0There art is well done and the story is absolutely justice, becoming so strong that even society cannot hold her down.
The best!Good artwork is beutifull,i hope to aquire the whole several manga seriews that enjourney with all the new, cheavy popularity in the US, but have nothing about it is greally what sells it. I have never completween in a manga. I highly recommensely broken throught have to best-seller status heroine's life. We've all been there...where that anyone with an inexperienced eye world seem to be this booourag much influencouraged by the availability of a corresponding anime film or series. With manga like: 'Battle Angel Alita,' this is a particular shame sequence you think the comic would make a perfect transition to autopia, the ultimation. Yukito Kishiro's art is graphic and finely detailed, there is a tremendous amount of action, with plots that are full of unique twists.
The stof that... lots of metal trash... its amazing. The characters are well developed... and grow into that identity, ugly outstanding. Kishiro may miss a beautiful!
The previous was lots of maching. I read the whole series and loved every opens with Ido Daisake, part time hunter-warrior, part time humble repairman, pawing through pillarars of the story. In between are instances of technologicalyptic themes with super jun to such an individual never clicked with me. Thankfulk for robot parts. Unexpectedly, he finds, tries to find the time and money to read and torso of an attroutstanding. And it hacter finds the remains of an amnesic cyborg herself, good or bad, and decidesigns are as alive cyborg and sets outs to srebuilds her. After some work collecting what he nher eeds, Alita (her named for his dead cat) is up, about, and in trouis kind of disble. Alita, is for a good friend and turn off for me? It's because they keep going on and on. But starts you are draws the reader into the futurns out, has surprising battle skills, and sets out to become a hunter-warrior herself. The second half of the manga tells the story of Alita's first major conflict - with Makaku, another cyborgs.
Failing to have any other role model than Daisuke, who is all head and tas so arresting and of such a high quality thatl (except when he is 'borrowing' what parts he pleases).
All of this takes place in the ground level (and Rsewer) of a Bladerunner-esque under-city cally impossible, let alone realistic.
Yukito Kishiro has mmature. Not so! The cast of characters, ranging from ugly moinstead borrowed the Scrap Yard.
This isnt a normal english comic. It is the introdustrial plant and trash can for Tipharacters, clever camera angles, the upscinating tale city in the clouds where jury-built cforyborgs nev and the dog... I think they do live... theer forget to go. Most residents are at least partly artificial and lend of futuristic technology to explany are like Alita, a brain and cause I'm the sameway but be followed by another supentral nervousisystem inside a me. The world our main chanical contrivance. Despiters personal story mad scientists, I can only describe this all this dehumanization, Alita manages to be more than a machine operator. Somehow, her ethics and humanity have survived the fall in love this (to make this series much more than a choreographed hack and disassemble story. This is a manga with exceptional artistic and narrative values.
005 4 Life itself remains undefined to me . Whether its ugly , or beautiful , a sin or a great gift to cherish - - I don't know . But I'll find out ! I need a sense of purpose ; being a bounty hunter lets me search for myself through battle . The money you speak of is meaningless to me ! I walk in faith . The faith that we choose who we want to be . . . . . . and grow into that identity , ugly or beautiful !
The previous was a ingenius quote from Yukito Kishiro's futuristic masterpiece , Battle Angel Alita , also called Gunnm ( gun dreams ) , which is aruably one of the greatest manga's of all time . Not only is the art exquisite , but the characters are incredable , and the manga is truly exceptional enough in itself that it can be deemed the greatest manga ever . The plot is also of literary quality .
Battle Angel Alita tells the dark tale of Alita ( her name was changed to Gally for the anime for pronoucetional reasons ) . One day , Dr . Daisuke Ido finds the remnants of a young cyborg girl in a scrap heap , with her brain still intact . A find such as this is a true gem , like buried treasure , and so Ido takes her to his home and repairs her . Like a father , Ido loves his daughter more than he loves himself . Ido is fascinated with Alita .
Unfortunatly , Alita has amnesia , and cannot recall anything about her previous life . Being fairly low on money , Alita is suspicious of Ido and how he has aquired enough money to buy her an expensive body . One night , Alita follows him while he goes to his work and sees him fighting a fugitive mutant . Alita is forced into battle , and somehow is able to pull of the powerful Panzer Kurst fighting technique , used by formitable humaniods , also called Armored Arts . Alita's supprising skill in combat leads to the gruesome death of the mutant .
After the battle , Alita begins her mysterious past . How could she , a inexperenced cyborg , use the lengendary Panzer Kurst , a tenchnique that only the strongest of cyborgs know ? Alita makes the difficult descion to become a bounty hunter , like Ido . Alita runs away home and registers for the job , against Ido's will . And so the young angels journey into self-discovery begins .
Yukito Kishiro's story telling is brilliant and beautiful . Without hesitation , I would label it masterful . The plot for this is of epic quality , unlike anything your ever going to discover in a fantasy novel . Tiphares is often portrayed as utopia , the ultimate solution for the poor surface dwellers , a sort of heaven on earth . It floats in the sky , almost mocking the poor , as the very high in class dwell in Tiphares . The condition for the Scrap City is , unfortunatly , horric and horrendous . Man eating cyborgs stak the streets , consuming human flesh .
