Rebirth: Volume: 3 by Woo

8/10

This, unlike most of Tokyopop’s other titles, reads left to right, as does the majority of Western manga, but judging by the cover art I thought this series would be a good one. Rebirth is an action/fantasy manga that, like a great deal of manga around is made for the Japanese readership based on Buddhist myth.

Deshwitat, the vampire has lain dormant for three hundred years, is at the mercy of Kalutika who cast him away, and murdered his lover, Lilith. There's no chance of keeping a good vampire down, though so when Deshwitat is brought back by a bunch of paranormal investigators, he is fuelled by blood lust and revenge on Kalutika for what he had done.

Deshwitat trails along with his priestess and daughter of a sacred order to the east wanting to know of the magic of light, in the hope he can gain powerful learning from it. At a Buddhist temple, Deshwitat sees the sect’s leader and he tells him of his future and the future of mankind.

For a guy who has I Love Me emblazoned on his tee-shirt, no one would have thought he was so annoyed with Deshwitat – but he is even though he was a former friend. He and his travellers get told the most terrifying truth ever – if Deshwitat is killed, then the world will be brought into chaos, however, if the sect is lenient, they will allow Deshwitat to live as he could well save mankind from its fate.

Woo uses his knowledge of Nostradamus and his predictions and has them make out that Mabus is actually Deshwitat in the scriptures. Readers will discover Deshwitat isn’t keen on fulfilling the prophecies set out for him, though and only seeks the power of light. Rebirth: Volume: 3 is dark, exciting and keeps the reader hanging on with the intense story, plucky female characters, and even darker male leads; Rett and Deshwitat.

This novel reads like a classic Japanese manga, with the usual parts of slow pacing followed by moments of deep thought, and superb action. Rett is a sensual, hands-on type of man who has a passion for the ladies, acts as a well-known womaniser and is nicknamed by the girls who travel with him as Breastmaster, even if he protests about it. Deshwitat has a reputation for being dark, moody and cruel to humans, yet he isn't as bad as everyone makes him out to be. He is a realist, and even as a vampire, He wants others in the sect to understand how a predator like him feels while all around him are thought to be good.

The manga repeats in places like in anime series to show where a commercial break would occur if it was turned into a series of anime episodes. It is a neat idea as it also gives readers time to see a moment of intense action between two of the characters, spicing up the scene.

Rebirth: Volume: 3 is a manga for teens who like shonen style graphic novels.