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Cannon
God Exaxxion
by Kenichi Sonoda
Dark Horse Comics manga review by
Matt McConnel
More
Info: Dark
Horse Comics
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Kenichi
Sondoa is the man behind Gunsmith Cats. His new manga series
Cannon God Exaxxion is a bit different. For one it involves
an alien invasion. No spoiler there, it is listed on the back
cover. Our young protagonist must now pilot the strange devices
his grandfather, kooky mad scientist sort, has invented to
save the human race. For a man who has been as innovative
as Gunsmith Cats, Cannon God is surprisingly pedantic.
The
art is what one expects from Sondoa: Well defined, clean,
detailed, and deliciously fabulous. Make no mistake that this
is the sort of book that can captivate the reader with its
art alone. There is some serious risk taking in the form of
some really graphic depictions of violence. Cats had violence,
but nothing so blatant as a man cut into fifths. The effect
is to shock, but it just is not as shocking as it is in other
mangas of this nature or even by this author.
Beauty
alone is not all a manga make, and the story is the real failing.
Young Hoichi, nicknamed 'Gun', is plunged headlong into conflict
when the supposedly peaceful and beneficent aliens who have
co-existed for ten years announce they are taking over. His
grandfather, a mad genius, has developed weapons to fight
the invaders, but instead of using them himself, he ops to
give them to Hoichi. He strives to make his grandson a hero,
a new Alexander the great as he calls it. To aid our dear
Hoichi his grandfather has sent him assistance in the form
of a bombshell android named Isaka who is, among other things,
Hoichi's interface with the giant robot Exaxxion.
There
are other characters that we are supposed to care about, but
unlike the persons of Ken, Misty, and the other supporters
of Cats, there is no spark of life, no reason to care for
them. Nevertheless, the feeling is that this series is just
as close to Sondoa's heart as Cats is; not only are there
rampant sexual overtones, but even an almost apologetic for
the civilian population of an occupying society. The implications
to Japan, and the US, should be obvious. Despite this obvious
investment, the story still feels a lot like Luc Besson's
Fifth Element, an adolescent dream given visual form by the
now grown creator.
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