Review by Ian Keogh
Kanazaki Rei plays a lot of online games, to the point where he’s been neglecting other aspects of his life, and has run up considerable debts, although that’s not helped by having to pay for his sister’s medical treatment. When asleep one night he awakens suddenly to find himself within the world of a game. He’s armoured, has weapons and has a strange notification floating above his head. Puzzled, he makes a new friend Azusa who explains the situation and that if he deals with what’s thrown at him he’ll make money in the real world, but if you die in the game you don’t die in the real world. Or at least that’s what Kanazaki is told.
Hana Shinohara’s attractive art is an immediate attention-grabber, and the concept also had legs, if not too dissimilar to that of Gantz. Shinohara’s approach, though, is very different. Whereas Gantz relies on tension and mystery, My Name is Zero moves at a rocket pace from the moment Kanazaki is thrown into his new circumstances. There is the mystery of how its happened, but not a great deal of time can be spent wondering, as there’s always a new threat on the way.
Despite a warning of the worst case scenario, Kanazaki takes a chance on entering the game world a second time when messaged by phone, and more rules are explained, not least the removal of the protection he had as newbie. His purpose is to make money, but the most successful players spend high on in-game power-ups.
Seasoned manga readers will see some later surprises as too telegraphed, but others hit home. Kanazaki having psychic flashes of disasters in reality becomes and in-game asset, and the sample art shows the moment he became aware of the accident almost fatal for his sister. Kanazaki having to earn money for her hospital treatment sets him apart from many others he meets, who’re just concerned with earning money for themselves, making him more sympathetic.
Shinohara maintains the frenetic pace all the way through this six chapter opening volume, with pauses few and brief as Kanazaki learns more about the circumstances. The energy rush is perpetuated by the exciting art, and makes for a thrilling opening volume, but as My Name is Zero moves forward greater contrast is going to be required.
