Excel Saga, Vol 1 (Paperback)

Well, this is no typical manga. The protagonist Excel is dim witted and surreal. Her dog is also her emergency rations. She works for an idealogical organisation called ACROSS, and the leader of this organisation will promote inanimate objects instead of her. Her new colleague drops dead at random. And that's just the start of a very twisted story...

If you're expecting a plotline that makes a lot of sense, try something like Chobits. If you're expecting giant robots, go get some Gundam. But if you're into something a little strange, a little experimental, and worryingly addictive, get excel saga. The Manga itself is well presented, in true right to left format, and there are some good special features (such as a catalogue of sound effects and explanations of some of the more surreal moments.) But it follows the same events as the recently released Anime (based on the Manga)

And for those who know a bit about the series already: Sumiyoshi has been gifted with a Geordie accent, which worryingly fits into this surreal, enjoyable manga romp.

Now to wait for book #2 without eating my emergency dog food supply...

First off there are characters missing such as The Great Will (though the name is mentioned once), Nabeshine, Pedro & Family and The Puchus but these were in My opinion the only weakness's of the Anime and without them other characters get the spotlight such as Dr. Iwata (cousin of the other Iwata) who is criminally only breifly seen in a few episodes of the Anime along with His long suffering nurse as well as new characters making later appearences.

The plot though pretty much the same as the Anime (secret organisastion ACROSS want to conquer the city of F which here is called Fukouka) is overall much more complex with some things still falling into place and though still funny as heck is slightly darker and serious and unlike the Anime is building at a much better pace (though I guess that was never the Anime's intention) and to what looks like a much more solid conclusion with some things only mentioned in the Anime (such as Il Palazzo and Kabapu's past) looking to get a much better explenation.

But My favorite thing about the Manga is how the difference between good guy and bad guy is so blurred and has actually left Me wondering just who the good guys really are or if there are even any good guys here other then those caught in between such as Iwata and company (who all now play a much bigger role here then in the Anime and there is a totally insane twist with Iwata later in the series that left Me speechless), sure at first it's easy to say that ACROSS are the villains but as time goes by the so called good guys are probably responsable for just as much or even more damage then ACROSS but I wont go any further into detail so as not to spoil things.

In closing I must say this is a great Manga series and is well worth the money.