Manga Review: Gimmick!'s Special Effects (and Defects)

Not all heroes wear capes and tights. In Gimmick! the new seinen manga series from VIZ Media, Kohei Nagase can't fly or go through walls, but with a flick of silver spatula, he can create movie miracles in a blink of an eye (or at least a turn of a page). Kohei is a special effects specialist who can create illusions with makeup, machinery and a vast array of wires, fake blood, rubber and plastic -- kind of like McGuyer goes to the movies.

But like the movies, Gimmick! requires an extended suspension of disbelief. You have to be willing to ignore its flagrant flights of fantasy that defy the laws of time, space and, well... reality, to really enjoy it. If you can overlook its defects, Gimmick! offers satisfying stories with clever twists, kind of like TV detective shows like Monk, Columbo or yes, McGuyer.

Check out my review of Gimmick! Volume 1 by Youzaburou Kanari and Kuroko Yabuguchi, and decide for yourself: Is it far out in a good way or a not so good way?

Image credit: © 2005 by Youzaburou Kanari, Kuroko Yabuguchi / SHUEISHA Inc.