地獄のアリス

JIGOKU NO ALICE

MANGA

STATUS
COMPLETE
VOLUMES
6
RELEASE
January 22, 2014
CHAPTERS
43

DESCRIPTION

This world is broken, so are humans. Shuu is one of them. He's a talented sniper who keeps a broken android, named Alice. Together they live like hermits and make living by exterminating caravan robbers, until one day the woman that Shuu saved invites him to live in a commune.

CAST

Shuu
Alice
Kenji
Matilda
Elsa

CHAPTERS

REVIEWS

sakuyamons
75/100
He didn't choose to be a broken boy in a broken world, but he chose his doll over everything.

After all, it's hard to believe it would be possible to behold such a wretched sight in this world. There is no reason to explain why innocent people should be treated this way. This place is HELL.

In a post apocalyptic setting, Alice in Hell might be about a lot of things. It could be about human connections in the post apocalyptic world, and how the lack of these connections drive you to insanity. It could be about trauma and the cycle of abuse, and yet...I feel the ideas could have feel explored more in what was a 42 chapter long story.

Despite the name, the protagonist is not Alice, if anything, Alice is a doll that barely does anything until she is fixed. The protagonist is Shuu, a 14 year old orphan who is a talented marksman. At the start of the series, Shuu treats Alice terribly - since she is a puppet, she doesn't need to think. He saves a woman from villains and eventually goes to work for the Commune where she lives at.

The characters we meet at the Commune are interesting, but nothing to write home about except Kenji. Eliza (who is Shuu "caretaker" in a few words) has very interesting set up, and is as messed up as Shuu is for different reasons, but I wish she could have been used more maybe in the place of Kenji. However, her being under a responsible caretaker - despite everything - is what set the difference between her and Shuu at the endgame.

In an apocalyptic world, where sexual assault is the rule rather than the exception (the series is VERY graphic, be warned) the author does a good work in showing the characters trauma. Shuu tends to regress mentally when it comes to a life-or-death situation, acting childishly and calling for his father while repeating his "lessons". The flashback about his father is the best stretch of the whole series, and it explains his relationship with Alice. He is not deranged because he wants to, and he isn't a sniper because he wants to, yet he does it because he must. Being aware enough for him to not be a puppet but being forced to because of his situation and because he doesn't know anything else is one of the reasons for his insanity.

The last 2 volumes reveal a lot of things - that Alice holds the key for a secret oasis, something about the moon with explosives. Most of these are misdirection or either do not matter that much, Alice dolls existed before the war and they were meant to be replacements for families for PSTD, Shun's realization on what Alice means to him comes way too late for him to hit, and it is hard to sympathize for him when Kenji is the one who is in the right.

Overall, for what it was Alice was okay. The ending makes it clear that Shuu is in the wrong, but it doesn't matter. He didn't choose to be a broken boy in a broken world, but he chose his doll over everything, perhaps that's what matters.
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MelkorLordOfFamine
75/100
This is a story about the Alice we all love and know, except she lucked out. Lucked out on shit street is what
This is a story about the Alice we all love and know, except she lucked out. Lucked out on shit street is what. You would have to screw over alot of people in life to end up in her situation. But alas, as life would have it she must have, and she is where is she is and it is time to make some lemonade from desert sand. But fear not! If things couldn't get any worst (it actually does tbh), Alice has a partner (Shuu), who to be fair is not someone whom you should close your eyes around even to blink. Sorry Alice T_T

The world is broken, something happened to it yada yada blah blah blah and together Alice and her ally Shuu have to survive. Problem is, how do you survive if everything is broken? Well that's why you should read this one to find out but be warned, Mad Max was warm and fuzzy compared to this manga. I honestly don't think Mad Max would survive in the world of the manga.

Alice is there from the beginning but only becomes central to the story mid-way through it, but for the most part acts as an observer, who witnesses all this darkness and sometimes is drawn into it by no fault of her own. I think she was meant to be the contrast between what is good and wholesome vs everything that is wrong in that world because in my heart of hearts Alice is pure... Atleast, she was until I read this manga and then afterwards I was like "this girl has LIVED! Hawt damn!".

Shuu is our male protagonist... I don't want to say more than I already have but you gotta see this guy

It is dark, gritty, violent and raw. I don't think there were any likable characters or if there were, they just didn't suit my tastes. The art is good and it has a story to be told. It delves in to the question of morality in really difficult times vs what is necessary to survive. It also looks into nurture vs nature, mental illness and violence as a tool to bring about an outcome whether good or bad. It even shows the struggles of those who try to be 'good' (I say good but who is really good there?) in circumstances where it should technically be impossible. It is only at the end that you are able to properly consider if the actions of certain characters were justifiable, given their history and current circumstance, and thus inevitable or were they just always wrong. Tbf, the manga gives you the answer but whether you agree is up to you as reader.

As a plus to the series, the conclusion was wild and I didn't expect it but at the same time, when it was time to digest everything, I could only think "wow, wtf did I just read?". Definitely a dark read and is not for the faint of heart but if you liked Walking Dead where the zombies are swapped out for the living, then you may like this manga.

Make sure you read Alice in Sexland afterwards. I know I did, to heal my damaged soul. I will always love you Alice!
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