Manga Review | No. 5 Volume 1

Visionary and richly imagined, No. 5 Vol. 1 by Taiyo Matsumoto paints a dystopian future where Earth is now mostly desert and an elite group of engineered superhumans called the Rainbow Brigade acts as international peacekeepers. However, when a member of their group, No. 5, goes rogue and runs off with a mysterious woman, the other members try to hunt him down.

I think I need to start off by saying, this is not a straightforward read. This is a surreal, phantasmagorical fever dream. I found myself having to reread the first volume multiple times for me to start piecing the story together and to figure out what the heck I just read, but the payoff is profoundly rewarding.

Matsumoto poignantly dives into heavy themes like climate change, human nature, and social responsibility. It’s a tad early for me to gauge, but I have a feeling that we have a who watches the watchmen sort of deal on our hands.

To top it off, the artwork is dripping with atmosphere and charm. The psychedelic, almost 70s-esque art style perfectly matches its eccentric cast and the dream-like quality of the story.

Lastly, I do want to point out that, although this is my first-time experience with the series, this is technically a reprint since Viz had earlier published the series in the early 2000s. I’m glad to have finally discovered this series though because it’s one bizarre, fun romp that I look forward to continuing.

Thank you, NetGalley and Viz, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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