GetBackers Volume 1

Living their motto, "We get back what shouldn't be gone," Ban Mido and Ginji Amano are the members of the GetBackers Recovery agency, who, despite their "almost 100% case success rate," are in dire need of financial aid. Hunger makes the two desperate enough to work for a kid to earn 10 yen (about $0.09 American) recovering his video game. Close to starvation, the two are helped by an old down-and-out homeless man. After the two hear his sad life story, they decide to rescue his daughter from the local Yakuza that had kidnapped her in lieu of payment. When their tangle with the Yakuza quickly snowballs out of their control, the two reveal their trump card, inhuman powers. Ginji sports his shocking ability to produce electricity while Ban gives people a glance with his "Evil Eye" which he uses to create illusions to trick his enemies. It's not long until their past acquaintance, the scantily-clad Hevn, shows up with a client who's willing to pay 1 million yen (about $9,476 American).

GetBackers' first installment turns out to be a well-rounded manga. Creators Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki use GetBackers to take readers on a ride filled with comedy and action. The art of Ayamine is one of the main reasons I stayed glued to this book. GetBackers employs an assortment of fanservice, simplistic comedic expressions, and highly detailed and stylized art to keep readers riveted throughout the entire book.
I've heard it said, a few times, that there aren't any original stories anymore-just variations of how the same old stories are told. Although I haven't found anything to prove this idea false, Aoki did a great job arranging the GetBackers story to bring variation to an old plot. The way Aoki made Ginji and Ban interact blended with the graphic stylings of Ayamine creates a needed element of comic relief in the overplayed plot of skilled social misfits trying to earn a few bucks.
If you are interested in seeing if GetBackers is a manga for you check out the 12-page preview featured on pages 60-66 of Anime Insider #12. The February 2004 issue of Anime Insider, which retails for $4.99 USA -$6.95 CAN, features two different covers; cover one has Captain Gundam from SD Gundam Force while cover two displays Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin.

GetBackers Volume 1 Art by Rando Ayamine Story By Yuya Aoki Translator- Egan Loo English Adaptation- Ryan Shankel Retouching and Lettering- Jose Macasocal, Jr. Cover Layout- Patrick Hook Editor- Luis Reyes Managing Editor- Jill Freshney Production Coordinator- Antonnio DePietro Production Manager- Jennifer Miller Art Director- Matt Alford Editorial Director- Jeremy Ross VP of Production- Ron Klamert President & C.O.O- John Parker Publisher & C.E.O- Stuart Levy

Action/Comedy 216 Pages www.TOKYOPOP.com USA MSRP $9.99