Review by Frank Plowright

I Am A Hero began with assistant manga artist Hideo Suzuki, conveniently one of the few people in Tokyo licensed to use a shotgun. It’s come in very useful since the zombie outbreak, merely his possession of it often enough to deter people. He picked up a new companion in Omnibus 3, but unfortunately his earlier friend Hiromi has begun the process of transforming into a zombie. Crucially, though, in her case it’s been very slow and Hideo is still able to communicate with her and restrain her worst impulses. They’re now with a pocket of humanity occupying a mall, and it’s been pointed out to Hideo that Hiromi’s half and half status may be invaluable in providing a cure if the right people can examine her.

It might be expected that the mall community isn’t ideal, and Kengo Hanazawa doesn’t spend too long showing us why. It’s a signature feature. While the most frequent horror is the zombies, Hanazawa uses the series to explore other forms of horror. Hideo’s inability to cope with the world and his lack of emotional understanding is horrific in one respect, but then it’s also a form of protection when everything goes to hell. The horror at the mall takes two forms, most obviously man’s inhumanity, and how a little power can supply a monster, but also the surprisingly emotional revelation of the zombies retaining a thread to their past, behaving in eccentric ways displaying what once had meaning. That doubles as a clever explanation as well. Hanazawa has already shown Hiromi flashing back to her past, which has some relevance.

As has been the case all the way through, the art is incredibly detailed and impressive. The sample page supplies three views as seen by people wearing protective masks, and it occurs during a sequence drawn to resemble a video game. The zombies are the targets and they can emerge from anywhere in the darkness. It’s as terrifying as intended, but weeds out those playing at survival and those who’re more cautious. In earlier volumes Hanazawa extending a scene beyond the necessary has been mildly irritating, but during this sequence it resembles slow motion film.

There’s no doubt that of the four volumes to date this is the most traditional, dependent less on Hideo and his personality despite his playing a pivotal part, and more on the shambling horror. However, it progresses the story forward considerably, and by the end Hideo has a new ally. On to Omnibus 5.