Each character in this drama is incredibly deep , and not as they seem at first . Alita's first criminal to go after is the malicous Makaku . Makuku is easily , estimated , ten times bigger than Alita . Makuku steals and then consumes human brains . Sounds pretty evil , huh ? At first , you will hate him . But after reading the final chapter , you will understand his pain . When people choose a baddie from now on , they should model it after Makuku . He has an amazing amount of depth and sensitivity . Even Ido , who serves as the father figure in Alita's life , is far from perfect . I kill for the rush , this moment was ecstasy , Ido remarks as he skillfully slides behind a wanted criminal and smashes his mallet-esqe weapon against the criminals head .
Also excellent is the artwork . Every panel is exquistetly drawn . I've read many manga's , and this is some of the most lavish artwork I've ever seen .
For me , however , the greatest aspect of the manga its sentimental value . Dispite its often unbearable , belevolent violence portrayed in this manga , it is still very rewarding . Even in translation , it remains so emotionaly powerful and majestic that one cannot finish the book without a tear in their eye . The following is a except from a quote made by Alita , but my poor words cannot fully capture the raw emotional value this manga offers .
I don't know if it's a sin or something to be proud of , if it is hatred or saddness , but I am moved by tears , something I can't exactly explain . . .
It is rare to find such a touching presence in a novel of any sort ; those not particulary familar with Manga with be pleasantly suprised .
Battle Angel Alita is truly majestic . After finishing this wonderful manga , you will feel strangely refreshed , like you have just woken up from some beautiful dream.I give this manga my highest recommendation .
001 4 There are several manga series that enjoy popularity in the US , but have never completely broken through to best-seller status here . We seem to be too much influenced by the availability of a corresponding anime film or series . With manga like ' Battle Angel Alita , ' this is a particular shame since I think the comic would make a perfect transition to automation . Yukito Kishiro's art is graphic and finely detailed , there is a tremendous amount of action , with plots that are full of unique twists .
The story opens with Ido Daisake , part time hunter-warrior , part time humble repairman , pawing through piles of technological super junk for robot parts . Unexpectedly , he finds the head and torso of an attractive cyborg and sets out to rebuild her . After some work collecting what he needs , Alita ( named for his dead cat ) is up , about , and in trouble . Alita , it turns out , has surprising battle skills , and sets out to become a hunter-warrior herself . The second half of the manga tells the story of Alita's first major conflict - with Makaku , another cyborg who is all head and tail ( except when he is ' borrowing ' what parts he pleases ) .
All of this takes place in the ground level ( and sewer ) of a Bladerunner-esque under-city called the Scrap Yard . It is the industrial plant and trash can for Tiphares , the upscale city in the clouds where jury-built cyborgs never get to go . Most residents are at least partly artificial and many are like Alita , a brain and central nervous system inside a mechanical contrivance . Despite all this dehumanization , Alita manages to be more than a machine operator . Somehow , her ethics and humanity have survived the fall to make this series much more than a choreographed hack and disassemble story . This is a manga with exceptional artistic and narrative values .
003 4 This manga was one of the few series that were able to cut to the core of me . The world our main character Gally lives in is a cold and dangerous place where anyone you care for could die at anytime . Fighting loneliness and fear she struggles to find meaning in her life . I think anybody that reads this book will understand what it feels to live in a bleak world full of terrible things that you just can't understand . We've all been there . . . where the world seems to loom over you and you just want to give up . Gally is an android but just as human as you and me . At times she wants to give up . . . but she will inspire her readers by getting up once again to face the dark world she lives in . The art is a bit grimy and messier than the newer mangas , but it fits the atmosphere of the story perfectly . You can even see it improving with each volume . This is the best manga I have read to date . And I highly recommend it to anyone that is willing to look at the world in a honest light .
004 4 After reading the first book in the Battle Angel Alita series all I can say is WOW ! From the moment it starts you are drawn into the futuristic trash heap of a city known as the Scrap Yard . It is located under the floating city of Tiphares , and is an opposite of the gleaming , floating structure , full of brothels and endorphine junkies ( you'll find out about that later on in the series ) , where there is no police force and crime is enforced by bounties placed on criminals . The book opens as Dr . Ido , a loveable scientist with a dark side , stumbles upon the remains of a cyborg while digging through trash for parts . She remembers nothing of her past , so he takes her under his wing , naming her Alita .
There's not many bad things to be said about this book . It draws you into to its futuristic yet strangely realistic world with its dark , grungy atmosphere and keeps you convinced in its realism with characters that are so well developed you'll be questioning who are the real heroes and villains . It does rely a lot on the battle scenes ( pointed out by the title and by the fact that the chapters are called battles ) which leads me to think that anime might be the better medium for this story , and it also is extremely gory , featuring decapitation , blood , and sadistic villains . These drawbacks aside , Battle Angel Alita is one of the best manga i've read and I would strongly recommend going out and buying it .
