My Name is Shingo is a classic science fiction-horror manga that was first serialized in Japan between 1982 and 1986. Since then, it’s seen radio broadcasts, musical adaptations, and even an art exhibit. Viz Media is now releasing My Name is Shingo: The Perfect Edition, starting with Volume 1 in February.

Amazon / Goodreads

Synopsis:

The classic science fiction–horror manga from the mind of Kazuo Umezz, creator of The Drifting Classroom, Orochi, and Cat-Eyed Boy!

A chilling science fiction tale of humanity and artificial intelligence from classic horror manga creator Kazuo Umezz!

When an industrial robot named Monroe begins to work at his father’s factory, Satoru is fascinated. As he and his friend Marin spend more time with Monroe, they start to suspect there’s much more to the being than anyone else realizes. But neither children nor adults are prepared for Monroe’s violent awakening into consciousness.

Review:

My Name is Shingo tells the story of a young boy named Satoru who discovers his father’s factory has a new robot called Monroe. The story develops as Satoru becomes friends with a girl named Marin during a factory tour. Marin and Satoru spend time together and with Monore. No one is quite prepared for what follows.

I quite liked the art in the book. Each hand-drawn panel has incredible detail. There is beautiful color artwork in one part of the manga, which is truly spectacular.

Unfortunately, a few things stopped this from being a book I could enjoy. I don’t think this manga has aged particularly well since the 80s, though some of my issues may just be cultural differences.. Regardless, some things in the book bothered me and nearly stopped me from reading. I am interested in seeing where the story goes, so I will probably continue this series for at least one more volume!

Final Thoughts:

While this wasn’t my favorite manga, I can understand why this is considered a classic. If you enjoy retro manga, My Name is Shingo: The Perfect Edition, Vol. 1 is worth a read.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Challenges:

#COYER

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Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy. All the above thoughts are my own.