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Saturday, May 31, 2014

Triage X Volume 6 Review



Yes, readers, I am alive. Since my last review got a good response, so here's my review of Triage X Volume 6.

First I want to take the time to commend Yen Press for bringing such an excellent product to English-speaking manga readers around the world. Their books have been getting better and better, and in my opinion the quality of their releases has far surpassed most other publishers and most scanlations and is at least on the same level as the best. This volume is no exception.

You can see all of the great manga Yen Press has to offer on Amazon.


First off, we get a lovely pullout color spread of Mikoto, holding a...er...mushroom. The reverse side of this is a bath scene illustration that's a couple years old now.


This volume begins right in the middle of the action, during the NEO TV terrorist crisis that started in Volume 5. Oriha is trying to deal with the terrorists from within while Mikoto and Arashi are on their way to help. The last volume was mostly slow-paced, giving the setup story for future chapters. This one, on the other hand, is all action from start to finish.


If you got into this series for the pure nonstop action, then you will enjoy this volume much more than the last one. I liked the plot progression we got in Volume 5, but this one is a return to Shouji Sato's developing style of giving plot amidst the action, in a manner somewhat reminiscent of the highly-acclaimed Akira. I think Shouji is improving as a storyteller, and we are finally going to see a richer story as a result, one that doesn't rely on meaningless violence and doesn't lull into half-baked back story.

In other words, there's plenty of action, but this is not just a mindless action manga anymore.


Of course this is Inazuma-sensei we're dealing with here, so there's no shortage of mindless fanservice. But even this ecchi-heavy scene has a purpose (unlike the famous HOTD bath scene) as it helps characterize one of the major antagonists going forward.

In fact, despite the high level of action I've mentioned, this volume does take time to move the plot and introduce this arc's major antagonists. It seems the new drug we got a glimpse of in the last arc is making a return, and this time the people controlling it may be more than our favorite assassins can handle. This volume ends on an uncertain note, so we'll have to wait a few months to find out just how dire the situation is. (If you kept up with my raws, you may already know how it goes, at least for another volume or two).

Some of you may still be asking, "Should I buy this volume?" Well...


I mentioned in my review of Volume 5 that there was an unusual lack of nudity. I think they made up for it with this bath scene. There is more to it that I'm not showing here.

Overall, I really enjoyed this volume. It's my favorite so far and seems to indicate that the series is going to keep getting better. I strongly recommend fans of the series buy Triage X Volume 6 at Amazon.



It seems a joke about televised media and its typical audience translates quite well into English, particularly for Americans (though I'm sure the message is quite universal among developed nations).


17 comments:

  1. The artwork is obviously similar to HOTD but how does the story compare to HOTD? Do you feel Shouji is a better, worse or similar story teller to Daisuke?

    If Rightstuf puts yen press's stuff on sale again I'll probably pick up these volumes.

    Sure seem Shouji Sato has pretty much moved on from HOTD and is concentrating on Triage X. Doesn't act 48 appear in the Dragon Age that came out today?

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    1. The first four volumes didn't really impress me story-wise. It was sort of like reading a generic action movie, and they came nowhere close to HOTD. But starting with volume 5, Shouji really seems to be getting better at balancing a good story and interesting characters with lots of action. He hasn't reached Akira levels yet, but he's getting there.

      I'm not sure what chapter the manga is at in Japan. Shouji is also working on Black Sword and Digital Accel Works stuff, so it does appear he's moved on for now.

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  2. If you find staff, You maybe work on this manga again?

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    Replies
    1. No, I decided to quit working on licensed manga, so I won't pick up this series again.

      Delete
  3. hello great review for the volume 6 and
    Do you know anything notice about high school of the dead?

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  4. Hi,
    i'm asking myself if i should buy this manga or not. I love H.O.T.D and Satos artwork, but i heard that the stroy isn't very good. What do you think about this manga and can you recommend me to buy all volumes?
    (Sry for my not so briliant english xDD I'm German xD)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In the first 4 volumes or so the storytelling is bad, but if you like action movies you would probably enjoy them. I didn't really start liking it until around Volume 5, where Shouji Sato gets much better at balancing the action and plot.

      I would personally only recommend this series from Volume 5 on, but if you want the backstory and/or you like lots of action, start from the beginning.

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    2. Thx for that fast answer :DD
      I think i'm going to buy all 6 current volumes at once xD
      But it looks like its on hiatus, becaus the last raw chapter that i could find was 39 and i'm a little bit scared that it ends like H.O.T.D xDD Do you have more infos about the status of Triage x? And do you heard something about H.O.T.D?

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    3. I don't think it's on hiatus, but I'm not sure. Maybe the person releasing raws is scanning the volumes, and Volume 9 isn't out yet. The chapters should be past 39 by now.

      I haven't heard anything about HOTD, but at this point I'm doubtful that it will ever come back.

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    4. If HOTD comes back i think we will see the finale. My opinion is that:
      Nr.1 Daisuke is writing ch.31 and the end. (That could take that long hiatus, becaus he wants to write the end and make it good?)
      or
      Nr.2 It's going to be cancelled
      or
      Nr.3 Waiting for Shouji to finish Triage x?

      Delete
  5. How many chapters does Traige X now have?

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    Replies
    1. Pretty sure Triage X Act 49 was in the issue of Dragon Age that came out last week.

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  6. A couple of weeks ago came one comementario shoji sato on great news for the next edition of dragon age Triage X () but this will be the continuation of the anime I think HOTD or adds there may be the anime of the Triage X ¿? Crerian what? (Just speculation is not defined)

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  7. Shouji had updated his site with new Triage X images and a long overdue update to his diary. He sounds really excited about the anime. He makes some comments about the anime not being suitable for TV. Which I guess would mean it will be heavily modified. Or maybe there is some other medium this will be delivered over?

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  8. Where i can find the raws of chapters 38 and more? There was a scan, dynasty-scans, who translate it but they left it at chapter 20... i don't know why...

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  9. its amazing that this manga has reached vol.6 yet online free manga site only update till ch.20.. i guess this manga dont sell really well.. poor inazuma :-/

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