After something of a break, I’m starting the manga reviews back up again, starting with Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys.

Title: Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, Volume 11
Story & Art by Naoki Urasawa
English Adaptation by Akemi Wegmuller
Touch-Up and Lettering by Freeman Wong

Available from Amazon.com

The Premise

Sadakiyo provides Kanna and the remnants of Kenji’s crew with the “Mon-Chan Memo” – a hastily written memo by Mon-Chan (now deceased) with information from Sadakiyo on the Friend and his plans, but its hastily scribbled and faded, so there’s more investigation that needs to be done.

High Points

[spoiler]The whole reveal that Kanna’s mother designed the “Bloody New Year’s Eve” virus is chilling and very well done.[/spoiler]

Low Points

This volume’s primary focus is more on setting up a new focus for the next arc of the story, iwth the investigation of the “Mon-Chan Memo” and determining the Friends plans for 2015.

Scores

Originality: 5/6

Artwork: 6/6

Story: 4/6

Emotional Response: 5/6

Characterization: We have some great character development for Kanna, and finally there’s some character establishment for her mother, Kiriko. 6/6

Flow: 6/6

Overall: 5/6

In total, 20th Century Boys – Volume 11 gets 37 out of 42.