This riveting, exciting yet dark tale of the police vs. a vigilante hacker is recommended and I can’t wait for vol. 2 of “Prophecy”!
© 2012 Tetsuya Tsutsui/Ki-oon. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: Prophecy Vol. 1
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: November 18, 2014
A newspaper-masked vigilante who broadcasts his acts of vengence before committing them. A newly-formed police division tackling the new frontier of internet-based crime. As the sun rises on the Era of Information, can a group of people who found themselves at the bottom of the food chain rattle society through the web and avenge a fallen friend?
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.
Upset with a food manufacturer that poisoned many people, the hacker(s) burns the location. Upset with those who have hurt others, they kidnap the person responsible and exact revenge and post a warning video and the punishment on the Internet. And while a crime, the support over the Internet of the works of Paperboy, the vigilante, has been mostly all positive. But before anyone is killed or hurt, the Anti Cyber Crimes Division does all it can to stop them.
And as the first half of vol. 1 focuses on the Anti Cyber Crimes Division and their investigation of catching the person(s) responsible, the second half reveals those who are responsible and why they are doing, what they are doing.
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.
The artwork is unique for Tsutsui but the excitement of “Prophecy” is due to his storytelling.
Overall, this riveting, exciting yet dark tale of the police vs. a vigilante hacker is recommended and I can’t wait for vol. 2 of “Prophecy”!