Akaboshi: Ibun Suikoden

Akaboshi Ibun Suikoden takes on the task of turning a classic Chinese piece of literature into a shounen action adventure. A lot of potential exists here, since anime and the timeless story of the scorned underdog rising against the empire are a perfect fit. The original book goes by many names, but for this review I’ll refer to the source-material as the ‘Water Margin’. The main feeling that I got from the final product that is this manga, is sadly something incredibly rushed, yet all too slow at the same time. Akaboshi becomes a victim of bad pacing that proves fatal. I’ll explain in moredetail below. For starters, the art is rather fitting for an action adventure, complementing the flashy action and interesting character-designs, making it a vivid feast for the eyes. I could almost swear some of the most savory images were in color, a testament to the expressive and exciting style of the artist. The way the atmosphere of ancient China is caught in the environment is also of note, as it creates a great atmosphere that pulls you into the adventure. As a shounen story it is however very typical, meaning that you can see how it borrows a lot of tropes from other works. Imagine if you will, the Water Margin if it was written like Fairy Tail. The main character who is a fiery rebel that prefers to rush headfirst into battle rather than plan, mainly because his powers allow him to stand back up no matter what and get power-ups from nowhere. The side-kick that seems important when introduced, but ultimately turns out useless for the plot. The more serious and calculating rival that reluctantly works together with the hero. The guild of chivalrous bandits that consider each other to be family. The list goes on. Both the characters and story suffer from one big weakness, the fact that the manga was canceled, stopping abruptly before even getting into the middle of things. This is why I claimed that Akaboshi was rushed yet slow. While you are treated to a number of fun and lighthearted adventures, very little of it actually develops the characters, leaving you feeling as though the main plot isn’t going anywhere. That is until the last few chapters, where it switches gears from meandering to warp-speed in a heartbeat, a sign that the author knew the series would be canceled and decided to throw everything at you at once. The main character’s backstory is shown, and the bandits are ready to start recruiting people for their rebellion. Both these developments were interesting, and had the author started out with these revelations instead of keeping them so tight to his chest, maybe the manga would have had a better chance at continuing. If you have prior knowledge of the Water Margin you might recognize some plot-twists and characters that show up in the original book. Examples of such characters would be fan-favorites like the Flower Priest, the fisherman trio, Nine Tattooed Dragons, and the leader of the bandits, most of whom were portrayed in amusing ways. Sadly there just isn’t enough time to let them play a big role. Fans of Suikoden as myself are likely to be disappointed by it, so I can only recommend it for action-junkies that are looking for nice artwork and magical adventures in ancient China.