I would like to thank NetGalley and Viz Media for the chance to review this title.
We’re starting the new year with a new review, and what better story than the first volume of Nanaki Nanao’s Helck?
Our story begins with the defeat of the Demon Lord at the hands of a lone human warrior. As the humans celebrated the end of the Demon Lord’s Reign of Terror, an intense tournament gathered the most powerful fighters who hoped to become the next Demon Lord. In the list of contestants, there is an unexpected warrior named Helck, among the fighters, who not only want to be the next Demon Lord. He hates all humans, but the only problem with this is he is a human himself!
There are plenty of individuals who aren’t happy with this outcome, especially Vermilio the Red. She wants to protect demon kind and prove Helck is the enemy, even if she has to rig the competition to do it.
In terms of a first volume, this was a solid debut. It introduced the main cast with a good grasp of what they stand for (Helck included), introduced the problems of the Demon Land (which include enemies attacking from all sides, trying to take advantage of the situation), poisoned lands, and mysteries like Helck.
Honestly, I enjoyed this story. It had a certain comedic familiarity of ONE’s One Punch Man in terms of uncertainty and a great tone to the story it’s trying to tell. Packed with Action and Fantasy, it was a story that didn’t drive a definite philosophy on the reader, nor it goes on about its theme. It sticks to a great plot and develops the relationship between each character, and builds its world.
The artwork and character designs for this story are another great quality of this volume. Nanaki Nanao’s eye for detail helps the book stand out. Each panel is drawn neatly and offers a charming feel to accompany the depth of the story. This story wasn’t exactly in my interest at first glance until it was recommended by a friend to check it out. It did not disappoint.
Overall, this is a good story worth checking out for those who are fans of Fantasy and Comedy. Helck Volume One Is Available Now In Print and Digitally, and an Anime is currently in the works.
Final Grade:
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