B’TX

    (Tokyopop, 2004-2007)
™ and © Masam Kuaumada
Reads right to left; b&w

Anyone out there who’s contemplating another revival of Magnus Robot Fighter should take a look at this entry-level boys’ manga by the creator of Knights of the Zodiac. Younger brother Teppei, who can smash robots thanks to a cool gadget and years of painful training, tries to protect his robotic wiz older brother from the evil Machine Empire.

Their name is kind of misleading, as their super-mechs (which operate on human blood, ewwww) of a variety known as a B’T (beat) merely serve a femme-looking guy who dresses in over-the-top fascist dictator wear. To fight them, our hero gets a B’TX in the form of a flying horse, and, naturally, they loathe each other on sight but bond over their mutual stubbornness. It’s pretty standard stuff, but Kuaumada’s characters are more likeable than in Knights of the Zodiac, and the action comes at a rapid clip; it should score a hit with its target audience.

— S.A. Bennett
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#2 (Foil cover)


Cover Price: $10.00
1 copy available for $9.99 		Masami KurumadaMasami Kurumada