Tank Chair, Vol. 1

Gr 10 Up–Shizuka Taira is a young girl acting as a broker for her assassin brother, Nagi. Nagi was once the toughest hitman in town, but an accident left him in a largely unresponsive state, and he now uses a wheelchair. However, Shizuka discovers that Nagi can be brought out of his coma when placed in a situation ripe with murderous intent. Having learned this, Shizuka only sets her brother up with the most dangerous jobs possible, believing that, should he be exposed to a truly spectacular will to kill, he’d make a complete recovery. Tank Chair does a fantastic job in bringing a new manner of disability representation to the forefront. Nagi’s titular wheelchair is custom and able to take many forms, referred to as marks in the text, inviting plenty of imaginative possibilities down the line. Though Nagi is in a comatose state for a fair share of his scenes, this book is undeniably action-packed, and the moments where he is thwarting evildoers will excite readers. The art is exhilarating, violent, and nothing short of wonderful, while the story’s dystopia-riddled setting emanates decay and gloom in each and every panel. While the plot doesn’t wade too deep in this opening volume, the fun is undeniable, and the creative potential will have folks absorbed.