Die Wergelder

Beageruta is a dark sci-fi mystery story exploring criminal underworld set in a gritty pre-cyberpunk world where everything and everyone is fucked - both literally and figuratively.

If you enjoy flashy over the top action with a dash of realism and don't mind violence, drugs, profanity and sex this is quite a ride waiting to be experienced.

One thing you'll notice right away is dark and gritty atmosphere. Going through the pages you simply can't shake off the pessimism permeating the scenes. The only thing you can be certain about is that everything has a price and nothing is ever clear-cut.

The opening scene alone is enough to get you hooked by the art. There is something about it which you don't often see - realistic flow of movement. It might seem a bit contradictory at first - "flashy and over the top but realistic sci-fi action" - however it turns out that the author has great knowledge of human anatomy and that clearly shows. While story has sci-fi elements you can clearly imagine the action scenes being played out in a Hollywood movie set in a modern day or near future setting. The only thing that might throw you off are the female character faces. For some reason they are very similar, so much so that sometimes you might mistake a newly introduced character scene for a flashback of already existing one. Good thing that they have plenty of different outfits, haircuts and personality traits to set them apart.

Reading this manga you will quickly learn that every character has a secret. It ranges from something small to extremely complex which almost always defines them. Characters have intricate backstories which play major role in the story and serve as motivation for their actions. No one is simply "good" or "evil" - they are people shaped by their upbringing and environment trying to make the best of shitty situations they find themselves in.

The story is absurd. Wait, don't go - let me explain! Each chapter constantly reminds me of Snow Crash. For those unfamiliar it is a famous cyberpunk novel which is bombastic and completely over the top - however that was the intention from the start. Backstories here are overdramatic, situations are over the top and the main plot is completely implausible but handled with such care and precision that you can't help but grin going through the pages wishing to see more!

While this is a very enjoyable read it is definitely not for everyone and has a few problems, however it is a high quality near future fiction which is something that's not easy to find. Reading through available chapters you can tell that this is going to be a long haul as we are still getting introduced to new characters and author is taking his time with releases. The official English translations are slow and it will be a while before volume 5 comes out, but I shall be eagerly waiting for it to arrive.