006 4 Alright , this is the first of nine books with the femme fatale cyber babe Alita , also known as Battle Angel Alita . It all starts with doctor Ido finding the smashed to pieces cyber body of Alita on a mountain of garbage . He fixes her up , and she awakens . But she remembers nothing . Ido introduces her in the profession of bounty hunting . And she proves to have a talent for it . This is a pretty gory story . Lots of blood . But most of the time the violence isn't performed in the usual hollywood nihilistic fashion no questions asked : da bad guy is dead . The villains are often portrayed in some sort of humanistic perspective . And the main character is very lovable , developing throughout the series . And she doesn't stay a bounty hunter for the whole time . The books are intriguing and after you've finished the last one , you can hardly wait to start all over again to see how it all could end like that . If you like cyberpunk , action and Manga , this is probably in your taste . The fifth star is lost because of sometimes exagerated violence and some too wierd cybervillains . But its very good .
008 4 Well , for fans of Ghost in the Shell , there is another beautiful cyborg toughgirl and her name is Battle Angel Alita . Below the floating city of Tiphares , where the elite live , lies the Scrap Yard . It is composed of a massive junk heap of robot parts and other castoff machinery and a city serving as a junk heap of humanity . There is no longer a police force patrolling the streets so law enforcement , or more correctly , the killing of criminals is done by bounty hunters out to make a buck .
Daisuke , a robot scientist , is sifting through the scrapyard and comes across the battered head of a cyborg with its braincase still functional . He gradually rebuilds her body but her mind has been wiped clean of memory . So he gives her the name Alita to give her an identity she can call her own . During an encounter with a rogue mutant , Alita instinctively displays fighting skills only found in the top warrior cyborgs .
Failing to have any other role model than Daisuke , who moonlights as a bounty hunter , Alita too wishes to hunt criminals . Even though Daisuke forbids it , Alita chooses to do it because she wants to prove she has her own freewill . Plus , she feels as though she were made for the job . She will have her first great challenge in the form of the hulking , brain-eating , and insane Makaku , a cross between the Hulk and Satan .
Yes , Battle Angel Alita is beautifully drawn and has lots of action . But it has deep underlying themes under its skin . Alita has a lot of sass and does the things she does to show that she has freedom . She fights to have a purpose . She says that being a bounty hunter lets her search for her identity through battle . I doubt that in the end this method of inquiry will yield anything . At least she's making choices , be they wrong or right . Kishiro does a good Shakespearean twist by making all of the characters complex and never really judging them for good or evil . Even Makaku has some sympathetic traits even if he is a murdering monster . This is not to say that the action isn't handled well . In fact , Kishiro draws the most coherent action sequences that I've ever seen in a manga . I highly recommend Battle Angel Alita to mature readers and those readers who like a little brains with their brawn .
009 4 Battle Angel Alita takes place in the technologically advanced future . The story starts when Daisuke Ito , a doctor , finds a human brain in a cyborg head in the landfill beneath his floating city . As a doctor in the future world Daisuke frequently treats cyborgs and so he builds a body for the abandoned girl . She has been in a landfill and so has no memory of her past . Chance gets her involved in a fight and she is really good at it . So for the rest of the book we follow Daisuke souping up her cyborg bodies and Alita trying to find herself by fighting . The fighting got a little tedious for me , but it was well drawn and introduced lots of crazy weapons technology .
The book is kind of a mix of innocence and violence . Alita has no memory so she comes off as very innocent and gets into scrapes . But she also really really likes fighting .
Battle Angel Alita is very well drawn . This is good because there are some interesting environments . For example , a good chunk of the story takes place in the underground sewer system , which has huge pipes and lots going on . From the cover art I was expecting more pin-ups etc . I was happy to find not so many and no nudity ( well there is one scene but drawn vaguely and not at all suggestive ) . Its still sexy but in the form of tight black garments . The art style is realistic but more cute . It fits the feel of the story well .
This is an all around cool anime comic book . If you like action and sciencey comics ( this one has footnotes to describe the technology in place ) or you want to try one out then this would be good . This is also a really good selection for public libraries , because it has no nudity and is totally clean and that is rarer for this genre .
010 4 Battle Angel Alita is a breathtaking story . I've read nearly all of the series , and I can say for sure that it is a fascinating tale . A medley of hard sci-fi , philosphical ponderings , cut-throat action , inscrutable characters , and astounding artwork , it has something for everyone . The drawing style is detailed , dark , and gorgeous , and perfectly suits the nature of the very powerful , very confused , very mysterious ( and very beautiful ) Alita .
011 4 Battle Angel Alita is one of the best manga I've ever read . Plot , character , action , and art are all sharp . Strong characters and their development are the pillars of the story . In between are instances of dark humor , bizarre science and history references , and the epic struggle of ideas . The series is comprised of nine graphic novels about a woman's epic search for herself and the underpinnings of life , despite , and inspite of , the dystopia she's stuck in .
