Acclaimed sci-fi manga creator Tsutomu Nihei is back with his latest series Tower Dungeon. An evil necromancer slays the king and carries off his daughter, secreting her in the legendary Dragon Tower. To save the princess, her steadfast Royal Guard assays the stronghold, but the way is blocked by powerful eldritch creatures… So, to supplement their forces in the face of mounting casualties, they press ordinary folks from the surrounding villages into service—including Yuva, a sturdy young farmboy with a strong back but no experience in battle, and only a battered old helm and wooden shield to protect him.
Held in high regard by manga fans, Nihei has been responsible for some of the best sci-fi manga series in recent memory. His seminal classic BLAME! has continued to be a bestseller and he has followed it up with several other hit series including Biomega, Knights of Sidonia and Aposimz. Tower Dungeon marks his first time working in the fantasy genre in an ongoing manga series. In some ways, the style of story is quite a departure from Nihei’s previous work. One could go as far as to say there are some elements that readers would expect to find in an isekai manga – particularly the out of his element farmhand Yuva being put into a perilously dangerous quest. But Nihei manages to keep it fresh by bringing both political factors into the story – the hardworking villagers being forced into dangerous work they are not equipped for – and his best horror and action elements to the forefront.
Despite a shift in genres, this series is easily recognisable as a Nihei project. He has always had a penchant for worldbuilding, and the opening volume wastes no time in establishing a new setting for Nihei to dabble in. He still has the ability to create high levels of suspense, and the fantasy genre lends itself quite well to that area. The rather bleak setting and terrifying eldritch monsters certainly bring a lot to that department. The opening chapter where the inexperienced Yuva has to carry a barrel of salt in order to defeat the monster that has the princess is some tense stuff which will have readers questioning how long he is for this world.
Nihei’s art remains a strong selling point to the series. He has adopted a slightly looser style when it comes to his human characters which might be to reflect the change in genres. But his backgrounds/settings remain as detailed as ever. The titular tower dungeon and the first monster Yuva enounters make an immediate impact.
Nihei has created a strong story in his first attempt at fantasy whilst also keeping enough of his hallmarks to satisfy his hardcore fans. Manga fans looking for a fantasy series that goes beyond standard isekai tropes need to give Tower Dungeon a look.
Tower Dungeon 1 is out 15 July from Vertical (9781647294540, p/b, £12.99)
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