This is a book that I found at my local library. You can find a lot of good stuff by browsing your local library. This is the manga adaptation of the first light novel.
In this story, a Mass-Super-Empowering Event took place in the modern world a couple years prior to the start of the story proper. One of those empowered is our protagonist, Minoru Utsugi. He developed a personal force field that protects him from harm and dulls external sounds, metaphorically isolating him from the world, in accordance with his wish to be separate from the world. Minoru is aware of this power, to some extent, from the story's beginning.
In his view, his wish was misunderstood. Instead of Barrier Warrior type abilities, it sounds like what he wants is the ability to fade out of the world entirely and live in a void. Why the desire for isolation? That is slowly revealed. It has good build up. Though, I'd say the manga adaptation fumbles the revelation a bit.
See, we are introduced to Minoru when he is jogging as a ritual of forgetting. He's trying to suppress some terrible memory. A bit later on, it seems as though this terrible memory is a teacher speaking badly of his lunch and Minoru shouting at them. It is clear that the nerve touched actually relates to his sister, who made the lunch, and thus this memory leads to the true terrible memory, but the presentation is still kind of narmy. Even when the truth comes out, it is so abrupt and laconic, that the emotional weight isn't present. This singular event that has shaped Minoru's life and personality isn't explored. I don't know if this is true in the light novel as well, but here in the manga version, it falls flat for me.
What DOESN'T fall flat is the plot thread involving Minowa's pursuit of Minoru. The boy seeking absolute solitude has a girl trying to get closer to him. She is introduced early on, during the jogging scene that also introduces Minoru. No, she doesn't run into him; no Crash-Into-Hello / Meet Cute here. She actually has trouble catching up to him which, incidentally, ties into the narrative development of Minoru's superpower. Her character develops alongside his, and so we learn a good bit about her.
We get her history, her hobby (track team star), and why she is pursuing Minoru. We even learn a detail like she recently cut her hair short because of the high school track team's rule. Her Moe rating is high. So when the villain of the arc targets her, reader concern for her is also high.
Now about that - when a love interest is threatened by a villain, it can feel artificial. You know, like it is an excuse to get the hero and villain into conflict. Not so here. The villain and love interest are developed independently, and so the reader can see why The Biter is after Minowa in particular. It makes perfect sense why their paths would cross, and thus why Minoru is pulled in as well. It is not a case of "my love interest is in danger!" No. It follows the development Minoru has so far.
He wants to avoid bad memories, so he wants to avoid regrets. He wants to avoid the emotional pain caused by regrets and bad memories. That's why he thinks his force field is useless - it does nothing for his emotional pain. So when he has even an inclination that Minowa could be in trouble, he investigates so he doesn't regret not taking action later. This natural development, the culmination of the actions taken by all three characters up to this point, is what leads to the climax. THAT is a satisfying payoff.
The art is great. Minow is cute. Minoru always looks like he needs a hug. The villain is menacing. All that good stuff.
Trickster Eric Novels gives "The Isolator - Realization of Absolute Solitude. manga volume 1" a B+
Click here for my next book review: Generation Witch - volume 1
Click here for my previous book review: A Magical Medieval Society - Western Europe - Second Edition
Brian Wilkerson is a independent novelist, freelance book reviewer, and writing advice blogger. He studied at the University of Minnesota and came away with bachelor degrees in English Literature and History (Classical Mediterranean Period concentration).
His fantasy series, Journey to Chaos, is currently available on Amazon as an ebook or paperback.
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