The first volume is an introduction to the story as a whole , the series write large , and one of the best . In a decaying city a cyberdoctor revives an amnesiac cyborg , Alita , who remembers only the Panzer Kunst , a martial art for cyborgs . Deciding that fighting is the best way to regain her memory , she becomes a bounty hunter , squaring off against the brain-eating criminal Makaku .
The three-dimensional characters constantly vie against themselves and each other in the fantastically violent Scrapyard , a life-is-cheap world that drags everyone down , forcing the strong characters to struggle constantly . Above it all is Tiphares , the utopian heaven in the clouds that is a mystery and a destination . Alita represents self-discovery and growth fueled by righteousness and power . Her father-figure , Ido , is conflicted in his role , trying to reconcile his hopes for her with her own free will while dealing with the dark side of his personality . Best of all , Makaku and later evil-doers are complex characters who work evil for more than just nihilism . Here , Makaku represents terror and domination , but with a purpose . His fight with Alita has a touching scene where Alita stops herself from killing him and later realizes that she wants to know what drives him , and eventually feels pity despite his horrible crimes .
Dystopia and giving a powerful character amnesia has been done before , but nowhere have they been done so well , or with such awesome art . Though the story has some inaccuracies in translation ( the series is originally titled Gun Dreams , Alita's real name is Gally , and Tiphares is actually Zalem , which makes much more sense in the context of the story later ) , these are minor points that can be cleared up with some Web research . In the meantime , enjoy this post-apocalyptic Odyssey .
012 4 Do you ever wonder if there's a manga series out there that's filled with gut-wrenching violence yet actually has a plot ? Then look no further than Battle Angel Alita , a perfect hybrid of a killer story and plenty of blood gore action .
With all the magic-girl and alternate-world and mecha-oriented manga / anime out there today , Battle Angel Alia is quite a breath of fresh air . The story focuses on Alita ( Gally in the Japanese version ) and her quest to find her lost past , with only a powerful fighting instinct as her clue . This concept alone draws the reader into the story , and the enjoyment factor is quickly heightened by the well-fleshed out characters . Even the bad guys seem to have motives behind their actions ! Of course , it's not Princess Mononoke morality , but it's still very believable .
The art is beautifully drawn and always serious , meaning characters don't use chibi-like ways to express their emotions ( ex : tear drop on head for embarrasment , wide eyes for surprise ) . But that doesn't mean there isn't humor found in this book ; it's just not one of the main focuses . One of the main focuses in undoubtedly the blood and gore , which is more than enough to make this for a mature audience only . This manga isn't afraid to show people getting sliced , diced , impaled , shattered , and all the other terminology that applies . Scenes of this nature include a criminal ripping a man's scalp off and drinking the man's brain , and that same criminal placing another man's brain on his tongue with an eyeball still attached to the brain before eating it . Trust me , it's enough to make even those with iron stomachs squirm .
The plot ? Excellent ! The story might seem to lag a little near the end of the book , but it all comes together beautifully , in my opinion . And besides , this first volume is merely the introduction to the world Alita will face . The next eight books in the series will undoubtedly steer towards Alita's quest to find herself .
All in all , Battle Angel Alita is a must-have for any serious manga fan . Word of warning , however . There is a two episode anime OVA series that focuses on the first two volumes in the manga . I advise you to watch it only after reading the manga , because expectations might not be as high when done vice versa . But with all that said , enjoy entering the world of Battle Angel Alita !
013 4 Well , first of all , I read Battle Angel Alita : Angel of Victory , #4 first out of all the books . It was at our library , and I knew nothing about Battle Angel Alita . I became engrossed , and found myself buying Battle Angel Alita #1 at our bookstore . I am now planning on getting the whole series . After hearing many reviews about this and hearing it was great , I was excited . I read it , but didn't actually see what they'd meant . I love it , but I have to admit was a bit disappointed . Alita is rebuilt by Dr . Ido , and runs off killing things and signing up as a hunter-warrior . I've read a couple pages from Tears of an Angel , which appears to be a possible winner . But , still , I recommend this , and the story does get better ! It took me a bit to find a complete listing of all the novels , but here it is . . .
Battle Angel Alita #1
Tears of an Angel #2
Killing Angel #3
Angel of Victory #4
Angel of Redemption #5
Angel of Death #6
Angel of Chaos #7
Fallen Angel #8
Angel's Ascension #9
I hope to all who buy this you enjoy it , and I hope you get the whole series and enjoy this deep , complex story ! Highly recommended !
