Reviews for Emanon: Emanon Wanderer

Mod Edit: This review was originally posted for Emanon - Sasurai Emanon Episode: 1 (31853) and has subsequently been merged into Sasurai Emanon (36903). No reviews? Well, I am not the best reviewer, hell, this is my first review on the site. But I digress. Sasurai Emanon is the sequel to Omoide Emanon, and follows the adventures of the titular character, Emanon, one of my favorite characters in any form of media. At the time of this review I have read the first volume, as that's the only thing available, but since the first volume is sort of a stand-alone story, It's what I'll review. Story: 9/10 The premiseis simple, follow the journey of Emanon while she travels around the world. Nothing too complex or exciting happens throughout the story, and we don't have an exciting climax, just a normal day in the life of Emanon. Yet, the author is able to make things interesting, it's always fun to see the interactions between characters and know some of Emanon's vast back-story.

Art: 10/10

There's not much to say, really, the art is unique and sometimes can be breathtaking, and the fact that it's all in color also helped reach that 10. Just look at this one and Omoide's art and you'll know what I mean.

Character:10/10

This is where the manga really shine, Emanon is definitely one of the most interesting characters to ever greet me in any entertainment form, and I am glad to have read this mangas just for the sole fact that it made me "meet" Emanon.

But Emanon is not the only interesting character, the kid is fairly entertaining, but her friend is another mysterious character that could have another spin-off manga just for herself.

Enjoyment: 10/10

I enjoyed this manga a lot, I was expecting it since I read Omoide Emanon, and my expectations where high. And it did not disappoint me. So far, the first volume is small and you can read it and re-read it fast. And the story, like I previously said, is a stand-alone, although it says in the end "To be continued".

Overall:10/10

This has become of my favorite manga series, Emanon is an amazing character, like I said before and continue saying, and it makes up for the entire manga, the art is incredible and the story, although nothing special, it's enough to drag you into it and present you with a fairly interesting premise "What would you do if you were immortal?".

I recommend this manga to everyone who wants to see a more interesting and mature story than those romance-comedies and battle mangas that flood the market. It's well worth the read.

The journey of Emanon is quite a unique one. It was a journey of life, or rather, the journey of the history of life. As you go along on Emanon's journey with her, it will draw you in her experiences, her life on the move, and her unique circumstances. From every generation she is born into, her fate has already been sealed. When she's old enough to survive on her own, she would leave her family, travel the world, and eventually when she gives birth to her own daughter, her memories will be wiped clean and she will become a blank state, transferring all her experiences and memoriesto the daughter, who would then repeat the cycle again and again.

This is the fate of the wandering Emanon, they say a person is defined by their memories, so in a sense, she is immortal, though her physical body may die, her memories will be passed down each generation, allowing her to view life as an observer.

Emanon is without a doubt, one of the best slice-of-life characters out there, and this series is something that will stick with you for years to come.

The only reason why this manga doesn't have a much higher rating is due to the fact that it has never been properly developed by the author. The story of Sasurai Emanon's project was fragmented across time and failed to be taken seriously. Nevertheless the premise is fascinating and the art is simply the greatest Manga genre has to offer. This is a manga for mature people with a truly inspiring concept. For those who know the movie "Man of Earth" it is hard to not see the similarities between the stories. The movie came out one year before the Manga started to be published. Coincidence? Readingthis manga has gotten me wondering about universal consciousness and the unity of the universe. The way Emanon relates with people is also very real as this is a "real conversation" kind of manga. This adds to our will to believe that Emanon's story might very well be true in some sort of way.

Finally, this is the sort of Manga you hand out to that friend who's too good for Manga and always dismiss this art as being childish and shallow. I would absolutely love to see an in depth series as it does give some "Mushishi" vibes.

If you've read Memories of Emanon you know what you're going to get into. Beautiful art, coupled with a meandering, but thought-provoking narrative about a person's place in the world, the importance of memory, and a de-anthropocentric ideology that decentres people as the centre of the world. In years to come, rocks and soil will probably outlive the human race. I loved Memories of Emanon, and Sasurai Emanon continues this lineage with a more personal take to this theme and tone (albiet repeating itself a few times). We no longer see our mysterious main character, Emanon through the eyes of another, but she is nowour protagonist. Her thoughts, emotions are all privy to us. There's also an over-arching narrative about espers and the like.

However, you'll find that contrary to Memories, the writing is not as focused as Memories of Emanon, most likely attributed to the non-linear structure. Plot points come and go, some stories aren't even finished, only hinted at, foreboded but never told. I think the idea is intriguing, especially poignant thematically, but its execution feels haphazard, especially when these are stories that have a narrative thrust. What's up with the espers? What's going to happen to her brother? The man who wants to wed her? With narrative threads that intriguing, you can't just end on the note of - I've yet to discover them, they are the in the future...

