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Manga Review: 20th Century Boys (Volumes 1-4)
The beginning of the story of 20th Century Boys will sound familiar and rather common to most of you: A bunch of young boys get together, build a fort, and make up a story about evil trying to destroy the world and how they will go on to be heroes and save the Earth themselves someday. However, the story quickly takes a surprising turn that shoots the story forward into something downright glorious.
Our main character, Kenji, is just living his life as an owner of a convenience store when he receives news that one of his childhood friends, Donkey, has committed suicide. In connection with the death, Kenji stumbles upon a symbol that he remembers creating with his friends as a kid. He thinks nothing of it, but suddenly Donkey’s death starts looking more suspicious when the different stories of evil deeds that he and his friends came up with as kids start happening for real all around the world. The people committing these crimes are donning the symbol he and his friends came up with, and they claim to be led by someone they only refer to as “Our Friend.” Believing that one of his childhood friends has to be this mysterious leader, he starts seeking out the others whom were involved in their childhood fantasy gone awry in an attempt to stop the madness.