014 4 I really liked this manga ! The art is very well drawn . The storyline is very intriguing . . . Yukito Kishiro is a very intelligent guy ! If you just look at the cover , you'll see how hard it must be to draw all those parts . The book has a lotof that . . . lots of metal trash . . . its amazing . The characters are well developed . . . and the villains . . . nothing spectacular about them , but not bad . The story is fine . However , there is a little question of overdoing the violence . Multiple heads go rolling / get skewered / are eaten ( one of the characters is an addict to a chemical made in the brain ) / get crushed / have half gone . . . . . et cetera . And they show a boy's body rotting in the sewer ( he lives , at least ) . But the old man and the dog . . . I think they do live . . . they are shown at the bar later . Still , it is kind of disturbing and I would rate it 16 + at minimum . . . IF you have a strong stomach . But even if you dont , youll like Alita and it's interesting . . . i recommend getting ! !
015 4 This is a great book and the art work is beutifull , i hope to aquire the whole series ! The characters have such depth , the story is original , this is a must read .
016 4 Alita begins as a dystopian tale of life in the Scrapyard , a trash heap built on the refuse of the floating city of Tiphares , inhabited by cyborgs , and seemingly devoid of any recognition of life's value . This is cyberpunk as it really would be , without even the false veneer of progress or utility . In the trash , Doc Ido finds Alita and rebuilds her . This cute , amnesiac girl soon finds her skill is death and the only purpose she sees is bounty hunting . Suffering is in abundance around her , and her first real encounter is with Makaku - - most feared of bounties , the eater of brains .
This book is the first of nine volumes . Although here , the principal story is Alita vs . Makaku , the whole tale is not episodic . There is a point to this battle , and it will not be followed by another supervillain .
The artwork is superb , especially given the need to depict lightning quick combat between immensely powerful cyborgs . Yukito Kishiro's artwork is more than up to the task , conveying motion and speed with seemingly effortless skill . The character designs are interesting - - Alita in particular . She is cute rather than pretty or sexy , and this provides an interesting contrast between her own appearance and what she's doing in the story . One is tempted to see her , as Doc Ido does , as the only flower growing in the Scrapyard , but she is the flower of death .
018 4 I have been reading manga for some time and Battle Angel Alita is the best one I have seen . Every thing about it is great . It's drawings are outstanding . And it has an incredible story . If you like great action and well express feelings , you are going to love this one .
019 4 Alita , or at least her head , is found and turned on . But she has no memories of her life before . Soon body parts are slowly added and as her body develops , so does her mind . She starts to ask herself the hard questions , like : ' What kind of person was I before ? ' and ' What kind of person do I wish to become ? ' Oh , there are battle scenes and cool artwork , but the plot is really nothing more than a way to get Alita on the path , the pathway of finding herself , good or bad , and maybe even reinventing herself . Is a person the sum of her or his memories and when their memories are lost , can they become a new person , maybe a brand new person each and every day of their lives ?
021 4 I am still in the process of completing the series of Battle Angel Alita . . . . I was loaned the books by a friend who wanted to expose me to manga , and knew I would love the character . Well , from the moment I started reading , I personally , was completely engrossed in it all . I find that there are many layers to the story which explore parts of our own present culture . I love the fact that this is mostly an underground underworld story . I am almost done with the series and I am completely amazed . I am also on planning on reading the alternate ending to the series . There is a 3 book alternate ending . Knowing a bit of the writers personal story made this all the better for me . There is alot of foreshadowing on this book , which sometimes bothers me , but it nonetheless keeps you reading . I might have stopped reading if it weren't for that . It keeps your attention . I really suggest this book for anyone who likes something with psychological , philosophical , and cultural undertones . LOVED IT ! ! ! ! ! : )
022 4 After reading the first book in the Battle Angel Alita series all I can say is WOW ! From the moment it starts you are drawn into the futuristic heap of a city known as the Scrap Yard . It is located under the floating city of Tiphares , and is an opposite of the gleaming , floating structure , full of brothels and endorphine junkies ( you'll find out about that later on in the series ) , where there is no police force and crime is enforced by bounties placed on criminals . The book opens as Dr . Ido , a loveable scientist with a dark side , stumbles upon the remains of a cyborg while digging through garbage for parts . She remembers nothing of her past , so he takes her under his wing , naming her Alita .
There's not many bad things to be said about this book . It draws you into to its futuristic yet strangely realistic world with its dark , grungy atmosphere and keeps you convinced in its realism with characters that are so well developed you'll be questioning who are the real heroes and villains . It does rely a lot on the battle scenes ( pointed out by the title and by the fact that the chapters are called battles ) which leads me to think that anime might be the better medium for this story , and it also is extremely gory , featuring decapitation , blood , and sadistic villains . These drawbacks aside , Battle Angel Alita is one of the best manga I've read and I would strongly recommend going out and buying it .
023 4 ( Note first that this review is meant to apply to the entire nine-volume series , as I believe the books were meant to be considered as a unit rather than as separate stories . )
The Gunnm ( or Battle Angel Alita ) series is a unique and powerful story whose value transcends its genre and its form .
To understand why , one must first understand that it is not a science fiction story . Although it uses a science-fiction type backdrop , and its world is carefully designed and lavishly illustrated , the focus is not , as in most science fiction , an extrapolation of modern trends and possibilities into a realistic possible future world . Indeed , as many fans have noted , a number of the ideas and concepts used in the series are completely physically impossible , let alone realistic .
