DARK METRO (VOLUME 1)
December 29th 2008 00:26
Category: Graphic Novels/Comics
Publisher: 2007 Tokyopop Inc
Story by: Tokyo Calen
Art by: Yoshiken
Translation: Aska Yoshizu
English Adaptation: Kereth Cowe-Spigai
Retouch & Lettering: Star Print Brokers
Production Artist: Katherine Schilling
Graphic Designer: Colin Graham
Cost: AU$14.95/US $9.99
Have you ever travelled on the Tokyo railway/subway network? It’s apparently one of the most complex networks to be found in the world and would no doubt literally carry millions of passengers everyday at various times throughout its daily operation either to or from work or taking a day trip. I can honestly say I have not yet had the opportunity to enjoy the Tokyo metro network; in fact the only metro network I’ve ever used has been that of Melbourne and it probably couldn’t compare to that of Japan’s capital. So why bring up the topic of Japanese public transport, well it’s the primary focus of this particular manga by Tokyo Calen and Yoshiken. Dark Metro focuses on the Tokyo metro and after reading it you couldn’t be blamed for not wanting to be forced into a situation where you had to take a late night train to return home after a party or working late at the office. It would probably be far better to walk or catch a taxi. It seems that this vast urban transit conglomeration contains a dark secret, something that is quite literally out of this world…
Is it aliens, entities from another dimension that our puny senses cannot possibly comprehend or something even more exotic? Well none of the above, what it seems to be happening is that for some reason the Tokyo metro network seems to overlap with the underworld, the realm of the dead in particular the realm of spirits who have certainly not passed onto a better place and are right royally peeved to say the least. So it could be said that the metro is a gateway to Hell and no doubt there are many day to day users who feel it is already that in the hours of their commuting to and from work let alone in deeps of the night when there is no else around. As Professor Julius Somner Miller might say “Why is it so?”
The reasons for this overlapping of the worlds of the dead and the living are not explained immediately, no doubt this would probably be revealed over time. Instead what is delivered is a unique snapshot of the interactions between the world of the living and the world of the dead, each story uniquely focused on a particular station within the vast Tokyo metro network. So essentially each chapter in Dark Metro is a single stand alone story, the volume is almost like a collection of short tales but there is one common thread that runs through each chapter; the enigmatic character of Seiya. Who is this individual? What is his rationale for being in the successive chapters of the story?
At first there really doesn’t appear to be a rationale for Seiya, he just shows up and helps those who suddenly find themselves caught in between worlds due to unfortunate circumstance. In the first chapter he helps Anna, a young actress who has suddenly gained the leading role in a musical. When she leaves the nightly rehearsals one night to catch the train home from Ginza station (which is the title of the first chapter), she suddenly finds herself locked in the station, the last train having departed as she ran the steps to the platform and it looks as she will have to spend the night there. Suddenly she sees someone walking along the tracks and when the figure comes into the light she realises its Rei, a friend from her acting school and the original person who was meant to be the lead. Rei seems fairly cheerful at first but that is quickly dispelled, it seems that this is the vengeful spirit of Rei who after committing suicide over a tragic love affair with her teacher is now looking for blood. She blames Anna for her predicament, slightly unjust as Anna actually is completely blameless.
Enter Seiya, a rather crumpled looking young man wearing what appears to be the traditional uniform of a salaryman, a dark suit with matching tie. He has what could be described as your typical bishonen (pretty boy) looks with a slightly edgy vibe, clued in to what is happening he manages to help Anna escape the vengeful spirit of her former friend and thus a horrible fate. Vengeance seems to be the other driving force behind the actions of many of the spirits within these tales, very few of the ghosts who haunt the network of the metro are interested in passing on any titbits of the afterlife or spiritual enlightenment with those living souls they come into contact with. They are usually out for blood, and in particular the blood of those who have wronged them seriously in some way during their living breathing days.
Of course as the story of Anna shows the dead are not infallible which is an interesting notion, as it implies that those in charge of the underworld do not have complete control over their subjects, and it certainly seems that there is someone or something behind the scenes that is in charge. In most cases it isn’t random chance that causes the various incidents that unfold to occur, there is a vengeful spirit orchestrating things but its need for blood sometimes means that there can be, as the military euphemistically says collateral damage, bystanders can end up being caught in the crossfire by mischance. This is certainly true in the case of the Shibuya chapter and young high school student Noboru, who comes across as a bit of a wastrel but certainly doesn’t deserve the fate awaiting his friends, Teruo and Shouta.
