Zone-OO, Volume 1

by Kiyo Kyujyo and 

Tokyo is now a dark city where humans and demons live in a fragile peace after years of fighting. However, something odd is happening and some demons are starting to lose control and go back to their violent ways.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1427816042
• ISBN13: 9781427816047
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: TokyoPop
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 16 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 11 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

I'm surprised no one's reviewed this one yet

There isn't much to talk about as far as the plot of Zone-00 goes. It's basically about demons, human demon hunters and a third rogue team (which could be either humans, demons or a combination of both) that produced drugs that turn people into monsters. Let's also add that it does not progress much in the first volume, except for the drug makers being marked as the bad guys, while the other two sides must reluctantly team up to stop them. The strength of this manga lies in its drawings and character designs. Those who have read Kyujyo's Trinity Blood already know about her signature design features: over-the-top characters, plenty of detail, well-placed shading and sound effects that blend into the drawings. In Zone-00 the author was not constrained by being given the basic outline of a story to follow, but could happily do as she pleased. The result is a lot of characters who get introduced almost all at once and a lot of memorable scenes that don't do anything to forward the plot, explaining instead much about the characters themselves. The bad thing is that the two main characters, Shima and Kujo, don't seem very interesting. Kujo is clueless and thoughtless while Shima is the typical overwrought glasses-guy. What these two lack in charm the rest of the cast amply make up for. Tattoos, body piercings and revealing clothes abound. Many of the side characters were taken directly out of Japanese folklore, though a few European elements were added as well. Kyujyo caters to both the male and the female otaku, so there is plenty for both sides to drool over. Will Zone-00 be TokyoPop's next best-selling title? I don't think so, as it specializes so much in fan-service that most regular reviewers of manga will revile it for that. It's still so nicely drawn that even if the plot were thinner I would get it anyway. If you're already a Kyujyo fan, then you must add this to your collection. If you're a fan of demons and mythology, this could be a good title for you. But if you're one of those demanding readers who looks for more in his/her manga than just mindless fun, you don't need to spend money on this one.