Immortal Hounds

Immortal Hounds (不死（しなず）の猟犬（りょうけん）, Shinazu no Ryōken) is a Japanese seinen manga series written and illustrated by Ryō Yasohachi. It is set in an alternate universe where humans are instantly resurrected after death, save for Vectors, who can spread "Resurrection Deficiency Syndrome". It has been serialized by Enterbrain in Harta since 2013, and is licensed in North America by Vertical. The manga received a sequel titled Immortal Ridge (不死（しなず）の稜線（りょうせん）, Shinazu no Ryōsen), which shows the story from the perspective of Vectors.

Immortal Hounds
The cover of the first volume of Immortal Hounds, showing the escape artist Windchime
不死の猟犬
(Shinazu no Ryōken)
Manga
Written byRyō Yasohachi
Published byEnterbrain
English publisherVertical
MagazineHarta
DemographicSeinen
Original runJuly 13, 2013 – present
Volumes6

Plot

It is a setting where regular people are Immortal, being able to get resurrected instantaneously. People who can die, are called "Vectors". The term Vector comes from the medical term for being a source of sickness. The condition is called RDS: Resurrection deficiency syndrome. In this world, when people get sick, they kill themselves to "reset" their biological state. People can get RDS if they fall in love with people who have RDS. People discover a person is a Vector when they refuse to get "reset."

Vectors are euthanized to prevent spreading their disease.

The two main characters are a Detective named Kenzaki Shinichi and "The Escape Artist." Kenzaki lost his sister because she fell in love with a Vector and committed suicide. The other main character, the Escape Artist, is a highly trained vector whose identity is hidden by a ribbon clipped to her hair. This ribbon makes her head a white-out to everyone else. The escape artist is just a term, and this escape artist's name is Kazama Rin, a police office clerk. The story focuses on the violent combat between Vectors and Immortals.

Release

The manga started serialization in the sixth issue of Enterbrain's seinen manga magazine Harta on July 13, 2013.[1] The first compiled volume was released on June 13, 2014,[2] and as of October 2017, there are six volumes.[3] Vertical announced that it had licensed the manga in North America at its panel for Katsucon on February 12, 2016,[4] releasing the first volume on July 26, 2016.[5] The manga is also licensed in France by Ki-oon.[6]

Volumes
No. Original release date Original ISBN North American release date North American ISBN
1 June 13, 2014[2]978-4-04-729720-3July 26, 2016[5]978-1-942993-59-9
  • 01. "Death by Pistol is Best" (死ぬならピストルに限る, Shinu Nara Pisutoru ni Kagiru)
  • 02. "Hurry Up and Be Exterminated" (さっさと駆除されとけ, Sassa to Kujosaretoke)
  • 03. "Talking About Garbage Like Love" (愛なんて言ってるから, Ai nante Itteru kara)
  • 04. "I Just Hate..." (嫌いなんですよ, Kiraina N Desu yo)
  • 05. "Go On. Shoot" (撃っちゃいなさい, Utchai Nasai)
  • 06. "Don't Let Him Catch You" (尻尾を捕まれるな, Shippo o Tsukamareru na)
  • 07. "A Hound in the Force" (内部に犬がいる, Naibu ni Inu ga Iru)
2 February 14, 2015[7]978-4-04-730245-7October 25, 2016[8]978-1-942993-60-5
  • 08. "I Can't Afford to Give Up" (やめるわけにはいきません, Yameru Wake ni wa Ikimasen)
  • 09. "My Prey" (私の獲物, Watashi no Emono)
  • 10. "Regret and Suffering" (後悔と苦しみ, Kōkai to Kurushimi)
  • 11. "Are You the Spy?" (犬はお前か？, Inu wa Omae ka?)
  • 12. "The Start of a Serious Battle" (真剣勝負のはじまりです, Shinkenshōbu no Hajimari Desu)
  • 13. "A World of Zombies" (ゾンビの世界, Zonbi no Sekai)
  • 14. "Cute Girl" (可愛い子, Kawaii Ko)
  • 15. "The Vector Called Snow White" (白雪姫と呼ばれたベクター, Shirayukihime to Yobareta Bekutā)
3 August 12, 2015[9]978-4-04-730613-4January 24, 2017[10]978-1-942993-61-2
4 April 15, 2016[11]978-4-04-734130-2April 18, 2017[12]978-1-942993-87-2
5 November 15, 2016[13]978-4-04-734379-5July 11, 2017[14]978-1-945054-27-3
6 July 15, 2017[3]978-4-04-734621-5January 30, 2018[15]978-1-945054-57-0

Reception

Jason Thompson of Otaku USA called the series' premise "interesting and suspenseful", though whether its ramifications would be explored would have to be seen. Thompson recommended the manga, calling it "a fun, violent ride with some cool mind games".[16] Reviewing the manga for the Fandom Post, Matthew Warner found the first volume to have a "truly intriguing setup", praising the action and pacing, as well the way in which new information is introduced.[17] Reviewing the third volume, Warner highlighted the powerful characters who "dominate attention when they're on the scene".[18] Of the fourth volume, Warner criticized the unexpected capture of the Escape Artists, saying that it derailed the series and made it "a bit weaker and more detached".[19]

The manga was chosen as part of the Young Adult Library Services Association's 2017 list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens.[20]

References
  1. 笠井スイの4年ぶり新作読切は幻想的な友情劇、ハルタで. Natalie (in Japanese). June 15, 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  2. 不死の猟犬 1巻. Kadokawa (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  3. 不死の猟犬 6巻. Kadokawa (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  4. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 13, 2016). "Vertical Licenses Blame!, Dissolving Classroom, Immortal Hounds Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  5. "Immortal Hounds Volume 1". Vertical Comics. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  6. "Immortal Hounds: la mort vous va si bien…". Ki-oon (in French). May 20, 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  7. 不死の猟犬 2巻. Kadokawa (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  8. "Immortal Hounds Volume 2". Vertical Comics. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  9. 不死の猟犬 3巻. Kadokawa (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  10. "Immortal Hounds Volume 3". Vertical Comics. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  11. 不死の猟犬 4巻. Kadokawa (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  12. "Immortal Hounds Volume 4". Vertical Comics. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  13. 不死の猟犬 5巻. Kadokawa (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  14. "Immortal Hounds Volume 5". Vertical Comics. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  15. "Immortal Hounds Volume 6". Vertical Comics. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  16. Thompson, Jason Bradley (October 4, 2016). "[Review] Immortal Hounds". Otaku USA. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  17. Warner, Matthew (October 9, 2016). "Immortal Hounds Vol. #01 Manga Review". Fandom Post. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  18. Warner, Matthew (May 11, 2017). "Immortal Hounds Vol. #03 Manga Review". Fandom Post. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  19. Warner, Matthew (July 18, 2017). "Immortal Hounds Vol. #04 Manga Review". Fandom Post. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  20. "2017 Great Graphic Novels for Teens". Young Adult Library Services Association. January 23, 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
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