Ikigami (Motoro Mase)

What would you do if you were informed that you only have 24 hours left to live?

That is the basic question this relatively new manga series, Ikigami, asks. In this world, everyone has been injected with an immunization while they were young, but one in every one thousand is given an injection with a nano capsule that give you a predetermined lifespan, but this one person doesn’t know they are that one. The goverment’s plan is to let you learn that life is short and live life to the fullest as much as possible.

Ikigami #1 introduces the concept and the system, as well as the messenger system of how the ‘notice’ gets delivered to the person. And it covers 2 stories revolving around the people who are about to die, as well as the main character we follow through the whole thing: the messenger.

It is a psychological thriller, and also makes you question the system the government has implemented. Sure, may be it works (crime rates are down, people are ‘virtually’ living well), but is it the right and only way. For some reason, I’m picking up books recently that make you check your moral compass now and again. You also feel sad for the people who have been informed of their deaths and given such a short time to fulfill whatever they want.

Picking up this book, I was again intrigued by the premise. Bought the book with no prior knowledge, as we did when we picked up Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service. It turns out to be a very good choice again and we are looking for the next installment to be available locally.

This is a good series, well-written and aptly-drawn (although a bit gory, but then again that’s what the disclaimer is for). If you like good psychological thrillers that have a bit of life-inspiration brilliantly snuck in there somewhere, this is for you.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars [?]