Speed Grapher Vol: 1 by Tomozo and Yusuke Kozaki

9/10

Tatsumi Saiga is a former war photographer who carved a niche for himself while in the Middle-East watching the endless conflict. After an injury left him incapable of photographing properly, he was sent back home to Japan and never regained his former notoriety; instead he tries to make money searching for the one photograph that can make him headline news again. His only problem is, others see him as only paparazzi, being loathed rather than loved. Saiga's work puts him into contact with some unscrupulous people who have him take down prominent members of society, and he discovers he comes out worse for doing business with them most of the time.

Elsewhere, Kagura Tennozu has the life everyone at her school wishes they had; she attends a private school and is brought to class in a chauffeur driven car, and brought back by Choji Suitengu, who is both admired and hated by those who dare to cross him. Kagura leads a charmed life, or at least on the surface, but behind the scenes, she is being manipulated by those closest to her. These people are supposed to protect her even though every day she is plagued by nightmarish dreams - the question is, is she dreaming, or have the events really happened in real life She does not know, and nor does Choji, but something strange lurks at the heart of his business, the Roppongi Club, and Tatsumi Saiga wants to get to the bottom of what is so secret that it attracts some of the richest men in the city.

What lies at the heart of the Roppongi Club isn’t anything Saiga could imagine as there is a goddess who can with a simple kiss on their lips; give any man what he desires. Bearing this in mind, what will he get from this, whether good or bad as Saiga has to infiltrate the club, appearing as one of the many guests, masked and inconspicuous, but once he sees his muse, he has to take her photograph? The moment he does, he no longer becomes a spectator, he is the enemy who has betrayed them, and must be dealt with.

Speed Grapher takes two people from different walks of life and throws them together. Saiga rescues Kagura from the Club, and takes her out of where she once called home with Shinzen and Choji and goes on the run. It is only a matter of time before Suitengu's men catch up with them, but while she has the freedom to come and go as she pleases, she enjoys it to the fullest as Saiga makes sure she is entertained. The story seems to revolve around Saiga and his friends, Choji and his nefarious associates and Kagura’s hurt at being used as a pawn in a very dangerous game.

Rated 18, it's for mature adults to read, not younger teens as it contains some serious material which might not be suitable for all.