MANGA REVIEW | "RADIANT" - Volume Sixteen
Shonen manga lesson number forty-two: if the main hero is in prison, they’ll no doubt break out or be released sooner or later. With Seth now caught by the Inquisition, one must know that there’s always a reason for a protagonist’s capture. Sometimes it’s to grow or evolve, or perhaps it’ll mean some vital information will be revealed. In the sixteenth volume of RADIANT, Seth is itching to escape, but the right moment needs to arrive. And yes, it certainly does.
But as he sits in his cell, the other key players are still on the move. Doc is stuck in school, as he winds up befriending the prince of BĂ´me. MĂ©lie, still mentally broken, is caught by some Domitors, with Ocoho and her friends aiming to rescue her. Meanwhile, Dragunov digs his own grave when he reveals to Torque that it was he who killed Conrad. Fortunately, Grimm is nearby, and serves as the man piecing the whole puzzle together.
What Volume Sixteen is in RADIANT is the final setup to what will go down in Bôme. The key players are all in close range of one another, and it’ll take one of them to get the reunion started. Well…make that two people, as both Grimm and Piodon set their sights on getting Seth out of prison. They could hypothetically team up, but why bother when Grimm’s now got Dragunov as a plaything!
Much of what occurs in these chapters is one plan calculation after the next. To escape from the Inquisition, they’ll need to work with the Domitors. Working with the Domitors requires giving them something they want. Breaking Seth from prison will not only give them what they want, but also a key to fighting the Inquisition once and for all. And to finally get to that point, Seth’s gotta plant a seed and let it grow for a bit.
There’s a great chat between Seth and Myr that occurs, as the Imp spouts the responsibilities of having Jill’s power. With it being one that can create life, it’d be be wrong and misguided to use it to snuff it out. Thus, Seth must wait in his cell, awaiting that perfect opening that can get him free whilst keeping the other prisons safe from his power. It's a moment that shows that even heroes need patience to seek victory, even if its wait is excruciating.
But time is of the essence, with the clock ticking down towards Seth’s execution. Thankfully, a visitor or two show up at the prison’s front door. With a single command, the chaos begins! As for how Seth finds his freedom, his plan comes to fruition in a way that takes even Grimm by surprise!
With all of this happening, the reunion between all of the key players of RADIANT seems imminent. Although its sixteenth volume has some exciting moments (especially from Dragunov!), much that occurs here is the planning stages for what’s about to go down. Bôme, the Inquisition, the Domitors, and our heroes look ready to go head-on into one massive fight for survival. Still, one question remains: will it all go down differently than it did in Rumble Town? Or do those with power never learn from history’s past mistakes?
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt and Mandy Earles of VIZ Media.
