Thanks to barnesandnoble.com for the image.

In the world of the shojo manga (boys’ comics), Dragon Eye, it has been several decades since the D Virus infected much of humanity and turned its victims into monsters known as Dracules.  As the human population plummets and the world reaches a crisis point, the heroic VIUS emerge to protect humanity.  VIUS Squad Zero, led by Captain Issa Kazuma (who possesses a Dragon Eye and wields the giant broadsword, Diamond Sacred Steel), takes the fight to the Dracules.

In Dragon Eye, Vol. 3, Squad Zero has entered an extensive cave system on the outskirts of Mikuni City to investigate reports of a massing of Dracules.  Split in two, the team finds a larger number of Dracules than they expected.  Issa and Sôsei Yukimura, an officer on temporary loan to Squad Zero (and who secretly plots revenge against Issa) discover mysterious figures goading a large group of Dracules.  The duo makes a gallant stand near a cave opening to keep the monsters from escaping and attacking Mikuni.  Not only might this fight cost them their lives, but Issa may be forced to summon from his past a dark secret named “Leda.”

THE LOWDOWN:  Superbly entertaining, Dragon Eye is one of those fantasy/fight comics that are catnip to shojo fans.  Manga-ka Kairi Fujiyama offers explosive fight scenes (with an array of super cool weapons) and excellently conceived characters and uniforms.  Kairi’s highly-imaginative and impressively diverse design work on the monstrous Dracules is worthy of notice.  That aside; Dragon Eye is just damn fun to read and would make an über-cool anime.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers of Tite Kubo’s magnificent Bleach will find Dragon Eye to be similar in a number of ways – which is a good thing.

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