Immortal Rain features good, clean illustration (oh, those manga girls are so pretty!), action sequences you can actually understand, and a sense of a longer story, rather than an episodic romp. Rain Jewlitt is immortal - perhaps the only one of his kind - and he's being hunted by a fourteen-year-old girl named Machika, who has taken over her grandfather's position as the bounty hunter known as Grim Reaper Zol. (Bounty hunters are big in manga.) Rain is the only quarry the elder Zol failed to bring in, and Machika vows to do what her grandfather couldn't. She ends up sympathizing with Rain (of course!) and actually becoming his friend and traveling companion. I really enjoyed this book, and I'll pick up the next volume.

I have always loved stories that take on the theme of immortality and its consequences within the plot. So you can imagine I was very pleased to see something called Immortal Rain hit the manga shelves. The title is to the point, the main character is immortal, and there's plenty of tears and painful emotions to tread through in this work. Since I've read the first five volumes, I'm using this review to reflect on what I've read up to this date.

The story in this manga is interesting: a 14 year old assassin determined to kill a man who is practically immortal and has lived for over 600 years, and the relationship that develops between them. However, the first volume is not a strong launch into the series. In the first book, the plot falls too heavily into mini storylines and manga cliches. There are too many silly moments tied in with the dramatic, and the results are on the uneven side. If you tried the first and are hesitant to go further--read the second volume, please! The second volume builds the plot and captures readers powerfully, with none of the painful cliches. There's still a sense of humor in the writing, but now it comes off as part of the whole. This is a love story, and a science fiction/horror story. The relationship between Rain, our reluctant immortal, and Machika, our pint-sized assassin, becomes poignant and meaningful. Meanwhile, in this future society, strange mutated beings called Angels are created . . . and the end of the world may be at hand. By book three, the plot becomes truly dark, and it's hard to look at the characters in a light hearted manner that they were treated with in the first volume.

Overall, this is a deeply emotional and thought-provoking SF series. It's probably not going to appeal to those who want nothing but action, or a more contemporary storyline like MARS or FRUITS BASKET. There isn't any real nudity or sexual situations--the romance remains tender. However, there is quite a bit of violence, and while it may not be the graphic gore fest of something like Hellsing, the story rendered violence is more startling and harsh in its own way. This series probably won't interest younger readers, and is more target towards older teens.

I have to say the story quality has really gripped me, and kept me hungry for more. Machika's tomboyishness isn't overdone, but she seldom dissolves into a whiny girl either. Her strength is one of the inspiring features of this manga. Likewise Rain, in all his complexity and kindness, makes for a magnificent character. (It doesn't hurt that he's pretty, too!) Guy readers might find the romance plot a little strong for their tastes, but there's a lot of meat to the SF plotline as well. The artwork is superb: it makes a good storyline into a stunning manga. The panels are drawn beautifully, and I never felt a single image was wasted. The art isn't overly ornate and much of the time, it avoids extensive detail, allowing the readers to focus on the characters and their expressions. When it does add in detail, the effect is powerful indeed. Perhaps one of the only issues I have with the art, is the way words are added in. There are so many different kinds of overlapping text (some reflective, some only thoughts) that it can be a little challenging to read it all properly. But that is a minor complaint overall.

This manga may not appeal to everyone, but it has fast become one of my favorites. My only worry for now is that the writer may not complete the series, and that I may be left without a resolution to the plotline. Those who enjoy this might also like the BASARA manga series. And for those who enjoy themes of immortality in stories, please check out The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle if you haven't already.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad

I am reviewing here on ALL of the Immortal Rain books. (Don't worry, no spoilers.) I'm not going to bother to summarize here, seeing as plenty of reviewers have already done that. This is a wonderful series. It really grabs the reader and makes them feel the emotions of the characters. (It's a Fantasy/ Action/ Romance Blend.) I would recommend reading the first two or three books in this series before making up your mind about it. Yes, I know, the first one doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Stick with it though, and all will be revealed. Trust me, it's worth it. (Note: A lot of people are saying that is similar to the Trigun series. I have never read any of the Trigun books, so I don't have anything else to compare this to. I have read a lot of other manga, but so far this is unique.)