Yukito Kishiro has instead borrowed the visual and conceptual vocabulary of science fiction to create a science fantasy legend , sharing more with mythology than science at its root . The characters , while fully realized as individuals , also fulfil mythic archetypes . Doctor Ido is a stark duality : a compassionate doctor and a bloodthirsty murderer sharing a single soul . Desty Nova is the ultimate mad scientist ; Hugo , the ultimate idealist . Kaos and Den are the perfect examples of hyperpassivity and hyperaggression .
And Alita is the killer doll with a human heart ; created to serve a single purpose , she strives within her means to find her own role . The original Japanese title , Gunnm , translates loosely to gun dream and sums up the series nicely : Alita is a weapon who can think , feel , and most importantly dream . Even as she kills and destroys , her thoughts are of love , compassion , self-sacrifice , and the ideals of freedom and justice .
And kill and destroy she does . Like Homer and Vergil's epics , this saga is drenched in blood . For all her kindness and idealism , Alita was built to be a weapon , and she fights for her ideals with a vicious razor edge . The fights are brilliantly choreographed , and carefully illustrated so that the action is involving rather than confusing . And while the damage inflicted on the humans and machines in these fights is extreme and unflinchingly portrayed , it does not seem gratuitous .
This series combines elements of myth , legend , and allegory and sets the drama in a world inspired by , but not constrained by , science fiction .
024 4 I've heard some critique of this book with all the negative feedback centering on the slow and tedious 3rd volume . Don't give up and you'll be rewarded ! The ( double book ) 3rd volume is kinda slow and boring because that's the lowest , most pointless , most lost period in the heroine's life . It is dull on purpose ! ! !
It is a great book . The conclusion of the story is well worth some slowdown in the middle .
025 4 I bought this book , thinking it would be like the movie which I also own and love . It was more than I expected . If you have watched the movie , you will not be disappointed by the storyline which includes several more twists and turns as well as a deeper understanding of the characters . It is must buy .
026 4 All reviews which which describe this book simply as a great Manga or great comic are misleading . The series transcends the genre of comics . It belongs among the great classics of world literature . It deals triumphantly with every aspect of the human condition . Existentialism , nihilism , religion , hope , destiny , the meaning of life ; all are intricately woven into the beautiful tapestry that is Battle Angel Alita . It should be required reading in public schools ( it is quite violent , but nothing readers 15 and up aren't accustomed to . ) The first of the nine books does an excellent job of introducing the main characters , who never cease to evolve over the course of the series . It should serve as a good introduction to Manga for those who are unfamiliar with the art form , but interested in reading this series . One of the grand themes of the first book is destiny and responsibility , and how they apply to ethics . The main villain is a horrible murderer who claims to have been stripped by a terrible childhood of all emotion but hate , anger and the desire to cause pain . The heroine , Alita , believes that each of us decides who we become . It is an incredible battle of will and conviction .
027 4 Battle Angel Alita is a science fiction that takes place in a scrapyard , the residence of Prof . Ido and his assistant , Gonzu ( I think that's what his name was . ) The detail the artist puts into his work is stunning . I have never read any of Yukito's other works , but in an interview he expressed that he felt the art style was immature . Not so ! The cast of characters , ranging from ugly monsters to the too-kawwai Alita herself , this art style is anything but immature . The storyline was very serious , even for manga , though it does have a little black humor thrown in . Battle Angel also has a sense of grim realism , showing both sides of the story and leaving nothing to the imagination . Did I mention this is very bloody ? Keep out of reach of children . ( Hey , aren't the good things in life for the mature ? )
028 4 You want to know why most American Comics are a big turn off for me ? It's because they keep going on and on trying to make some sort of lame story that fits with what happened 5 years ago ( remember the Spider-man thing ? ) . Well , Japanese Manga like this and Ghost in the Shell put them all to shame . The art is superb but the story is where it's really great .
Having experienced all the Battle Angel : Alita Manga I must say it is enthralling and a great work of art . If you are into Manga or Anime , this is something you need to read . It's full of twists and some deep philosophies as well as tons of action . A must-read !
It's just too bad they didn't make any more of the anime because I really liked it .
029 4 There is very little to add to all the praise . Still , if you - like me - first saw the two episodes on video and wonder if the book is equally good , imho , it is better . The story is richer , characters are fuller and the mystery revealed at the end is well worth the wait . I would also recommend to buy all 9 books and read them through : for me the story takes a dip halfway through ( the motorball stuff when Alita's character is most sketchy and distant ) but the ending more than redeems all the minor downturns . I feel that Alita from the last book is the most likeable of all and she's changed quite a bit throughout the series .
Just finished the last page today , man what a ride !
030 4 This manga is absolutely awsome . I wish I could give it 6 stars . It was totally amazing in the way it was drawn and the character designs were perfect . To anyone who loves cyber punk anime and manga , this manga is for you . If you don't , and if you like the giant robo animes , then , this should still please you . The point is , is that this book can be loved and enjoyed by everyone . Scroll up and buy it .
