Cipher Mini Review (manga)
September 19th, 2007 by Lianne
PG-13/16 for mild violence, sexuality, drug use, and other topics pertaining to 80s New York; official series website
Okay, I’m 100% aware that I’m one of the six people in North America who actually follow this comic. But that doesn’t mean it’s not good–it just means that most people don’t want to read something about teenagers having growing pains in 1980s New York. Do you hear that, everyone who’s ever seen me buy this title? Stop pointing and laughing.
Everyone has, at one point or another, read a coming-of-age story about young people experimenting with sex, or drugs*, or something dramatic and traumatizing where they have to learn balance the hard way. Cipher is about girls and boys struggling through youth while trying to have dignity. I guarantee this series will make you cry if you’re one of the following:
1.) You pride yourself on your lack of hormones, then miss out on true love because you can’t allow yourself the embarrassment of falling for somebody.
2.) You can’t help but show every emotion on your face, so no one takes you seriously even when you’re trying to pour your heart out.
3.) You spend all your time trying to make yourself a model person, then cry alone when the prodigal son gets more affection.
This is the manga for all the mature kids who realize that being mature is really hard. Life sucks for everybody, not just the people who make poor life decisions or the ones who have drama incomprehensively dumped into their laps, and Cipher is one of the few manga I’ve ever read that acknowledges that. Good for you, Cipher. Seriously, good for you.
Update: The final book, Volume 11, surprised me with a completely satisfying but realistically open conclusion (the series loses a little steam in the final few volumes). So stick with Cipher to the end! It’s worth it.
Educated impression: Our market needs this comic. Whether or not you read it depends on how much you require action and scandal in your manga. (Lianne)
*…Okay, so one of the character does have a drug problem in his past. There’s always one. *sigh*
Nice to see SOMEONE else follows this 80s shoujo gem
Woo! Power to the nerds. ^_^
I’m also not ashamed to admit that Volumes 4-8 all made me cry. I have to emotionally prepare myself every time I open a new volume.
I’ve only read two volumes so far but I’m already hooked! Honestly, I don’t know why more people aren’t interested in this manga. Sure it’s set in the 80’s but some of the really good ones were done in the 70’s and no one cared; besides, some of us were made in the 80’s too ^_^
Well, I’m off to attempt to blackmail my bookstore into obtaining more volumes!
I own all eleven volumes, but haven’t started it yet. I believe there’s also a sequel called “Alexandrite,” but it hasn’t been licensed.
You’re correct - Alexandrite is a sequel (although it’s more of a spin-off featuring a side character) and it’s still only Japanese-only. I’m sure we’ll never, ever see it on our shores. Dry your eyes, though - the character Levine, whom Alexandrite is based on, is probably the weakest character in Cipher. He was just incomprehensively popular in Japan in the 80s.
Well, that does make me feel a bit better about probably never getting it in English.
I seriously need to develop some sticking power when it comes to studying Japanese. I think I have ADD in that regard or something.