Strain (manga)

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Strain

ストライン (SUTORAIN)
Genre	Seinen
Manga
Authored by	Buronson
Publisher	Shogakukan Akuma VIZ Media
Serialized in	Big Comic Superior
Original run	1996 – 1998
No. of volumes	5

Strain is manga written by Yoshiyuki Okamura, and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami. This is the same art team (writer and illustrator) who created the popular manga Sanctuary (manga). It was serialized in Big Comic Superior from 1996 to 1998, then released into 5 volumes by Shogakukan between 1997 and 1998.

The manga involves the complex human-relationships and family ties. The characters in the manga are dynamic and sophisticated. Scenes of sex and violence are abundant; the manga is geared towards mature audiences.

1 Art
2 Plot summary
- 2.1 Detailed Story Arc
3 Tankoubon
4 English Editions by Viz

[edit] Art

The is unusually detailed for a manga, featuring a life-like style and many close-up shots of characters' faces. Most emotions and actions are portrayed with art rather than with words.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Mayo is a professional assassin who never asks for more than 5 dollars per kill. He is hired by the "Organization" to kill the mother of a young prostitute, Shion. Shion pleads with Mayo, and convinces him to give up on his mission.

As Mayo takes pity on Shion and her Mother, the leaders of the Organization pronounce a death sentence on him.

[edit] Detailed Story Arc

[edit] Volume 1: ISBN 1-56931-319-9

Mayo is a cold-blooded professional killer who will end a man's life for 5 (Malaysian) dollars. Sai is a kind old man who worked as the contact for Mayo. Through Sai, Mayo got connected with "The Organization" - Chinese Malaysian Mafia organization. The Organization wants Shion's ailing mother to be dead and assigns the job to Mayo for 5 dollars.

While carrying out his assignment, Shion pleads Mayo not to kill her mother and in exchange, she promises to give him her virginity. Upon hearing this, Mayo has a change of heart and asks Shion to give him 10 dollars instead - 5 dollars to cancel his original assignment and extra 5 dollars to retaliate the organization.

When the contact of the organization comes to meet with Mayo, he was shot in the head by Mayo. The organization is outraged and vowed to revenge Mayo.

They contacted the demented eurasian Angel. Angel is sadomasochist bi-sexual. And he is also a corrupted police sergeant. When meeting with Mayo, Mayo outwits Angel and his gang of policeman. That makes Angel more excited and determined to get Mayo for himself.

Meanwhile, Sai decided to carry out the assignment himself. But when he went to kill Shion's mother, she was already dead due to her long suffering illness. When Shion becomes motherless and homeless, Sai and Mayo's best friend Yang save her. At first they tried to take Shion to Yang's house but Yang's wife does not like the idea of a young girl living with them.

So, finally they take Shion to Mayo's apartment.

[edit] Volume 2 ISBN 1-56931-381-4

Mayo lets Shion stay in his apartment and his behaviors changed and he becomes softer. Sai likes this idea since he has fatherly affection towards Mayo and does not want him to be cold-blooded for the remainder of his life.

Mayo's past is largely a mystery but bit by bit it is revealed that Mayo might be a descendant of all-powerful Japanese oil conglomerate "Kusaka". "Kusaka" is currently headed by young but ambitious and ruthless Shunichiro. Kusaka company has its main branch in Malaysia with the eye on oil in Malaysia. Shunichiro's vision is to find the oil in South-East Asian countries starting with Malaysia. He would like to control the source of oil in order to compete with the West.

Kyoko is a beautiful Japanese prostitute now working as a mama-san in Malaysia. She is also a kind of part-time lover to Mayo. While getting the Japanese porn stars for Kusaka company's branch in Malaysia, she inadvertently discovered the old newspaper story featuring Mayo. She made some research of her own and found out that Mayo is the younger brother of "Kusaka" company's head Shunichiro. Moreover, Mayo was sentenced to death by Malaysia authorities accused of the drug trafficking.

Kyoko tries to make a deal with Mayo after knowing that. Kyoko urges him to take back the "Kusaka" empire. Mayo is reluctant at first.