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| Thanks to barnesandnoble.com for the cover image to TOKKO 1 |
Rated “M” for “Mature Ages 18+”
24-year-old Ranmaru Shindo joined the Special Riot Squad (S.R.S.) to solve the mystery behind the unsolved, brutal murder of his parents five years ago. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department created the S.R.S. in response to violent crimes like terrorism and mass murder, but in the year 2011, Tokyo is beset by a wave of brutal murders in which the bodies of the victims have both been dismembered and show signs of having been eaten.
With increasing frequency, violent earthquakes rock Tokyo, and rumors spread of demon-like creatures attacking citizens. Soon, police are battling undead walkers that seem impervious to bullets and move swiftly when attacking people. Ranmaru believes these events have something to do with his parents’ murders. Then, he meets the members of the secretive division within the S.R.S., the Special Public Safety Bureau or TOKKÔ, and one of its members, a young woman named Sakura Rokujo. Surprisingly, someone who looks just like Sakura, a young woman-covered in blood and wielding a giant sword, is a reoccurring figure in Ranmaru’s dreams. Now, Ranmaru’s journey to uncovering the mystery of his past really begins with TOKKÔ.
THE LOWDOWN: People, who’ve read creator Tohru Fujisawa’s titles like GTO and Rose Hip Zero, are already familiar with his stylish, seinen manga (comics for adult men). TOKKÔ, Vol. 1 is a near-feature scenario that blends elements of “crime-noir” comics, fantasy, and police procedurals to produce the kind a unique action/horror, something at which Japanese creators seem so adept.
Most of this volume is setup, sometimes frustratingly so, but not only are the characters intriguing, the concept just seems to reach out a grab with its chilling implications. TOKKÔ puts the bloody fun in demonic possession, flesh-eating monsters, and the undead.
LOWDOWN: With its violence, gore, and tits-and-ass/girls with big swords, TOKKÔ will appeal to a core seinen constituency.
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