Remina

Remina
Cover of the volume
地獄星レミナ
(Jigokusei Remina)
Genre
Manga
Written byJunji Ito
Published byShogakukan
English publisher
MagazineBig Comic Spirits Zōkan Casual
DemographicSeinen
Original runSeptember 16, 2004 – July 24, 2005
Volumes1

Remina (Japanese: 地獄星レミナ, Hepburn: Jigokusei Remina, lit. 'Hellstar Remina') is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Junji Ito. It was serialized in Big Comic Spirits Zōkan Casual from September 2004 to July 2005, and published in one volume.

Plot

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Following the discovery of a mysterious rogue planet which is on a course towards the solar system, Remina Oguro, the daughter of the scientist who discovered it, finds herself the subject of fame and adoration after her father chooses to name the planet after her. However, as it becomes clear that Remina is on a collision course with Earth, and also appears to be destroying anything in its path, this adoration turns to fear, then to homicidal madness. Eventually, Planet Remina draws near to Earth, and the truth is revealed; rather than a mere rogue planet, Remina is a gigantic, fully-sentient lifeform, intent on tormenting humanity before consuming the Earth whole. Staring down death at every turn with only an enigmatic homeless man as her ally, Remina must flee from the rest of humankind and fight for her survival after she escapes a crucifixion by the mob that kills her father, led by a malevolent cult that believe that sacrificing Remina will bring about an end to the cataclysm enacted by her namesake.

Publication

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The series is written and illustrated by Junji Ito. It was serialized in Big Comic Spirits Zōkan Casual from September 16, 2004, to July 24, 2005.[3] Shogakukan published the series in a single tankōbon volume, which was released in Japan on June 22, 2015.[3]

In 2020, Viz Media announced they licensed the series for English publication.[2] They released the volume on December 15, 2020.[1]

Reception

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Nick Smith from ICv2 praised the series, stating it was "handled well".[4] Helen Chazan from The Comics Journal also praised the series, calling it "immensely appealing" and "relatable".[5] Ian Wolf from Anime UK News also praised the series, stating that it felt like something new from Ito, while also giving the horror he is known for.[6] Michelle Smith from Manga Bookshelf was more critical, stating that she was intrigued by the premise, but found the series to be "unaffecting".[7] As part of Anime News Network's Fall 2020 manga guide, Rebecca Silverman and Caitlin Moore reviewed the series. Silverman praised the series, calling it a "good, chilling story", while criticizing it for being "too on the nose with its imagery". Moore stated that she also enjoyed the series, but was left confused by the plot.[8]

In December 2020, the series ranked in the top ten of the adult graphic novels in the United States list by The NPD Group.[9] It also ranked on the top ten of The New York Times Best Sellers list in the graphic books and manga category in January 2021.[10] In the same year, the series won the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia[11][12] and was nominated for the Harvey Award.[13] In 2022, it was ranked in the top ten graphic novels by the American Library Association's Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Remina". Viz Media. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Sherman, Jennifer (February 14, 2020). "Viz Licenses Remina, Moriarty the Patriot, Fly Me to the Moon, More Manga (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  3. ^ a b 地獄星レミナ (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  4. ^ Smith, Nick (December 15, 2020). "Review: 'Remina' HC (manga)". ICv2. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  5. ^ Chazan, Helen (January 14, 2021). "Remina". The Comics Journal. Fantagraphics. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  6. ^ Wolf, Ian (December 16, 2020). "Remina Review". Anime UK News. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  7. ^ Smith, Michelle (May 18, 2021). "Bookshelf Briefs 5/18/21". Manga Bookshelf. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  8. ^ Silverman, Rebecca; Moore, Caitlin (November 24, 2020). "The Fall 2020 Manga Guide: Remina". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  9. ^ Hazra, Adriana (January 14, 2021). "My Hero Academia Ranks at #1 on U.S. Monthly BookScan December List". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  10. ^ Hazra, Adriana (January 14, 2021). "My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan Rank on NYT Bestseller January List". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  11. ^ Mateo, Alex (June 9, 2021). "Spy x Family, Remina, I Had That Same Dream Again, More Nominated for Eisner Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  12. ^ Hazra, Adriana (July 24, 2021). "Junji Ito's Remina, Venus in the Blind Spot Manga Win Eisner Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  13. ^ Hazra, Adriana (July 18, 2021). "Harvey Awards Nominate Chainsaw Man, Remina, 3 More Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  14. ^ Mateo, Alex (January 26, 2022). "ALA's Graphic Novels for Adults 2021 Top 10 List Includes My Alcoholic Escape from Reality Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
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