Tsutomu Nihei’s superhero blockbuster.  This 11-chapter series follows a young man called Denji quietly living in a city so vast and ancient its towering buildings are considered the natural landscape.  Denji’s routine is disrupted when an attack by a monstrous crustacean known as Gauna forces a shadowy government representative, Nayuta, to beg for his help. Exposed as a Human-Gauna hybrid, Denji’s brutal fight to protect his city makes him the target of a police investigation. while he is hunted by the higher-ups in Nayuta’s agency trying to maintain control of his unique power.  

An alarming amount of ABARA’s plot will sound familiar to those who have read Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man series. Fujimoto has acknowledged this as a major influence on his bestselling series and that alone makes it interesting to re-examine years later. ABARA’s story is sparse and the ending is naff.  However it is a strong showcase for Nihei as an illustrator.  In his previous series, BLAME!, Nihei gained notoriety for his landscapes and megastructures as his characters were dwarfed by the scale of their hauntingly bleak world. ABARA gleefully inverts the dynamic.  Powerful figures leap tall buildings in a single bound and treat this haunted and decaying world like their playground. Nihei fulling embraces this newfound freedom throughout.  Once you get into his rhyme the hypersonic action scenes become a delight.  Armoured titans leap through a stark necrotic city slicing off limbs and ripping each other open at impossible speeds. Nihei intelligently contrasts this with the quiet brooding and sudden bloodshed of the more human cast, ensuring that the violence never becomes weightless.  

While the grim beauty of his worlds has netted Nihei praise he has always been criticised for his people. Specifically their incredibly vacant facial expressions. Fortunately, the stoic professionals populating ABARA’s cast use this limited range of blank stares to great success as they process shock, rage or stonefaced confusion in ways that is either evocative or funny.  Showing that in the right environment an author’s biggest liability can become a benefit while enabling the greatest strengths.  Newcomers wanting a succinct introduction to Nihei’s style and long time fans desperate to see him cut loose on a straight forward action will find ABARA a perfect choice.  Just expect the sudden and unsatisfying conclusion and enjoy the ride.

The hardcover also includes the two-part story Digimortal. Noticeably more straightforward and far more goth than ABARA, Digimortal lacks the pulse-pounding action of the main feature. It does, however, benefit from just being a peek into a wider world of corporate religious rule, and the assassins fighting against it.  The more limited scope, combined with not having to have a definitive conclusion means it does come together quite well. A neat extra to a solid series that comes to an unsatisfying conclusion, that doesn’t really detract from its merit.

Dwarf architects continue their adventures in domestic renovations with their human assistant and bodyboard Soara.  Volume 4 marks a sharp departure from previous instalments while still doing everything right. House of Monsters has playfully nudged towards a possible continent-wide crisis linked to our heroine’s origins before swiftly dismissing it. Always prioritising Soara’s self-discovery as she and the dwarfs encounter whimsical creatures in dire need of DIY solutions.  

Volume 4 opens a cloaked figure ambushing the party, forcing Soara into an explosive showdown. The monster battle she’s trained for her whole life but fought to protect her compatriots instead of a nation. While Soara herself is baffled by this new attacker the artisan trio are better informed due to events from their childhood. The book transitions into an extended refection on these past events through the eyes of their leading architect, Kirik. Sprawling out of Kirik’s chance encounter with the charismatic and lively Prince Leonidas of the Kingdom; their tale explores the Dwarf homeland, architecture, culture, royal family, even highlighting political disputes over trade routes. 

Pausing to dig up the past is often the exact opposite of progress for an ongoing story.  But Hidenori Yamaji ensures this flashback arc constantly resonates with his series’ core focus.  Kirik’s childhood determination to succeed in a career ill-suiting his weak muscles and small stature sharply contrasts with Soara’s lifetime of military training leaving her completely ill-equipped to handle the real world or find any identity in a peaceful kingdom.

Yamaji’s exceptionally charming artwork and adapt control of tone ensuring all develops feel effortlessly graceful.  Sadly there is a lack of home renovations in this Volume. The attempted compromise is lavish double-page spends detailing the various locations within the dwarf capital… yet illustrations of underground industrial-scale forges cannot replace a werewolf needing help managing his beachside property.  In spite of that absolutely nothing feels wasteful or unnecessary here. Much like Kirik’s hero, Prince Leonidas, Soara and House of Monsters continues doing whatever it wants with such confidence you feel compelled to follow along. Emphatically recommended.