Alternative Manga: Atsushi Kaneko’s ‘Search And Destroy’ Reviewed
by Tito W. James
Summary
Search and Destroy is a bold adaptation of a classic Tezuka manga that’s sure to gain a cult readership.
If this is your first encounter with alternative manga, Search and Destroy is a great place to start.
Overall
9/10
Search and Destroy by Atsushi Kaneko is a sci-fi reinterpretation of the classic manga Dororo by Osamu Tezuka. We follow a vengeful cyborg named Hyaku who hunts down members of the dystopian underworld to collect the body parts they stole from her. It is an edgy cyberpunk action thriller and a poignant allegory about a young women’s fight to reclaim her body.
The first volume showcases Hyaku’s creative kills, hints at her backstory, and set up the larger narrative for the series. Kaneko’s artwork blends the linework American underground comix with visceral cinematic action sequences. The splash pages where Hyaku slices through a pack of wolves or eviscerates the techno-organic guts from her enemies are sights to behold.
Each panel and page layout is perfectly paced to convey the atmosphere of Hayku’s dystopian world of avant garde fashion, brutalist design, and goth doll-like machines. The volume is a complete work of art with Fantagraphics slick production design complementing the overall look and feel. As a fan of Dororo and Kaneko’s punk rock attitude, I was thrilled by the manga and can’t wait for volumes 2 and 3.
Search and Destroy Vol 1 is now available from Fantagraphics.
