Destroy All Humans Vol. 1 Manga Debuted By VIZ Media
Over the years, Wizards of the Coast has produced a veritable truckload of rich literature for Magic: The Gathering. Some of it has been good and some, less-than-stellar to many. And as much as many people like the plot, let's try to forget the Scourge novel.
But on Tuesday, October 8th, VIZ Media will release their translation of a Magic slice-of-life manga that may redefine what any of that means. Destroy All Humans: They Can't Be Regenerated, or Destroy All Humans for short, has been out for a while in Japan but will receive its first officially licensed English translation. We purchased a copy two days early (thanks to a local Barnes & Noble retailer - your unintentional skirting of the rules will not be in vain), so here's our review of the first volume!
Destroy All Humans, A Real-World Slice Of Life
Going into reading Destroy All Humans, I knew that the manga was a slice-of-life piece revolving around Japanese students. It was decidedly less grand than the misadventures of Planeswalkers across the Multiverse - Netflix will surely keep its distance here. However, because of recurring manga sagas such as Yu-Gi-Oh! (by the late great Mangaka Kazuki Takahashi), there is a growing culture of readers who enjoy slice-of-life pieces like this.
I also knew the manga to take place in the early, early days of the game. Tempest block is the setting for the plot of this first volume. In that way, it's hot on the heels of the 1996 World Championships, for instance. You know, the good old days.
The manga follows local middle-school otaku Kajime Kano and his efforts to impress and outdo Emi Sawatari, an honor student at his middle school. Sawatari seems relatively uppity in her middle-school environment, placing special emphasis on the notion that the school has a ban on nonessential items in the classroom (like Magic cards). However, when Kano has a chance encounter with Sawatari at their local game store, the two develop a deeper understanding and respect for each other.
This manga's first volume gives the impression that the plot for the remainder of the manga, already 16 volumes strong in Japan, will be a blossoming young romance story. However, I'd be content with Kano and Sawatari's friendship merely being that but growing stronger as the plot progresses.
The Magic Of References
Destroy All Humans is a fun, light read so far, and I found myself breezing through its debut volume. I presume that it was so easy to read because I'm a highly enfranchised Magic player myself. Even if my Magic journey began three years after the start of this manga, I found myself delighting in the constant references to cards, deck archetypes, and metagame. It's clear to me that the author, Katsura Ise, truly knows the game's history.
This, in turn, creates a welcoming atmosphere within the world of the manga for any Magic player. However, there's good news for anyone who is decidedly not in the presumed target audience for Destroy All Humans. Luckily, there is a convenient reference guide at the back of the volume, as well as informative footnotes throughout it. In all honesty, I could see any manga fan picking this up and having a deeper understanding of Magic after finishing it. Plus, the illustrations of Takuma Yokota tell the story just as well as Katsura Ise's writing. In that way, there's no loss of comprehension there either.
Magic Media Means Magic Media Inserts
Of course, where would we be without mentioning one of the best parts of Magic: The Gathering literature: the promotional card! This volume of Destroy All Humans contains a media insert promo of Diabolic Edict. Currently, Scryfall doesn't have this specific printing on the site in English, only in Japanese.
However, the printing for the English translation of the manga is, in fact, in English as well. Diabolic Edict isn't the most glamorous card we could get from this manga. Nevertheless, it's still a really cool promo. Just be careful opening the promo. The promo isn't well-protected and comes in an envelope attached to the volume's binding. Both Wizards of the Coast and VIZ Media aren't responsible for that card ripping when removing it. Therefore, it's advised to be extremely mindful of this when opening the envelope.
Our Verdict Of Destroy All Humans, Vol.1
Destroy All Humans: They Can't Be Regenerated, Volume 1 is a fantastic first foray into this series' concept. This is true both for fans reading it and for Wizards of the Coast's marketing of it. Katsura Ise and Takuma Yokota have spared us enfranchised Magic fans no service in their telling of this story.
Furthermore, I'd wager that this manga will get even more people into the game. Whether you're a longtime Magic player or simply someone who wants to learn a bit more about the game, this story will endear you to Magic in ways you might not expect but are sure to appreciate.
The English translation of Destroy All Humans: They Can't Be Regenerated, Volume 1 releases on Tuesday, October 8th at all major manga retailers both online and elsewhere. It is $14.99 wherever it is sold.
