Choujin X is the thing of nightmares, and I mean that with the highest compliments. I’ve often compared Sui Ishida’s style to that of Gerard Scarfe and Ralph Steadman, two artists who’ve conjured some of the most grotesquely beautiful art that most people couldn’t even imagine. But here in the eleventh volume of Choujin X, one other artist comes to mind when the fight against Bador Vlad commences: Kentaro Miura!

Right now, the Choujin of Yamato Mori are maneuvering through the Tower of Mourning. Their main target is Zora, but they have some heavy hitters to deal with on the third floor. The baddest of the bunch is Bador Vlad, who looks like a devil that even THE Devil would fear. At the start of this volume’s first chapter, we’re greeted with the sight of Vlad ripping BB’s heart out of her and eating it like an apple.

Fortunately, BB doesn’t die, thanks to her special powers. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that Bador Vlad is a nasty brute with skills that could eviscerate an army of 10,000! But he’s fighting against Choujin, who themselves have powers that could also wipe out massive armies in a single blow. So the question is, who will reign supreme by the end of the fight?

Sui Ishida does not make it easy for the heroes of Choujin X, and that’s for the best. His story isn’t exactly your average superhero tale, such as Spider-Man or even My Hero Academia. Ishida wants to keep his readers on their toes, in ways that will make them guess whether or not the good guys will come out on top. And in this fight against Bador Vlad, the heroes seem like they’re close to being overpowered.

Perhaps that’s why I really liked seeing the flashback between Ely and Azuma, as the two talk about battle strategies. The what-if of facing a Choujin that’s impervious to everything comes to mind, with a solution that is the most sound: running away. It shows that even when you are currently at your strongest, there may be times when you’ll come across someone/something that’s light-years more powerful than you are. So why go head-on with it when you know your death would be the end result? As such, it’s sometimes better to retreat than die a hero far too soon.

However, even with such an idea, Bador Vlad is the type that doesn’t allow his foes to run for cover. One by one, he slaughters soldiers, as their blood sprays from their bodies like a typhoon. The imagery this manga showcases in this battle is very nightmarish, to the point where it comes off as a slightly rougher version of a big Berserk face-off. And like a good, horrific situation, it cuts off the reader right when panic mode is about to be initiated.

Volume Eleven of Choujin X is both a delight and terrifying. As Yamato Mori faces Bador Vlad, the odds of them reading Zora shrink more and more. Normally, I’m not the type of guy who likes bleak storytelling, as a sliver of hope is necessary to keep me wanting to read further. With that being said, with art this magnificent and nightmarish, I can’t help but come back for more Choujin X when the time comes!

Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media. Click here to read past reviews of Choujin X!