PLOT: Framed for the brutal murders of his classmates by the mystrerious RedMan, middle school student Ganta Igarashi finds himself sentenced to death and sent to the bizarre and fatal theme park/prison that has risen from the ruins of the Great Tokyo Earthquake – a hell on Earth known as ‘Deadman Wonderland’.
Deadman Wonderland was always a manga that intrigued me. Everytime I broswed through the manga section of Waterstones and Forbidden Planet, I was always attracted to its facinating cover that consists of a young boy looking pretty fed up, contrasted with a girl typical of a sci-fi story.
The day finally came where my curosity to the best of me and I just had to read it. After reading it after what felt like record time I found myself thinking one thing… ‘why didn’t I buy volume 2?’
Volume 1 did a great job of sinking its claws into the action, providing a story with more questions than answers to kick off the series whilst supported by some beautiful art. Though following the classically anim-styling it also offers plenty of grit and a darkness that permeates every page, and the expressions in play at some points really make for some twisted scenes. There’s plenty of gore on offer also, most evident during the school massacre scene.
It sets the tone for what comes next, as a story of revenge and anger starts to take place. Despite our female lead Shiro’s “sunny” disposition, this isn’t a happy tale, as you’ll quickly come to find out.
Deadman Wonderland (the theme park/prison…this could get confusing) is one of the more unique locations in almost any manga I’ve read. The rules and system the prison/amusement park are run by are interesting enough to keep you second guessing on a characters motiv.
The death row system (aka Execution Rule) and the characters and events within it leave a lasting impression. As the story progresses, more and more parts of the prison are revealed and more depth is added to Ganta, Shiro and the other supporting characters.
Once it has been revealed what the “true” Deadman Wonderland aspect of the place is, the manga really takes off and is the moment volume 1 comes to an end.
The story is focused on Ganta Igarashi as he shares the same experience as the reader encountering the world of Deadman Wonderland for the very first time. This leads to him being a rather weak willed, and worried person, being a little bit of a pushover wanting to die because of how things have turned out for him. A teenager who is falsly accused of mass murder, it’s pretty understandable why he is like this.
As volume 1 goes on Ganta becomes stronger willed, hinting that our male protagonist will only become stronger the more he learns about his new surroundings. In all honesty Ganta can be accused of being a little too bland at times, a normal, straight-laced person who is often found in a lot of different manga.
The first in the series, volume 1 of Deadman Wonderland is an engrossing journey that I became hooked on only a few pages in. Should you read Deadman Wonderland? The short answer…yes you should. If you enjoy a mix of sci-fi, graphic action and a collection of intriguing characters then you’ll no doubt think this is a good read.
VERDICT
Well-written, beautifully drawn,with great attention to detail and a collection of characters that’ll make Arkham Asylum look like a trip to Disneyland, Deadman Wonderland Volume 1 kick starts what could be a very, very good series.
4.5/5 Advertisements Share this:
