Introduction

Despite recent controversy with his takes on AI, mangaka Inio Asano has cemented himself as one of the most raw, emotional, and thought-provoking authors and artists within the medium. With many acclaimed titles such as Solanin, Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, and his most famous work, Goodnight Punpun, Asano has one of the most secure grasps of, and one of the most interesting commentaries on, the human condition. And he certainly does not stop this trend with his most recent work, soon to be released in English by Viz Media: Heroes.

Art Style

Heroes is unmistakably Inio Asano in terms of artwork. At one glance, you can tell it is one of his works. His use of simple yet realistic characters and highly detailed backgrounds makes him one of the most distinguishable mangaka in terms of art. Heroes is no different. Another thing that Asano is known for is his use of visual metaphors, and once again, they are present in this manga. Man, are they striking! Asano truly knows how to push the medium’s boundaries and use its quirks to enhance his storytelling.

Story and Characters

If you look at just the story, it’s pretty simple yet misleading. The story revolves around a band of heroes after they defeat the evil dark lord reigning over the land. You know, pretty typical fantasy anime stuff. But this is no Frieren, so don’t feel comfortable. Because even though they defeated the darkness, somehow it still lingers. That’s all I can really say without spoiling the story.

The characters are written incredibly well, as they are in most of Inio Asano’s works. Each main character has their own unique voice and serves a clear purpose that pushes the theme. They all could have their own video essay dissecting the role they play and what their character means, they’re that complex. Yet, since this is Inio Asano we’re talking about, he is not afraid to show the ugly and disturbing sides of each of them. I’d love to talk more about them, but I feel like it would be a disservice to do so instead of letting you experience them in the story.

Pacing

The pacing is very well executed. It is only one volume, so it does not waste its time with unnecessary scenes or bloated dialogue. As I said with the characters, everything serves a purpose and its specific time and place. Structurally, it is a very quick and easy read. Thematically, however…

Panel Layout and Flow

You can probably tell where I’m going with this based on the art style section, but the panel layout and flow are phenomenal. I think it’s safe to say that Asano knows what he’s doing when it comes to manga. He’s been in the game for a while, and it obviously shows.

Themes and Tone

Now here’s the juicy stuff. I would like to preface this before I continue further: this manga needs a MASSIVE TRIGGER WARNING for anyone who decides to read it. It is rated mature, and it’s written by Inio Asano, so I guess all the warnings were there. But wow, this manga is dark, especially near the end. It tricks you at the beginning with its cute art style and seemingly innocent premise, but it slowly reveals its true colors the more you continue.

The themes revolve around truth. The ugly truth. That even though people put up facades and exemplify their best qualities to appear purer than they actually are, underneath they can still hold morbid personalities. It also delves into how winners of conflicts are viewed, which is a heavy subject, especially in this same age. It shows how even though one side can be triumphant over the other, being seen as heroes by their own people, they can still commit atrocities and horrors to obtain that victory. And through those atrocities, another cycle of hatred and darkness can emerge, which is why the conflict began in the first place.

It also brings up topics of justice, mob mentality, outcasts, cultural implications, and the ability of what humans can do. Yet through that last topic, it also carried a small sense of hope that, yes, while humans can do awful, horrible things and become exceedingly corrupted, they also have the ability to do good. That heroes are not only the people from legends, but can start as small, humble individuals who come together for a common good.

Conclusion

It’s a shame that Inio Asano has recently become such a controversial figure. There are not many authors in the medium who have such a unique way of storytelling. Even if you disliked his earlier works before the whole AI shenanigans, you have to admit he is a master at creating such deep and reflective character-driven stories. Seinen may not be as easy a demographic to get into as shounen, and the subjects he touches upon are not for the faint of heart, but Asano knows how to craft such emotionally charged stories that shake up the reader and the demographic. Whether or not you like it or not, every Inio Asano work always leaves you staring at the wall, thinking.