BLITZ (VOL. 2), from Ablaze Publishing on May 10, 2023, begins the selection process for the International Chess Tournament competitors. Does Tom have what it takes to make the cut?
The Details
- Written by: Cédric Biscay, Tsukasa Mori
- Art by: Daitaro Nishihara
- Letters by: Daitaro Nishihara
- Cover art by: Daitaro Nishihara
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $12.98
- Release date: May 10, 2023
Is It Good?
How is it possible that a creative team managed to make chess into a thrilling Manga? The world may never learn this magical secret, but we get the pleasure of seeing this secret wizardry play out to perfection. BLITZ (VOL. 2) is a magical thrill ride.
When last we left Tom in volume 1, he committed himself to chess and his school’s chess club in an effort to gain entry as a competitor in the Internation Chess Tournament under Gary Kasparov’s “Project T.” Now, it’s one battle after as Tom’s fellow clubmates compete against him and each other to earn their spot to represent the school in Kasparov’s tournament.
Part of the secret sauce in Biscay and Mori’s captivating chess story is the way the games are presented. Rather than trying to play out a game in full on a chess board, the characters are transported to a metaphorical battlefield where offensive and defensive moves are depicted as sword fights in a medieval tournament. By presenting the matches as literal battles, the excitement and energy are elevated exponentially, keeping readers on the edge of their seats without the need to know anything about chess.
Through the narration of the battles, readers get a sense of the match without watching the match. In fairness, it’s not the same as an announcer narrating the match move-for-move, but the swordplay reflects when players focus on a defensive dodge versus an offensive strike. You get the feel of the game, which makes you feel the emotions of the knowledgeable players and spectators, even if you don’t know the mechanics of the game.
How’s the art? A significant portion of the excitement is placed on Daitaro Nishihara’s shoulders to breathe life and energy into the matches. Again, the games are metaphorically presented as sword fights, so you don’t get high stakes chess moves, but you do get first-rate swordplay. The action looks great, and the players look like they’re giving it their all, drawing readers into the tension of each match.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our BLITZ (VOL. 1) review to find out how Tom got strong in chess so quickly.
We begin with the first day of team member selections at Tom’s school. Armed with unrelenting practice and a possible upgrade, courtesy of a lightning strike, Tom finds himself adapting and analyzing chess matches like a machine. As the day progresses, all club members eventually face each other, and Tom manages to come in third place behind Harmony and Laurent.
When the first day of the tournament arrives, Tom is surprised to see the boy who stole Harmony’s chess piece is also at the tournament. Tom becomes enraged and confronts the boy, but Tom is warned to save his aggression for the matches. Before the morning qualifiers are done, all of Tom’s clubmates have won the first round.
We conclude the volume with the dangers of distraction, acknowledgment of friendship, and a peculiar spectator.
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Final Thoughts
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BLITZ (VOL. 2) amazingly turns chess into a thrilling, dramatic, action-filled Manga. Biscay and Mori build layer upon layer of interpersonal conflict and dramatic tension, and Nishihara’s depiction of sword fights makes every match a thrill ride.
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