As an extra there is the introductory chapter of another manga; Doors of Chaos, at the end of this particular volume I tried to read it but frankly it was a bit too frilly and over the top for my tastes. It seemed to be the kind of work where Gothic Lolita, Victorian romance and magic all fuse together in a story of intrigue, mystery, romance and coming of age. But like I said it’s very heavy on the frills but I digress. Dark Metro is an enjoyable read, it’s kind of like the old camp fire ghost stories or urban legends and its creators have done a masterful job bringing it all to life here in the pages of this volume. A word of advice though, don’t read it after dark and especially not if you are travelling on a train going home from work…
Story by: Tokyo Calen
Art by: Yoshiken
Translation: Aska Yoshizu
English Adaptation: Kereth Cowe-Spigai
Retouch & Lettering: Star Print Brokers
Production Artist: Katherine Schilling
Graphic Designer: Colin Graham
Cost: AU$14.95/US $9.99
Have you ever travelled on the Tokyo railway/subway network? It’s apparently one of the most complex networks to be found in the world and would no doubt literally carry millions of passengers everyday at various times throughout its daily operation either to or from work or taking a day trip. I can honestly say I have not yet had the opportunity to enjoy the Tokyo metro network; in fact the only metro network I’ve ever used has been that of Melbourne and it probably couldn’t compare to that of Japan’s capital. So why bring up the topic of Japanese public transport, well it’s the primary focus of this particular manga by Tokyo Calen and Yoshiken. Dark Metro focuses on the Tokyo metro and after reading it you couldn’t be blamed for not wanting to be forced into a situation where you had to take a late night train to return home after a party or working late at the office. It would probably be far better to walk or catch a taxi. It seems that this vast urban transit conglomeration contains a dark secret, something that is quite literally out of this world…
At first there really doesn’t appear to be a rationale for Seiya, he just shows up and helps those who suddenly find themselves caught in between worlds due to unfortunate circumstance. In the first chapter he helps Anna, a young actress who has suddenly gained the leading role in a musical. When she leaves the nightly rehearsals one night to catch the train home from Ginza station (which is the title of the first chapter), she suddenly finds herself locked in the station, the last train having departed as she ran the steps to the platform and it looks as she will have to spend the night there. Suddenly she sees someone walking along the tracks and when the figure comes into the light she realises its Rei, a friend from her acting school and the original person who was meant to be the lead. Rei seems fairly cheerful at first but that is quickly dispelled, it seems that this is the vengeful spirit of Rei who after committing suicide over a tragic love affair with her teacher is now looking for blood. She blames Anna for her predicament, slightly unjust as Anna actually is completely blameless.
Enter Seiya, a rather crumpled looking young man wearing what appears to be the traditional uniform of a salaryman, a dark suit with matching tie. He has what could be described as your typical bishonen (pretty boy) looks with a slightly edgy vibe, clued in to what is happening he manages to help Anna escape the vengeful spirit of her former friend and thus a horrible fate. Vengeance seems to be the other driving force behind the actions of many of the spirits within these tales, very few of the ghosts who haunt the network of the metro are interested in passing on any titbits of the afterlife or spiritual enlightenment with those living souls they come into contact with. They are usually out for blood, and in particular the blood of those who have wronged them seriously in some way during their living breathing days.
Of course as the story of Anna shows the dead are not infallible which is an interesting notion, as it implies that those in charge of the underworld do not have complete control over their subjects, and it certainly seems that there is someone or something behind the scenes that is in charge. In most cases it isn’t random chance that causes the various incidents that unfold to occur, there is a vengeful spirit orchestrating things but its need for blood sometimes means that there can be, as the military euphemistically says collateral damage, bystanders can end up being caught in the crossfire by mischance. This is certainly true in the case of the Shibuya chapter and young high school student Noboru, who comes across as a bit of a wastrel but certainly doesn’t deserve the fate awaiting his friends, Teruo and Shouta.
As an extra there is the introductory chapter of another manga; Doors of Chaos, at the end of this particular volume I tried to read it but frankly it was a bit too frilly and over the top for my tastes. It seemed to be the kind of work where Gothic Lolita, Victorian romance and magic all fuse together in a story of intrigue, mystery, romance and coming of age. But like I said it’s very heavy on the frills but I digress. Dark Metro is an enjoyable read, it’s kind of like the old camp fire ghost stories or urban legends and its creators have done a masterful job bringing it all to life here in the pages of this volume. A word of advice though, don’t read it after dark and especially not if you are travelling on a train going home from work…
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