HEIRS OF ASHURADŌ #1, from Tiny Power Comics on March 3rd, 2022, kicks off an intriguing introduction to a Japanese-presenting clan of anthropomorphic animals and step-siblings who hunger to know the world’s past.
The Details
- Written by: Gil Murillo
- Art by: Gil Murillo
- Colors by: Gil Murillo
- Letters by: Gil Murillo
- Cover art by: Gil Murillo
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $3.00 (print), $0.99 (digital)
- Release date: March 3, 2022
Is It Good?
HEIRS OF ASHURADŌ #1 is an amazingly inventive first comic in the series by Gil Murillo. Short on pages, but long on story, Murillo’s art style and mythic storytelling tone will hook you from the first page.
Gil Murrillo’s script centers on a brother and sister living in a Japanese-presenting village as they mature and train in the ways of their warrior father. What makes the story unique is the animal origins of the characters (Tetsu-kun is a squirrel, and Rini-chan is a rabbit) and how they came to be a family. As the story unfolds, it turns out even anthropomorphic animals have to deal with their share of family drama, and the siblings learn their world’s history is a troubled one.
Murillo steeps the story in complex family dynamics, village history, and social norms that reflect expectations for young warriors in training. However, you’d be tempted to forget that this story is billed as “sci-fi,” but that revelation hits home in a tease within the last few pages, pointing to a much larger epic waiting on the horizon.
If it’s not obvious from the preview pages below, HEIRS OF ASHURADŌ #1 is constructed as a Manga, including the right-to-left reading order and art style. Murillo’s line work is outstanding, the characters are a fascinating mix of realistic animal features and humanoid facial expressions, and the backgrounds are impressively detailed. If the rest of the series follows suit, HEIRS OF ASHURADŌ could easily be a high-end Manga volume.
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 Tetsu-kun fidgeting while his mother gives him an unwanted haircut. As a member of the head warrior family for the village, Tetsu-kun is expected to present a traditional appearance, even if he doesn’t like it. Tetsu-kun will find there are many traditions he’s expected to hold.
Later, Tetsu-kun recalls his sister, Rini-chan, in a series of flashbacks. Rini-chan struggled with warrior training and keeping up with her classmates. Every time Tetsu-kun intervened to help, Rini-chan became outraged over her perceived weakness. One day, Rini-chan ran away without a word.
Tetsu-kun remembers another time when he and Rini-chan were younger, and they snuck into their mother’s story of stories used for shadow puppet shows. A collection of old, dust-covered stories confuses the siblings when it shows strange beings, strange words, and much fire and destruction. We conclude the issue with hints of a devastating past, an uncertain future, and a coming storm.
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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HEIRS OF ASHURADŌ #1 is an impressive first issue in a story about a brother and sister wrestling with growing up and finding their way in a warrior village. The story is rich with complex character work and relationship dynamics, and the artwork is exquisite.
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