I’m continuing the Halloween manga reviews with a look at Volume 5 of Biomega.

Title: Biomega – Volume 5
Story & Art by Tsutomu Nihei
Translation by John Werry
English Adaptation by Stan!
Touch-up art & Lettering by Primary Graphix
Edited by Mike Montesa & Andrew McKeon

Available from Amazon.com

The Premise

Zoichi has been brought to a settlement of the people who live on… wherever the hell they are. Here he learns that the DRF has a presence on this world as we.. Zoichi must fin dew allies if he is to defeat Niarudi and the DRF.

High Points

This new world is incredibly well visualized. Much as the first half to two thirds of the series executed on the concept of “Industrial Gothic” very well, this part nails what I’d describe as “body-horror jungle” – almost.

Low Points

Unfortunately, the landscapes that Nihei creates are a little too chaotic to parse. also, this volume sets up too many questions for what is the penultimate volume of the series to hope to answer in the series final volume.

Scores

Originality: 5/6

Art: See the high and low points. 4/6

Story: 5/6

Emotional Response: Nihei is good at building empathy for characters in a very short amount of time. 5/6

Characterization: See Emotional Response. 5/6

Flow: See Low Point: 4/6

Overall: 5/6

In total, Biomega: Volume 5 gets 33 out of 42.