Creators: Type Moon, Sasakishonen, Tsukihime Project
Publisher: DrMaster
Age Rating: Older Teen
Genre: Horror
RRP: $9.95
Lunar Legend Tsukihime v1
Reviewed by Michael Aronson

“A childhood accident has left young Shiki Tohno with a very special ability. He can now see the hidden lines or weak points in all things – be they organic or inanimate. By striking or cutting along these lines Shiki can slice through virtually anything like a hot knife through butter. Unfortunately the gift comes packaged with a nearly irresistible urge to kill using this new ability. In the very first volume, a young girl falls prey to Shiki's killing lust. Yet she is apparently reborn unharmed and demanding Shiki's aid. Who is she and what could she want? More importantly, what is the fanged darkness, which shadows her every step?”

I’m not sure LLT knows what it wants to be with this first volume. The opening reminds me a lot of the Resurrection chapter of the Phoenix series, with Shiki waking up and noticing that his perspective of the world doesn’t look quite right, but the writers turn this interesting detail into the high concept of the series . . . for the first couple chapters. It’s not long at all before vampires enter the fray, at which point it seems like everyone is going to reveal some kind of secret power.

It’s not all bad as a vampire story, but that isn’t what I really expected. I thought it was about a guy who can chop anything up and has a burning compulsion to do so. But the vampire elements are well done, with the use of animal familiars being especially effective. The violence is a lot more brutal than I expected, maybe even warranting a higher age rating, but it’s good to see the story isn’t holding back on. I’m not quite convinced about the lead female character and her iffy powers, but like I said, this first volume is still finding its groove.

The characters are alright so far, nothing to write home about, and the art is a bit above average, well-rendered but still clinging to the typical manga style. I wish there had been a bit more exposition about the stakes and rules of this vampire-infested world and less initial mystery, but now that the plot is underway, hopefully the second volume will fare better.

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6 October 2009
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