Post Details

I had reviewed this manga years ago, with the understanding that it was just a one-shot. Some time later I found out it was to be serialized, so I decided not to post the review here. And then a lot more time went by as I got too busy to follow Miwa Shirow’s Dogs.

Today I headed over to Borders looking for the latest volume of Battle Angel Alita. I was surprised to see Dogs sitting on the shelf. Viz had localized it! This prelude volume was released just last month, and will tie into the main series Bullets & Carnage.

I always felt that as a stand-alone, Dogs was good but ultimately fails to deliver on the complete experience. With no indication that the story would continue, all the events within are out of context. However, as part of a larger series, this first volume works. Each character is given an introductory story, with their personalities fairly well set up (although there seem to be a few too many hitmen with consciences). There is an underlying story that begins to seep through at the end, but the manga ends just before too much is revealed. It’s a great teaser for volume 1.

The best part is the flow of Shirow’s artwork, which embodies elegance and grace. Juxtaposed against an ugly fictional world, the effect is difficult to describe. Witnessing the brutal violence that plays out is exhilarating; it’s just something you can’t help but to enjoy. The art style is somewhere between traditional manga and Frank Miller—very similar to that of M.P.D. Psycho. Each panel is exquisitely composed, the lines constantly moving from character to environment to dialogue. Just looking at the pages is a real treat.

It looks like Viz is keeping the edits to a minimum. The book reads left to right, which may be annoying unless you’re a manga purist. It’s also branded with a mature rating, and I can attest to all the blood, guts, and fun stuff being in there. I read a fan translation a while ago, and the two translation jobs are pretty close to each other, which must mean Viz’s work is fairly close to the source Japanese.

This volume of Dogs is an excellent introductory volume to Miwa Shirow’s world, and a provides a compelling reason to continue with the series.

Tags: Dogs, Miwa Shirow, MakiManga