This riveting, exciting yet dark tale of the police vs. a vigilante hacker is recommended as the persona, Paperboy has targeted a major environmentalist group and a prominent politician. But what happens when one of the members behind Paperboy is thinking about bolting from the group? Find out in another riveting second volume of “Prophecy”!
© 2012 Tetsuya Tsutsui/Ki-oon. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: Prophecy Vol. 2
STORY AND ART BY: Tetsuya Tsutsui (ç’井・哲也)
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: AC Media Ltd.
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: Vertical, Inc.
RATED: NA
RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2015
As Paperboy starts to issue video warnings of crimes they plan to commit against ever-larger targets of internet outrage, Lieutenant Yoshino and the Anti Cyber Crimes Division attempts to get one step ahead of the newspaper-masked terror group. But even as they contend with the authorities, the greatest threat to Paperboy’s master plan may come from a totally unexpected place – within…
Four individuals who have teamed up to create the persona to exact revenge on those who corrupt society.
Four individuals who have promised each other to support each other in making sure that they succeed.
But what if one of them strays?
In “Prophecy” vol. 2, the popularity of Paperboy continues to win over netizens and the Cyber Crimes Division work hard to capture their target(s) with whichever lead they can find. But what happens when others try to assume the mantle of Paperboy?
Find out in an exciting vol. 2 of “Prophecy”!
What is “Prophecy” all about?
From Tetsuya Tsutsui, the creator of “Reset” and “Manhole” comes his 2012 3-part manga series “Prophecy”. The manga series will be released in America courtesy of Vertical, Inc.
In modern Japan, the Metropolitan Police Department – Anti Cyber Crimes Division led by Lt. Yoshino have been busy catching those who have been doing illegal activities online.
But now, the division find themselves trying to capture a hacker known as “Paperboy” who has backed into Internet Cafe’s and posting videos exacting revenge on those who have hurt people.
Gaining sympathy by netizens on 2chan, Paperboy’s first target was a food processor that caused a mass food poisoning by burning down the building and posting videos of his threat and the aftermath online.
As the Anti Cyber Crimes division try to find out where the videos are being posted, another video shows up targeting a man who raped a student and has been kidnapped by Paperboy who exacts his revenge on him.
While the mask and clothing are similar, the body shapes are different, making the Anti Cyber Crimes Division feel that its multiple accomplices.
As the Anti Cyber Crimes Division try to use their skills in determining on how these hackers are accessing the Internet to post the videos and where, Paperboy posts another video giving a warning to everyone that the next target is a man who ridiculed an older man on a job interview. And now, he will exact revenge on the person and beat him to a pulp.
Will the Anti Cyber Crimes Division find a way to stop Paperboy or will this hacker continue to win the sympathy of people for exacting revenge and become an anti-hero to the public?
With the release of “Prophecy”, with the front page news of hackers being a big topic worldwide, Tetsuya Tsutsui’s series release in the U.S. is perfect timing.
As the storyline focuses on a hacker(s) who manages to evade the Metropolitan Police Department – Anti Cyber Crimes Division, the storyline goes one step further as the hackers exact their revenge not by taking action with brutality and criminal intent.
The second volume of “Prophecy” features the popularity of Paperboy and how he has garnered favorability among netizens, to the shock of politicians and police. And that popularity has led to copycats, who want to further the popularity of Paperboy.
But when Paperboy targets the environmentalist group, Sea Guardian, a group who is against whaling but also a group who has blamed the tsunami and earthquake disasters on Japanese because of Whaling has people supporting Paperboy in hopes they can get their revenge on the group.
Meanwhile, as each of the four members behind the Paperboy persona prepare for something much bigger, one of the members starts to think about what if they have a second chance at life. Can he leave the group?
The storyline by Tetsuya Tsutsui is exciting and considering the series was made several years ago, with all the cyber crime happening today, the series is good timing as the storyline is relevant, but the crimes committed in this storyline is harsher and more violent. While the first volume was much more violent, the second volume is more about how Paperboy has now gravitated to bigger targets. And the Cyber Crimes Division waiting for the opportunity to strike.
The artwork is unique for Tsutsui Tetsuya but the excitement of “Prophecy” is due to his storytelling. The story is though of, well-researched and has been nothing less than captivating.
Overall, this riveting, exciting yet dark tale of the police vs. a vigilante hacker is recommended and I can’t wait for the final third volume of “Prophecy”!