Shojo Null

Set in the 23rd century and following a 3rd world war, the human race has created bio-dolls that are used for menial tasks. But are these really nothing more than useful tools, or is there a soul trapped within? Riaha is a normal boy with a tragic past, but his life takes a dramatic turn when a military Gijin (artificial human) escapes during an accident and makes a beeline for his door. 

Young girls that are robots isn't a new idea, in fact it's a well-worn trop at this point. From Battle Angel Alita, Armitage III, Key: The Metal Idol, Elfen Lied and SHE: The Ultimate Weapon , ass-kicking cyber-ladies are an anime staple that works, to the point that it's the subject of parody with the likes of Catgirl Nuku Nuku and Moldiver taking the idea to daft extremes.

Anime and manga has always been a fitting home for such cyber-fantasies, the constraints of the genre when not limited to live-action are basically limitless. While there may be many examples of the genre stretching back decades, if we must suffer 20 new isekai series a month, I've no problem revisiting this old chestnut!

Shojo Null appealed initially because the art looked impressive - Akima's sketchy, detailed style gives the book a pulp feel which I very much enjoy. Marie's creepy armaments, sharp tendrils with hooks and knives, are the stuff of nightmares and used to gory effect here. Flicking between innocent naif and gleeful killer, she's a terrifying assailant and is clearly moved by the plight of her fellow machines to the point of murder. But despite her starring role, she's not the element of the book I found most interesting. 

Action scenes are macabre and kinetic, it feels like genuine horror at times

It's the young boy Riaha I found intriguing. Without wishing to get into spoilers, he has a past with the Gijin through his father that gives him an unusual insight into the reality behind these artificial beings, not to mention the real face of the police, whose methods are anything but lawful. His desire to enable Marie in her quest for realisation and potential vengeance makes him a refreshingly nihilistic protagonist, but not one that lacks empathy and understanding. I like the complex worldview he brings to proceedings and it's really Riaha that makes the manga feel fresh and not just another in a long line of mecha-girl stories. Whether it will have the depth of something as masterful as Alita is unknown at this point, but it certainly has some real potential.

There are some really imaginative scenes throughout the first volume, but the one that sticks out involved a theatre director who exclusively uses Gijin for his performers, in part because he can put on plays with a malicious level of reality that wouldn't be conscionable on real humans. In context it's even more traumatic and the reaction from Marie is really quite justifiable.

So Shojo Null may use familiar ingredients, but it's cooking something pretty interesting with them. I'm eager to see if it can really bring something new to the table story-wise, but as it stands the book has a strong opening, gorgeous artwork and some fierce action sequences that make it memorable. We have a chilling villain in the Public Security Police Chief, Rikuo Kamiki, and in one volume he's already done more than enough to deserve a bloody dispatch at the hands of Marie - the thrill will be seeing how and if this comes about.