BLITZ (VOL. 1), from Ablaze Publishing on November 9th, 2022, witnesses the rise of a new hero in the undisputed sport to end all sports – Chess. Can Tom learn the game well enough to impress the girl of his dreams, or does the universe have grander designs for him?
The Details
- Written by: Cédric Biscay, Harumo Sanazaki
- Art by: Daitaro Nishihara
- Letters by: Daitaro Nishihara
- Cover art by: Daitaro Nishihara
- Cover price: $12.99
- Release date: November 9, 2022
Is It Good?
Before you turn your attention elsewhere, No, you don’t need to know anything about chess to enjoy BLITZ (VOL. 1). Coming to you straight from Ablaze’s growing staple of English-translated volumes, BLITZ (VOL. 1) is a banger of a series about a brilliant-but-unmotivated teenager who decides to take up chess to impress a girl. Strange forces, however, may use the boy for greatness he never knew was possible.
The hallmarks of a great Manga series are all present, and as the formula has repeatedly proven, works beautifully. You have a diminutive underdog, Tom, filled with more heart, courage, and determination than all his classmates combined. He’s faces an insurmountable challenge. He fails but rises to grow and overcome (with help) to surpass his limits and become someone special. Manga stories of this type know how to execute a quintessential Hero’s Journey, and Cédric Biscay and Harumo Sanazaki do so flawlessly here.
That said, this is a story focused on the world of chess. While the aspects of the game are brought up with an occasional page to explain the rules, it helps to have a mild understanding of chess to fully appreciate this story. If you’ve never heard of Garry Kasparov or have no idea what chess is all about, it may take a little more work to get invested in Tom’s challenge.
Daitaro Nishihara’s art style follows a classic Manga pattern with hyper-expressive faces, kinetic action (yes, there’s action in this volume), and a surprisingly respectable rendering of the master himself, Garry Kasparov. The minor down point in this issue is an occasional sizing problem with the lettering overrunning the word balloon borders. It doesn’t happen often, but when it happens, it’s noticeable.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a brief primer on Garry Kasparov’s standing as a legendary chess master. Harmony is a blossoming chess star at her High School, and Laurent, the chess club’s president, rules entry into the club with an arrogantly tight fist. Tom is a brilliant-but-bred student who develops an infatuation with Harmony. When Tom hears Harmony is on the path to becoming a great chess player, Tom decides to take up chess to be near her. Laurent, however, won’t have any riff-raff in the club, but he makes a deal that Tom can join if he beats Laurent in a chess match two months from now.
Tom undergoes a rigorous training routine to learn the elements of chess with the help of Jean-Marc, a mentor to Tom and owner of a local pancake shop.
What follows is a series of battles filled with hope, disappointment, regret, and a (literal) bolt of lightning.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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BLITZ (VOL. 1) is a banger of a story using chess as the backdrop for a classic Hero’s Journey. The character work is excellent, the pacing and plotting are spot-on, and the art captures the excitement and drama of a well-played chess match to engage even the most novice of readers.
Related Information
Can chess be won in 2 moves?
Technically, yes. There is a strategy known as a Fool’s Mate where the fewest possible moves (two) can allow for a checkmate. However, the strategy is rarely ever achieved in reality, and only then if the opponent intentionally allows it as a form of voluntary submission.
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