WaqWaq 2

Ryu Fujisaki – Viz – 2009 – 4 volumes

I liked this volume quite a bit better than the first.  Now that I knew what to look for (the machines merging with the people in order to fight), it wasn’t as confusing, and it also helped that the fight with the fire guardian was wrapped up early on, since we no longer had to puzzle through battles where robots hit people with flame appendages.  There’s a later opponent that uses a plant machine, but his battle’s a bit easier to follow visually since he attacks with either his fists or vines, plus he fights a regular-looking human most of the time.

The plot of the series is unveiled too, which also helps clear things up.  We learn what the actual purpose of Kami is, but after that she fades into the background as Shio fights the other guardians for the right to make the wish associated with the red-blooded Kami.  The series turns into a battle royale as it’s revealed that the guardians are meant to fight each other until there is only one left, with their machines cannibalizing each other whenever there is a victory between a pair.  As conventional as that plot is, it’s made a little more interesting because… well, actually, it’s about what you would expect (the guardian robots all have elemental powers, so there are also Pokemon-like strengths and weaknesses in the battles).  The art is really the only thing that distinguishes it from similar series.

I mentioned this last time, but Ryu Fujisaki is an exceptional artist, especially when it comes to character designs.  Every single person in both this and Hoshin Engi has a very funky, out-there style to them that completely sets them apart from every other character.  They usually have a pretty unique personality to go along with that, but that’s not coming through so much in WaqWaq.  The robot designs are only so-so, but I love looking at the different characters as they clash and merge with the robots.  The weird designs were working against it last volume, but now that the action scenes have calmed down, the art carries almost everything.  And it actually does a pretty good job of it, too.

The plot isn’t terrible, and now that all the confusion has been cleared up and I can enjoy the simplicity that goes along with the awesome art, reading this has become pretty fun.  I still don’t think it comes anywhere near Hoshin Engi, and from what I’ve heard, it is one of Fujisaki’s weaker series, but I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

This was a review copy provided by Viz.