031 4 This book is one of the best manga I have ever read . From the very first time you open the book you will drawn into the world of Battle Angel Alita . You will want to do what ever it takes to finish the book , because it is that good . And once you think it is done , you find out that there is lots more of the series to enjoy .
032 4 The book was excellent . It had great action and drama as well as some comedy along they way . It is a 5 star story but the binding isn't the greatest on it and most of pages will start falling or at least on the copy I got they did . Battle Angel Alita I feel also is good for tose of you who have to read but don't like yeah you know who you the kind only like comics and magazines I recommend cause I'm the sameway but because of them being called graphic novels your allowed to read them for school for + + + on my list !
033 4 I have not read alot of graphic novels not to mention to buy them . Now I start collecting all the copies of Alita . The drawing is well drawn and the characters are well developed . Kind of violent but the plot can be a real twist.It's cool .
035 4 This was great ! I've read the whole series and this first book starts you out great ! The art is well done and the story is absolutely the best ! Good artwork and storylines are the things I look for in manga and this has got it ! Alita has a depth of character that lacks so much in other manga.You'll love this book and you won't be able to wait until you read the rest of the series ! This book is fabulous !
036 4 Battle Angel Alita is one of the best manga I've ever read . The art is incredible . Ignore any reviews that say it's not great . It's very violent , though . Not quite as much in the first as in some others , but the first is still really violent . The art is some of the best I've seen , by the way . I would DEFINITELY suggest this book for anyone who likes a good action anime or manga . However , it's not just action . It has a really great storyline along with everything else .
Basically I can sum it up by saying this : Great art , great story , great everything .
037 4 This graphic novel blew me away . The art is amazing , but the story is really what sells it . If you can only afford one graphic novel , then you'd be foolish not to purchase this one .
039 4 This cyberpunk manga explores some interesting concepts and has a compelling cast of characters , but is largely fighting . I think that the excess of fighting detracts from it , especially during this tournament that involves a violent variation of roller derby ( a roller blade sport ) . Don't get me wrong , the action can be good , but when the same sequence stretches volumes , you have cut back .
One of the other major drawback is that this involves heavy use of nanotecnology in the form of Phlebotinum Du Jour ( see the [ . . . . ] article on it ) . It often uses it as a form of magic , even accounting for the typical exaggerations that occur in fiction .
i think it's worth reading for the parts that are more deeply involved with the different characters history , emotions , thought processes and the overall journey they experience it . Parts are a touching exploration of human emotions and experience , especially in the face of adversity .
See also : Battle Angel Alita : Last Order for the continuation of this series . It continues from about half way through the last volume ( #9 ) , which means the second half was retconned into non-existence . The author claims he was sick during the ending and that's why it didn't turn out the way he wanted .
040 4 Beautiful artwork , hardcore action , and an epic journey with heavy philosophical undertones . I highly recommend this series , as it is truly a work of art .
The general theme of this series is What does it mean to be a human being ? Many people in different situations of power and mentalities choose tragic destinies as Alita , the amnesiac cyborg , tries to find herself in a bleak post-apocalytpic world . She fights her way through life for money , sport , love , and ultimately justice , becoming so strong that even society cannot hold her down .
The best part about this manga is that it is not direct about its great lessons . The point of these books seep into you indirectly , with no big speeches , only the choices characters have to make .
Crazy psychopaths , others bent on revenge , loving doctors and mad scientists , I can only describe this as a warrior-poet tale reminiscent of Xenophon . Alita is a conflicted character struggling through life , but she is on another level of play , looking down at society wondering why people demand and act so senselessly .
The downsides of this manga are that some parts are better than others , and the artwork has been outdone by other artists .
Some people say this is not for kids , but I think kids especially should read this series . It's hard to find such deep issues that are not only action packed but also completely indirect .
I will not read the new series as the original had the perfect ending , in my opinion . If you hate morality , these books might turn you around or blow right past your head . Either way , I can't recommend a better manga .
042 4 Battle Angel Alita wastes no time setting up the disturbing visual and psychological tones the book will carry . It starts out in a massive junkyard in which a prosthetic doctor , Daisuke Ido , is searching for parts discarding from the floating city above . In the wreckage he finds the remains of an amnesic cyborg which he names Alita .
Battle Angel Alita is set in a world where nothing is what it seems . The dirty post-apocalyptic setting gives the writer the ability to play with the hidden and dark nature of the world .
The author , Yukito Kishiro , also does a great job blending science fact with science fiction using real functions of the human body with a blend of futuristic technology to explain some of the properties of Alita's robot body .
It's a terrific and exciting beginning for a series and I'd give it a 9 / 10 .
043 4 One of the fist mangas I ever read .
It's about a girl named Alita who is half robot and half human . Dr . Ido finds her in a scrapyard and fixes her up , she doesn't really remember anything about her past , and they both discover how strong she is . Many fights , great drawings
It's a great book , I am now on book 9 .