Still, the tonality of the story, and the art is fantastic.

It's just such a shame that the story ended in such an inconclusive, and unfinished way. Perhaps the reason why Emanon captures the spirit of wandering so well is because the mangaka has the same aimless spirit, constantly wandering to the next project and only revisiting when inspiration strikes. Ok, but jokes aside, it's a shame that the publisher dropped the project. Even if I could understand that it was ongoing for a tad too long. Still, considering what we have right now, even if I think the story won't hit the same highs as the end of Memories of Emanon, it would've been nice to see Emanon's story of wandering through.

I sure hope that another publisher picks this up, or it continues as a Doujinshi.

Short review of the whole series: The story of Emanon is a pretty unique and beautiful one, with an abundance of mysteries and emotions. I have to say that I enjoyed the first part (Omoide Emanon) way more than the second one (Sasurai Emanon). I felt the first part more impactful ,while the Sasurai Emanon gave me a weaker and more mild impression overall . Nonetheless both were really interesting. The art is pretty and unique .I also consider important to refer that the way the enviroment is drawn is mesmerizing. That's all ,I would totally recommend giving a read to the Emanon series as it's really good ,fast toread and short

Emanon is a really intriguing story about life, and whatever the preconceived notion of 'Destiny' is meant to be. From a thematic standpoint, this series is absolutely beautiful, the characters feel real, and the art is amazing. However, it is obvious to anyone who's read this that it lacks in the sense of completion. Multiple story arcs are completely left behind, with it only being chocked up to, 'it will happen in the future'. The character writing is great, the atmosphere always feels refreshing, and there is so much to this world I want to learn. Why is Emanon the way she is, why didshe have a brother, why is Hikari a time jumper, and why does the boy who knows everything exist?

Emanon's answer to these questions, is to stop worrying, and to just live. It will all come. It will happen. Not sure when, but in your lifetime it will happen.

And while beautiful, it also leaves a unsatisfying aftertaste in the readers mouth, which I suppose leads back to what Emanon said to Kodzuki, it's a feeling that is all too human.

What is the meaning in eternity? The first installment in the Emanon manga explored a fun scenario. A simple idea: “what if a woman had memories from the beginning of life on earth?”. Great as a short film, incredible art, beautiful dialogue, similar to “one location” movies about a conversation. It posed the question on eternity, and instead of portraying the negative aspects, it simply shows how a being of that caliber deals with it. Eternity is eternity, unmoving, nearing its end, just as close as its beginning. A second, a million lifetimes, but how does this being keep existing outside the world? What can theysay?

I didn't know it could get that interesting beyond the scope of a short film. How can a slice of life in eternity be any more fascinating than what we saw? It almost instantly clicked with me. It instantly shows you what eternity could be about. Doesn't matter how immortal you can be, but about your chances to connect. The tales of an immortal that can't leave one person behind, even if they left thousands, millions behind before them. A brother, an anomaly that never existed. A kid that can gain all information from people. A time traveler, and their meetings with a being that constantly meets an eternal life throughout its time on earth. The experience of loving a father, in the midst of abandoning a million fathers before that one.

It sounds random, and it certainly can be from just talking about it, but it's such a melancholic piece of art. An artistic view on our connection with earth, and time itself. On friendship, fatherhood, motherhood, being a child, being able to love, being able to feel, and how, even with eternal existence, there's love. Love will keep us going, love will prevail, even if there's no purpose to whatever you are. Time is meaningless, but the people you meet in that time, aren't.

There isn't a perspective more qualified to tell you how much is life worth living. A powerful piece of art, with some of the most incredible drawings, composition, and direction I've seen in a while. It isn't a typical story at all. Fragmented, jumping around time as if it meant nothing, but at the same time acknowledging how important the people in that time were.

I love this manga, but it did feel entirely incomplete, and no wonder why.

Adapting a work isn't easy, much less a work that spans a long time in publication. Fragments of a bigger picture that converge constantly within each other. You can't just make a coherent manga about something that took the written medium to its limits. What we got, amazing, but you can tell the difficulties. Some arcs don't really hit, and they rush to the end. Instances where a scene simply boils down to “yeah, that's eternity for you, folks”, instead of an interesting piece of narrative.

What matters, matters a lot, but what doesn't feels like a hole in need of filling. I'll probably read it if I can find it someday.

7.7/10. God, I love things about time.