Eden: It’s an Endless World! – Post-Apocalyptic Manga Review
What is the fate of humankind? What awaits us in the next couple of years?
If there’s anything that the current pandemic has taught us, it’s that the future is unknown and unprecedented. It’s this latent risk of tragic and devastating events that fuels post-apocalyptic books—which explore the darker side of what tomorrow holds. For this post, we look at the eerily entertaining Eden: It’s an Endless World!
Dark, intense, gut-shot, brutal—Eden: It’s an Endless World! by Hiroki Endo is a text-book post-apocalyptic manga, but with a unique twist. The comic boasts of an eye-catching cover, art that pulls you into the story, and a topic that’s too realistic for comfort.
The plot of the post-apocalyptic book narrated the horrifying events of a world that foresaw its own destruction. It’s set up in the late 21st century when the closure virus decimates a large chunk of the population—leaving the world in chaos (i.e., crime, poverty, and war, among other gruesome traits of humanity).
While the concept of a strange virus wiping out the human population is nothing new in post-apocalyptic literature, Eden: It’s an Endless World! takes the idea up a notch by weaving in a cringe-worthy perspective on survival and the moral limits of humanity.
Rather than focus on a small group of people traversing the remains of the post-apocalyptic world, the manga covers the dark side of humanity when everything is at stake and there’s nothing to lose.
At the heart of the outbreak and all the killing is the “Propater Federation”—which plays the antagonist. The Ballard family—starting with Ennoia Ballard, Hannah Mayall and their son Elijah Ballard—take the role of the protagonists as they oppose the rule of the Propater Federation.
As time progresses, the virus evolves—turning those infected into crystalline bodies that later morph into gnostic entities (PS; the protagonists are immune to the virus). The characters in Eden: It’s an Endless World! are well-developed and well-drawn with distinctive features that are a sure way to keep you glued to the manga.
Hiroki Endo skillfully makes the post-apocalyptic book as realist as it can get by highlighting cultural nuances and scenes that closely resemble actual cityscapes and locations. The series of 18 Volumes is beautifully illustrated, subtly engaging, a rare balance of introspective mystery and high-octane action.
It’s ideal for any of you post-apocalyptic manga fans who yearn for a comic that pumps up your pulse rate—while tickling your brain with mature concepts.
With a 4.9/5* rating on Amazon and the Wizard Magazine’s “Manga of the year, 2007” award, Eden is clearly an iconic classic that’s worth a read. To quote David F. Smith from New Type USA, “Eden might also be the best manga American money can buy, an intense, moving story of survival in the near future.”
