Graphic Novel Reviews: Team Phoenix Vol. 1

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Title: Team Phoenix Vol. 1
Published by: UDON Entertainment
Written by: Kenny Ruiz, Osamu Tezuka
Illustrated by: Kenny Ruiz
ISBN: 978-1772942767
Ages: 13+

Choose your side in order to survive.

When the Robot Alliance take the universe by force and enslave all Organicks, a ragtag group of heroes assemble to stop the spread of violence and pain. Team Phoenix Vol. 1 begins the adventure of Sapphire, Leo, and Sharaku as they struggle to find a place to call home and protect those they love from the tyrannical reign of robot overlords.

For fans in the know, this team is made of re-imagined classic characters from the repertoire of manga master, Osamu Tezuka. The heroes include the following characters: Sapphire from the manga, Princess Knight, who must pretend to be a prince in order to inherit the throne of Silverland; Leo from the movie, Jungle Emperor Leo, who is mistaken for royalty and is brave and strong; and Sharaku from the manga, The Three-Eyed One, who uses his third eye to find the weaknesses of the team’s robotic foes. Many other recognizable faces appear in new roles for this story. Osamu Tezuka pioneered many manga techniques and has been nicknamed, “the Godfather of Manga.” He is perhaps best known for Astro Boy. Seeing his characters in a new universe interacting with one another makes the story all the more exciting and compelling.

Readers do not need to be fans of Osamu Tezuka in order to enjoy Team Phoenix Vol. 1. This volume is broken down into four chapters providing four unique stories that become interconnected. In “Princess and Knight,” Sapphire is recruited by robots in order to spare her planet, but aligning with her enemies will come at a severe cost. In “Girl and the Pirate,” readers meet Fire, a young girl who is sensitive to the rhythms of the universe. In “Detective and Assassin,” one of the Ultimate Robots plays detective when a robot is destroyed and tries to find an Organicks’ refuge. In “Secret Garden and Enigmatic Bird,” no one is safe, and there is an ultimate showdown that ends in a cliffhanger. Luckily, readers will not have to wait too long for Volume Two.

Team Phoenix Vol. 1 is a retro-looking delight with lots of power poses and action lines. The first few pages are colorized, but most of the story is boldly inked black and white. The plot is fast-paced, and the action is gripping. In a few panels, characters despair, dream, and kick butt. The manga has a fairy tale quality. There are moments of violence, brief nudity, and doomsday phobias. The story does not shy from hard choices and serious moments regarding existential survival, but the storytelling also remains upbeat and provides optimism for harmony despite conflict. Team Phoenix Vol. 1 reads like a full season of anime in one volume.

Team Phoenix Vol. 1 is best for teens; however, this manga packs a punch in the nostalgia. Older readers will also enjoy seeing favorite classic characters on a new adventure.

Recommended for fans of the anime, Astro Boy, Gurren Lagann, and Cyborg 009, as well as the movie, Castle in the Sky.

Angela Dabrowski
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