Sunday, October 05, 2008

Eternal Sabbath



So this is Akiba-kun or Shuro from the manga Eternal Sabbath by Fuyumi Soryo. I happened upon this manga while searching online and I was instantly drawn in by both the detailed artwork and the story line.

I've included Akiba here because he fits in with the theme of the tortured soul who has little control over circumstances of his life.

Akiba was a genetic experiment, "grown" in a lab and subjected to scientific tests and upbringing. He had no family and no one he could trust, and yet, he remained a good person.

Akiba's genetic manipulation gave him some powers. He can read minds, and also alter thoughts. He is more durable and self healing than the common human and is capable of living to 200. Being able to read thoughts makes him have skewed social skills because he doesn't have to wonder what others think and go about the typical route of learning about people. Until he meets Mine, a scientist whose mind he can not read.

The nemesis in this tale is Isaac, the clone of Akiba, and one who has embraced evil. In Akiba we have one path, and in Isaac the other. This is a moral tale, a love story, and a tragedy.

It's an adult manga, not dirty, but not for kids either.

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