We Shadows

Review covers all of the volumes released so far

Did you want to read a Manga that's different? Do you have an open mind? If you answered “yes” to the first question, then I hope that you answered “yes” to the second as well, because if you want to try something different then you'll need to have an open mind. Or at least you do if you want to even consider reading We Shadows.

We Shadows is an Original English Manga, but one so twisted it leaves most of Japan's offerings in the dust. Prepare to meet talking horses, characters talking entirely in rhyme and talking mushrooms. Oh, but don't worry, the talking mushrooms are actually just the imagination of a small fairy.

The basic plot is a little difficult to work out from actually reading the book, but it's simple to describe so to make the story easier to explain I'll cover it now. We Shadows is mostly set in a fantasy world, where a kingdom of faeries has been imprisoned by a race of hobgoblins.

With their Queen held captive and their champion warrior missing, there is nothing they can do. However during the course of the first book, the Queen escapes and a new champion emerges.

There are three different plotlines in the first book; the Queen's escape, what happened to the old champion, and the appearance of the new champion.

While I hope my explanation of the plot has given you some idea of what We Shadows is about, I've rather gone against the whole point of the book to do so. The idea isn't for a reader to read the story and then have someone else explain it to them.

While an explanation does exist, and there is some sense in the plot, the way it is told seems like utter madness. There are several set-ups, world elements and plot-lines, each of which are at least mildly crazy and each covered only very briefly, giving enough time for the insanity to set in but not the reason.

While most other comics would take the time explain everything, We Shadows just gives the reader a brief overview. It's then left up to the reader to re-read the story a few times and read between the lines until the craziness makes some kind of sense.

The only annoyance I have with the series is that, right now, it's not actually a series. This review has only covered the first book because, right now, there is one book. I guess we can only be patient and wait for the continuation.

Despite the uncertainty over whether the series will continue or not, I've given We Shadows my top score. I've awarded it so highly because I enjoyed the book despite its insanity, and because it's one of the few comics that make a determined effort to be different. I recommend it to anyone with a mind open enough.