and a fair share of the men they run into seem to pick up on the game right away. This doesn't stop them from trying it however. 

Beautiful but frail.

Another side story revolves around a young woman named Talas who is living with her mother-in-law without her husband. This detail is very telling of her compassionate nature because in this culture it is unusual for a woman to not return home after her husband has died. However, Talas's mother-in-law is very old and frail and Talas refuses to leave her on account of wanting to take care of her. This is reminiscent of Naomi and Ruth from The Bible. Some further intrigue comes into play when Henry Smith (a close friend of Karluk's family) runs into the mother and daughter on one of his trips and stays with them for awhile. Henry and Talas soon fall in love with each other much to the approval of Talas's mother-in-law who wants Talas to move on and find happiness.

Azel The Fang

Amira's older brother Azel also gets some character development as well. When the tribes are on the brink of war Azel gets a lot more panel time and we quickly learn he's a calculated and resourceful sort. While he's as fierce as the wolves his tribe is most often associated with, we also learn that in his innermost depths is a great deal of loyalty and devotion to duty. It's a character trait that is tested by fire when he must choose between his sister and his tribe. What's great about character development like Azel's is that it is reflective of the overall approach to this title and that's the emphasis on character interaction.

Azel is not impressed.

Otoyomegatari doesn't just go from one event to another but it focuses on how characters interact and associate with one another. One example includes Azel's interactions with his cousins when talking about the upcoming war and a lot is learned about Azel and his cousins based on how they discuss dealing with this problem. I also like the interaction between Henry Smith and Karluk's family. Henry has been staying with the family for months and apart from calling him Mr. Smith he is seen as a very close friend - if not another member of the family despite the fact that he's a westerner. We're not "told" the family gets along with him rather we see how the characters interact with one another at meal time and discussing everyday activities. One of the scenes I found most telling is when the patriarch is planning to purchase some things from the city and everyone including Mr. Smith starts making request with the only protest being the patriarch is buying everyone what they need and not what they want. Never is Mr. Smith excluded because he is a foreigner which is very telling of the inclusive nature of many tribes.

Just the tip of the iceberg where detail is concerned.

Kaoru isn't just a brilliant writer she's also an amazing artist as these panels have no doubt shown already. The amount of detail she puts into drawing characters eyes and even the position of their fingers in certain acitivities carries over into how she draws the environments and objects like cookware, weapons, rugs, and clothing. This manga is clearly drawn by someone who has both respect and admiration for the culture she is writing about which is outside the norm for most mangaka.

It's going down.

In addition to being a slice of life manga Otoyomegatari is also seinen. That means it has mature content but to a lesser degree than other seinen titles. There is violence but no gore to speak of and barely any blood. There is nudity but it's rare and where it is present it is done tastefully - typically when a character is bathing which makes the most sense. The mature content of the title largely comes in the form of these being characters with real problems. No one is trying to save the world or become hokage but characters are trying to live in politically and culturally turbulent times. Some aim to embrace the new ways while others prefer to stick to the old.

Thinking of home keeps Amira up at night.

With all this in mind Otoyomegatari is a fantastic read for someone looking for something different. It has great characters, a lot of touching moments, and even some humor and tragedy as well. And when the fighting does start Kaoru isn't afraid to let tensions run high, but she also has the integrity to know when to end a subplot and progress story. It's not for the culturally insensitive however as some of the practices explored here (marrying women off for x-reasons) are foreign to us but natural to the culture the manga is focused on. If you're willing to step out of your comfort zone you'll find a great story here that doesn't disappoint.