Helios Eclipse Series – Quintet, Septenary, Epilogue

Today, I’ll be introducing you to a series which has captured my attention with its snazzy art and endearing storyline. The series in question here is Helios Eclipse, which some of you may remember from one of my reviews awhile back. At the time, I just gave a brief overview of what the first book was like, but I’ve had a chance to look through some of the other books in the series, and have received a little more insight.

Helios Eclipse is written by a Malaysian writer, who goes by the pen name Kaoru. She was born and bred in Perak, so it’s not surprising to find that her style suits the tastes of Malaysians around. Her story revolves around the central character, Helios, the ruler of the Realms of Magic, and Mineko, a hapless teenage girl who just happened to get sucked into this fantasy world. As luck would have it, the Shadow Realm is bent on destroying all that they have and love, and Mineko and Helios have to cooperate to fight it back with all they have.

Helios Eclipse Quintet

Language: English
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kaoru
Category : Seinen

The fourth book in the series, aptly named Quintet, starts with a rough battle between Mineko, her friend Evillina and an unknown enemy. Surprisingly, the enemy possesses an element, the most powerful magic in the world. Mineko’s life is in peril, and it is unknown if she will survive the fight.

The book also delves deeper into the relationship between Diamond and Mineko, providing Diamond’s answer against her blame towards Mineko for failing to save Luna, her former master. The introduction on Louis, a new character, further adds to the excitement of the plot.

Helios Eclipse Septenary

Language: English
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kaoru
Category : Seinen

Helios Eclipse “Septenary” is the seventh book in the series, and here the storyline begins to get a little thicker. Countessa, Helios’ childhood friend and the Ruler of the Realms of Water, forms a political alliance with Helios by marrying him. The newly crowned King of the Realms of the Wood, Draven, and his friend the King of the Realms of the Air, Armand, arrive to lend a helping hand to Helios in his quest against the Shadow Realms. Unbeknownst to Helios, Countessa and the two other leaders of the Realms are planning the ultimate betrayal by selling Helios out to the Shadow Realm, in an effort to claim the throne for themselves.

The recent disappearance of the King of the Realm of Earth, and Helios’ inability to contact him, adds to the mystery. In addition, readers will get to see the appearance of a new character, one who despite the nearing end of the series, still remains shrouded in mystery. Mineko’s role in her arrival to the Magic Realms is also given a sneak peek here.

Helios Eclipse Epilogue

Language: English
Publisher: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn. Bhd.
Cartoonist: Kaoru
Category : Seinen

Finally, we come to the final book of the series, Helios Eclipse “Epilogue”. Readers who have been clamoring for Kaoru’s finishing release will finally be able to understand the full meanings of the scattered-jigsaw-puzzle-like plot of the previous seven books, as the author wraps up the story with a fulfilling finish. Among some of the illuminating questions which are answered her include the sudden appearance of Louis, Mineko’s childhood friend, the identity of the mysterious stranger in the seventh book, Septernary, and the revelation of the hidden artifact, the Phoenix.

Ratings:

Helios Eclipse

Quintet: 3.4 out of 5

Septenary: 3.2 out of 5

Epilogue: 4.5 out of 5

Helios Eclipse really is a series you should look out for. In contrast with our local expectations of Malaysian comic book artists, Kaoru has proven exceptionally refreshing in her venture with Helios Eclipse. You get the feeling that this is her labor of love, as not only is the story well-though out, but the characters are given a lot of time to really flesh out. The artwork is very decent at worst, and to add to the spice, every inch of the series is given a full color treatment, without holding back. The series wraps up nicely, tying up all the loose ends and yet leaving the reader satisfied at the same time. Plus, despite the satisfactory ending, there seems to be room for more in the plot. Perhaps we will see Helios Eclipse, “Sequel”?

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Cyber Doll is a hand drawn manga that has been making waves in the Japanese comic industry due to its unique style. The story revolves around 17 year old Jina, an ordinary student who gets caught up in a fantasy war involving the cyber world. Incidentally, the Land of Reah, which is the cyber world, has been attacked by a great evil force known only as Gregory, trapping its peaceful ruler Reah and taking over that world. In her effort to restore balance to the cyber world, Reah sends messengers to the real world in search of heroes, who gain the name Cyber Dolls after Jina was selected.

The artwork of Cyber Doll is quite decent. While it’s not anywhere near outstanding, the lines are smooth and the drawings easy on the eyes. Fans of old anime series like Cardcaptor Sakura and Astro Boy will find a resemblance in drawing style to their respective animes. Characters are drawn quite distinctively so you’ll be able to recognize them quite easily, and the artwork is simple and clean enough to get through the entire book without feeling like there’s too much “noise”. Fanboys and girls alike will be delighted to find that Cyber Doll comes in full color.

Cyber Doll has likable characters, in the sense that the mangaka (author) has taken effort to inject humor and a slight dose of realism to keep things interesting. The story is decent enough to be believable, and in some panels the artist uses paintings which resemble real-life photographs to add a touch of difference. Overall, I found Cyber Doll an enjoying enough read, and had no “bottleneck” issues while reading the book.

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The same can’t be said for Daring Student’s Association. Daring Student’s Association tells a political story of how the Student’s Association President gets accused of a crime he didn’t commit, and is subsequently expelled from the society. In his efforts to find the truth and redeem his rightful place, he encounters love, friendship and betrayal. The plot has a lot of potential, but unfortunately the mangaka doesn’t seem to make full use of the storyline. One gets the feeling that a lot has been left out after finishing the manga. Still, its saving grace is its chibi (cute) characters, which lend a delightful appeal to an otherwise laid back storyline.

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Helios Eclipse is set in a fantasy world where the ruling spirits and elements are at war with each other. It revolves around Helios, the king of the elements, who is fighting to free his land from the grasp of the evil Soileh. The plot is fantastically complicated, with the elements all broiled up in different yet interweaved events, and fans of long standing anime with rich storylines will get a blast out of Helios Eclipse. The story is separated into a few books, all of which are full color, and the artwork is simple but pleasing nonetheless.

Ratings:

Cyber Doll: 4 out of 5
Helios Eclipse: 3.5 out of 5
Daring Student’s Association: 2 out of 5

Out of these three, I would have to give Cyber Doll the highest nomination. It succeeds in attracting readers not just purely from an art and story perspective, but relates to us emotionally as well with Jina being a normal high school student. Helios is pretty good, and those who like stories with magic-like attacks like Fire, Wind and Earth will find this a joy to read. Daring Student’s Association is aimed towards a shoujo (young teenage girl) fanbase, but fails to live up to expectations.