I thought this was a fun book with some interesting artwork. I think everyone should give it a shot!

Thank you Netgalley and IDW Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Taka is a fun, action-packed graphic novel with manga influences. I enjoyed the over-the-top fight scenes and fast pacing. While I thought this would be in color from the cover/vibrancy of Taka's hair, it was in grayscale (which I still found favorable to black/white as it helped with scene and character differentiation). I had a harder time getting into this graphic novel, so the first few pages of background information were greatly appreciated - informative without being overwhelming. I thoroughly enjoyed the character designs and sense of humor throughout this novel. I just genuinely had fun reading this and found myself wondering when the last time I had laughed while reading a graphic novel was. I was unsure of the audience for this graphic novel - as it was a bit violent for middle-grade but a bit juvenile for teens. Lastly, while I understand the need for a watermark I wish it had been less prevalent as it subtracts from the reading experience. Overall, Taka is a fun, fast-paced graphic novel with solid character designs.

A Special Thanks Goes To IDW Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC.

We’re jumping into another YA Graphic Novel review! This time, it is Ryan Jampole’s (Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man) TAKA. The newest title from IDW Publishing is continuing the tradition of bringing the wonder of Tokusatsu and Superheroes to a new generation. Keep in mind, that this is a SPOILER-FREE review, so, the details are kept minimal.

The story begins with Taka, who has quite a reputation in her city for being a notorious delinquent. She soon stumbles upon an abandoned temple, where Taka accidentally unleashes a horde of evil robots called Chimecha, violent creatures from another world that are bent on destroying anything in their path! She begrudgingly took on the mantle of the MECH-FIGHTER, a cyborg warrior who uses a special power that could take down this evil new threat! Now, she has to protect the city that doesn’t care for her, or her antics before Taka took on the mantle.

While I give the publisher and the creator credit for giving a chance for a younger generation to experience what Kamen Rider and other Tokusatsu-themed shows with this approach, it felt more like a light approach to more anime shows such as TRIGGER’s Kill-La-Kill (in terms of mannerisms in regard of emotions, action sequences). That isn’t a bad thing, the atmosphere of the story, character interactions, reactions, and the artwork. Other than that, Taka was a fun book to read.

Speaking of the story atmosphere, Jampole does a great job of setting up the story and its premise, making it easier for new readers not to get lost or lose interest. As I mentioned previously, it does feel like there are also elements from anime that are included in this manga-style YA Novel. Subtle hints of Kill-La-Kill, Dragon Ball, and One Piece when it comes to the action and humor, which by the way didn’t feel forced in certain situations. The plot is fast-paced but it helps to have some good humor to keep the reader focused on the premise of the story, with some action-packed fun along the way. Finally, what was most enjoyable about this story aside from the theme was the characters and their unique personalities. While Taka may be a delinquent and a wickedly cool hero, my favorite was Meg. Her witty humor and heroism won me over.

The artwork was another great quality of this book, the Chimecha, these creatures are intriguing, well-designed, and a clever easter egg of Capcom’s MEGA-MAN (if you haven’t checked the Archie Mega Man comic book series, be sure to check out your local comic shop for back issues.) game and comic book series. Speaking of well-designed characters, the Mech-Fighter armor has a unique look that sticks out and stays true to the Kamen Rider vibe.

This was an interesting graphic novel.  The character was quite interesting, but not my favourite on the whole.  There were some interesting twists to the story.  The art style represented the story well.

First things first, I loved the art and the little bit of story I read. I decided to DNF this shortly after starting it. I decided I really wanted to buy it (or have my library buy it) so I could truly enjoy the story without the watermark. I always find the watermarks get seriously in the way.

Action, action and more action keep the tension and pacing nearing extreme, while humor adds the enticing sweetness on top.

Taka is a teenage delinquent, a loner who manages the hardships of life on his own, and all he currently wants is a golden mekku toy (only one can be found in each grab machine). When a fight causes him to lose his find, he soon crashes down into a strange cave to learn that an evil plot is underway, which will destroy the world as he knows it. Whether he wants to be a hero or not, he soon finds himself dragged into a deadly war, where the players are more than insanely powerful.

The tale begins with a couple pages of backstory...and this is extremely brief...before diving head-first into Taka's beginning fight with a bully. From there, the pacing rarely slows down for much more than a few breaths. This is a read packed full of vivid and exciting fight scenes, ones that will delight action fans as each moment is masterfully delivered and expressed. The characters come across with unique aspects and details, making each one inviting to meet and watch. The style hits a mix of classic comic with touches of manga to let the various scenes sit and shine. So. on the graphic end, it's well done.

This plot is all about keeping a fast-pace, which will delight those who simply want a bit of battle fun with a little humor mixed in. This quick pace, though, comes too fast at times. Any smidgen of background or depth gets swallowed up in the constant shift from one high-tension moment to the next. The characters do try to fill in much needed information every now and then, but this then leads to an overload on text, which will have the action fans skimming to simply get to the next fight scene. The humor, though, slides in at the right times and adds needed spunk to fill in for some personality.

All those who enjoy high-tension battles with exciting creatures and fantastical robots/monsters/creatures will enjoy gliding through the graphics on this one quite a bit.

Art is great, the battle scenes were very well done. Exciting, but not overwhelming so you got lost. Loved the robots. The art has a very manga feel to it so kid will love it, but it still reads like a traditional American comic It was a fun story that will be popular with my students. It does get a bit wordy at times, but it was a lot of fun.

4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review

‘Taka’ was good I enjoyed the book and the art illustration are really good 😊 it was a pleasure to receive a copy to read.

Rating 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️