Gantz Vol. 2

by Hiroya Oku


I read the first volume of Gantz almost a year ago, and enjoyed it, but never really intended to get sucked into a series that has run for so long.  I found the second volume at a used bookstore recently, though, and couldn't resist picking it up.

I found I didn't enjoy this volume as much as I did the first.  I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that so much time had past between reading chapters, and I didn't really remember much of what was going on.  Most of this book is devoted to a fight between the surviving characters of the first book and a giant onion alien (whatever the hell that's supposed to be).

It's not until the fight is over and a few people are taken back to the apartment that has the weird Gantz orb in it that the book became interesting to me.  It seems that none of these characters know if they are alive or dead anymore, but with the conclusion of their mission, they are allowed to return to their lives.  The naked girl goes home to discover that she is basically a copy of her former self, who is in the hospital recovering from a suicide attempt.

Anyway, I'll keep an eye open for more of these books, but I'm not going to be too fussed if I never read another chapter.