Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle, Vol. 8 by Yukito Kishiro

 Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle, Vol. 8 by Yukito Kishiro-145 pages

The story of Yoko (Alita) and Erica continues in the latest volume. Yoko and Erica have been taken in by Keun the Kaufmann. Keun is looking for information on NNN and the hero's journal. Alliances shift and decisions are made that will affect character's lives in the future. This series is a prequel to to the original Battle Angel Alita series. This volume ends with a big cliffhanger that has me anticipating the next volume, if and when it is released. I enjoyed reading this, though not quite as much as the previous volumes, and I rate it 3 stars. 

Battle Angel Alita Mars Chronicle Vol. 7 (Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle) by Yukito Kishiro

 Battle Angel Alita Mars Chronicle Vol. 7 (Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle) by Yukito Kishiro-162 pages

I have previously read through vol. 6 of this series and this is the latest. I enjoyed this volume just as much as the previous ones. I continue to hold anything "Battle Angel Alita" in high regard. If you've read any of the previous "Alita" works, then I would recommend this. 

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle, Vol. 6 by Yukito Kishiro

 Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle, Vol. 6 by Yukito Kishiro-200 pages

The story continues with even more shocking revelations. Yoko's origin is not what is previously thought. No, she was a Masketoma of someone else who was given life and a mechanical body to go along with her living brain. She was not a Masketoma of Lady Kagura and, therefore, she can't be named as Lady of Cydonia since she is not of that line. Erica continues down a dark path and Baron Muster's plan of vengeance comes to its epic conclusion. I await volume 7 which, alas, will not be published until next spring. 

Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle, Vol. 1 by Yukito Kishiro

 Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle, Vol. 1 by Yukito Kishiro-208 pages

While I wait for copies of the next volumes of Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization I am reading this. It caught my eye on the shelf because I have seen the film "Alita: Battle Angel" based on the manga. This is not the story line explored in the movie. However, this is a captivating story on its own. Yoko (Alita) is a young cyborg girl who is taken to live in an orphanage with Erica in the town of Mamiana on Mars. At first, Erica and Yoko are bullied but then they almost sort of become friends with some of the other girls. However, an army faction (one of 3 at war on Mars) slaughters all the girls except Yoko and Erica. They are the only ones who escape the slaughter. They are rescued by a different army faction. This is pretty much how the first volume ends. I am now reading the second volume of this series and plan to read the third, as well. As I said in an earlier post, I plan to read a lot of manga and graphic novels for this month's challenge.