Kiva Vol 1 Written by Motoki Tomatsu, Yumiko Fujiwara (Cover Art) Bashar Ahmed
I would like to thank Beverly Bambury and Scout Comics for an advance copy of this graphic novel in exchange for a fair and honest review
Publisher - Scout Comics
Published - Issue 1 available to order now and Vol1 of issues to follow
Price - Issue 1 £3.75 Vol 1 TBC
A pet dog is left behind on his own when a nuclear disaster forces the residents of a small town to evacuate. As he navigates the wilderness that takes over the town, he comes face to face with a savage pack of wild dogs, determined to claim back their territory.
Pets are important to many of us. They can truly become family members with personalities and can take over our lives and schedules. We care about them and if something was to happen we worry could they cope without us? In the unusual but compelling Kiva written by Motoki Tomatsu, and Yumiko Fujiwara with art from Bashar Ahmed a tale of a lost pet is turned into an epic adventure tale using a real life disaster as the setting.
It’s Japan 2011 and Kiva is a much loved pet with young teenager Toru his friend and constant companion. But they live in the shadow of Fukushima’s nuclear power plant. Which one school day suffers an earthquake a Tsunami and a reactor breakdown. Toru, family and friends are evacuated but as with many of the pets of Fukushima they are left behind to fend for himself. While Toru works out if he can save his beloved pet alive has to adjust to living life in the wild, finding allies and enemies in the animal population and reminding us dogs are related to wolves.
Really impressed by this story, what could be quite cosy - a lost pet gets epic status with the use of a real life disaster making the odds Kiva and Tori face huge. The story cleverly gives a human face to the way people find their lives changed forever in a matter of moments and we see the suffering of the people being told you can never go home again. Will Toru break out and do something dangerous is a key question asked.
But the heart of the story is Kiva and this is more Watership Down than cute and fluffy. While Kiva is a lovely dog we see him hear speak, talk to fellow animals and navigate confusion on what has happened. What gives the danger is not just the disaster zone with radiation the unknown threat in the background but the other animal populations. Gangs are formed, some humans are gathering animals for sinister purposes and also there are even wilder dogs in the mountains - a place Kiva was found in as a puppy.
The story zips back and forth in time from Kiva’s traumatic separation from his pack to being found by Toru. We get scenes of love, danger violence and quickly Kiva seems to gain his own pack
Volume 1 has flowing action and the art gives the story a realistic and fast paced depth. We get glimpses of future dangers to face and I really enjoyed falling into the story and the surprising directions being taken.
Really impressed by Kiva and am intrigued where the wider story goes next! Recommended!
