MANGA REVIEW | "Choujin X" - Volume Eight
Tokio, Ely, and Azuma are now neck-deep in a mission to destroy any opium in Japan, a key drug that keeps the enemy Holy Mother Zora going. To do that, they first have to take down the zombie maker Palmer, whose choujin powers are a lot wilder than enemies past. It’s a good thing the seventh volume of Choujin X gave readers a breather, because its eighth volume just jumps head-first into battle. And what a battle it is!
Palmer’s choujin matches with the hyena, what with its similar claws and fur pattern. When in battle mode, she becomes a formidable opponent for the Yamato Mori. Their hands are full already with this mission, one that seems destined to go past the two-week limit that was passed down. However, Tokio has a hunch that taking down Palmer will cut their search time down, a good thing considering the mission began well over a week ago.
But there are challenges afoot. For one thing, there are a plethora of corpses that are in Palmer’s control. Then there’s Palmer herself, as she seems to cry for help deep within her mind. It’s that cry that pushes Tokio to save her rather than outright destroy her. After all, Tokio’s the kind of guy who’d never turn down a rescue call, no matter how dangerous.
Tokio’s one-on-one battle with Palmer is impressive to look at. There are both physical and mental battles in play, with Palmer’s external self conflicting with her true inner emotions. This is a woman who’s more than a villain than a victim, no thanks to the Noh mask-wearing Batista and his desires. As such, Tokio’s need to save Palmer is certainly the right call, even if she’s a handful to deal with initially.
Thankfully, Azuma and Ely are there to help. At first, Azuma’s tactics wind up going against Tokio’s strategy, something that angers him. But when Azuma recognizes the girl behind the choujin, he pulls back and decides to collaborate with Tokio in the fight. As they face Palmer, Ely deals with the corpses, of which she uses her powers in a truly badass fashion.
From there, Choujin X finishes the battle, and Palmer is in Yamato Mori’s possession. Some grilling and cooldowns occur, but the opium threat is still out there. Even Batista is pulling some new strings, as his quest to find a way to reawaken a choujin’s lost powers has him seeking old comrades. Of course, the formula hasn’t been perfected yet, resulting in one of the most delightfully gruesome explosions from a familiar foe.
However, things have been heating up between Tokio and Azuma. Even Ely has had it up to here with their distancing, to the point where she literally becomes a hothead. The two finally talk things over, and by that, I mean they beat the living shit out of each other in a fight that’s both hilarious and filled with heart. And it’s a good thing they buried the hatchet, as the next big lead has finally come in.
Volume Eight of Choujin X concludes right when Yamato Mori finds that lead. It doesn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger, but it does give a hint of what’s to come next. A two-sword-wielding beast of a man emerges from the shadows, with skills that would make any choujin sweat like it’s a heat wave. Who is this guy? I have no idea, but it feels like another really kick-ass fight is about to happen!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