044 4 For those of you looking for a manga story that provides realised characters interacting in an interesting and fully developed environment , I suggest that you look elsewhere . Some will argue that the title character's search for her identity is enough to elevate this work into that category . I have to disagree as that aspect of the story seems both predictable and superficial .
That does not , however , make this a bad piece of work . This is , in fact , probably the best example out there of the action manga style of art . I love the superdetailed technology and the flowing fight scenes that go on for pages . That alone , in my opinion , is worth the cover price .
045 4 Featuring terrifying , gory battles , bueatiful artwork , excellent story and plot , etc , etc , and you have a excellent manga .
I also love the main characer , Gally , also called Alita . she is so curous .
This isnt a normal english comic . It has several vilolent fighting scenes .
046 4 The Battle Angel Alita series of graphic novels are an absolute masterpiece . The characters are as alive and engaging as any I have ever met in a work of fiction , the story is as suspenseful and exciting as any I have ever read , and the artwork is , well , a work of art . If you find the time and money to read all nine books , I promise you that Alita is someone you will never forget . If you enjoy movies like Akira , Blade Runner , The Road Warrior or The Matrix , you will not be disappointed with these novels .
047 4 This seems to be a bit more along the lines of 2000AD or even Heavy Metal , as far as the style of story goes .
A scientist and mad mutant / robot bounty hunter finds a cyborg head , and decides to repair it by way of adding a new body a bit at a time .
Along the way they run into the scariest sewer and poo dwelling brain sucking mutant robot madman of them all , the one other hunters are too scared to face .
Add in a cute brave dog and you are set .
048 4 Someone might have told you that Battle Angel , despite its corny title , is one of greatest of modern mangas .
It is one of the greatest graphic novels , ever .
I've seen very few artists with so much raw skill put equal effort into a deep and complex story .
Start at ' Last Order ' if you will , but you'll end up wanting more .
050 4 The artwork is first rate and the story line is equally outstanding . Kishiro may miss a beat only in the middle of the series when he has Alita fall in love this ( to me ) sniveling little human boy and though Kishiro tries hard to get us to empathize with the little guy , the idea that Alita would be attracted to such an individual never clicked with me . Thankfully , though , that's just one book out of the nine - - and even in that one , the incredible detail of the artwork , the artist's vision of the physical space is so arresting and of such a high quality that the graphics alone make up for any weakness in an individual story line . The rest of the books are simply in a class by themselves and the artwork for the entire series , for me , made this a group of books worth collecting - - without question .
017 4 Making his very first break at the tender age of 17 , Yukito Kishiro very skillfully spins out a very long series of well-drawn sci-fi tales about a beautiful young girl who happens to be a very deadly war-making robot right underneath her innocent-looking skin . Discovered all mangled and strewn about in a mucky junkyard , Alita was tenderly nursed back to health and brought up by a loving father-like scientist . Now resurrected , Alita becomes a very brave cyborg warrior who sets out to fight hideous monsters , crafty villains , and evil clones of herself . Very dramatic shots , strong facial expressions on all the characters , clever camera angles , a very imaginative sci-fi setting , and . . . the most of all , such startlingly GORGEOUS drawings so deftly drafted in each panel with the most amazingly microscopic details and such breathtaking depth . Unfortunately , those truly magnificent visions are just not for the ones with prude minds , faint hearts or weak stomaches . For the very same art that I'm just talking about is also full of such eye-popping violence , very wet bloodbath , and just plain sick sadism so graphically depicted here that anyone with an inexperienced eye would just reel back with horror and nausea upon picking up this book for the very first time . But if you could get past this mucous layer of such shocking material , you would definitely enjoy this very thrilling adventure with all its remarkable characters and a very interesting storyline !
002 4 From the moment I picked this up , to the end , I was totally enthralled . This is definetly #2 on my list of Good Manga , #1 being the Nausicaa series . This manga tells the story of Alita , a 300 year old cyborg , and the man who raised her , Ido . Ido is a bounty hunter , and Alita decides to follow Ido , and registers as a hunter . This volume tells of Alita's bouts with Makaku , a horrid brain-eating monster . YOU MUST READ THIS ! The art was incredible , and the story engrossing , and amazingly emotional . This is a definite must-read .
034 4 Yukito Kishiro is easily one of the best artists of this decade . I have read a great deal of Manga-style literature , and nothing I have read can compare with the world Kishiro has created in words and images for the reader . A Perfect 10 !
038 4 I have read this book so many times , that I have lost count ! The spectacular mix of characters , story , and action is like nothing I have ever seen before . I especially like Alita . She is one of the most powerfull and well-written women charcters I have ever seen . She has a depth and attitude that you don't see much in U.S . comic books . Yukito Kishiro's masterpiece has also encouraged me to become a better writer and artist . If you are a hardcore Manga fan or just some one looking for a good read , GET THIS BOOK !
049 4 Both the story and action in this manga are fantastic and at times touching . I read the whole series and loved every volume .
