The unique Mechanical Buddy Universe felt like there was room for one thing extra, given how the android mercenary Blau and human child Wet met, and the 1.0 manga series delivers on that. A lot in order that I feel it’s even higher than Takuji Kato’s unique story. It’s so completely executed as not solely a showcase of the unique relationship, with a improbable introduction to Blau and Wet, however of many different bonds between people and each androids, and synthetic intelligence entities.
Editor’s observe: There will probably be gentle spoilers for the Mechanical Buddy Universe 1.0 manga beneath.
The very first thing I like about Mechanical Buddy Universe 1.0 is the way it completely establishes who Blau is, which is crucial given her position as one of many predominant focal factors of the collection. On the outset, you wouldn’t know she’s an android. Sure, her textual content containers look completely different from her son Wet’s, however she seems human and even has related blond hair and facial options. However the story then instantly jumps right into a flashback displaying how she obtained her title as she reminisces in regards to the sky and changing into a mercenary companion to a human named Lawrence.
Again then, this android was generally known as M3-C227 and appeared utterly mechanical. Even so, Lawrence handled her as a human, providing her his coat. We see glimpses of their relationship, ensuing them buying and selling in “favors” that began with that preliminary reward of a coat, and finally leading to him naming her Blau for the blue sky after they survived an particularly harmful state of affairs. It’s an ideal approach to arrange one human/synthetic being relationship.
From there, the construction in Kato’s collection is such that we witness different, related bonds due to their eventual affiliation with both Blau or Wet as they go about mercenary missions or life. This does give us loads of alternatives to see precisely how Blau is sort of a mom to Wet and he behaves precisely as her organic son no matter their variations whereas highlighting how different, related relationships evaluate. The context permits us to check and recognize the similarities and variations, in addition to see how different bonds are shaped.
For instance, instantly after this, we see Blau getting ready for a mission to take down the Road Sniper that’s inflicting bother for folk within the metropolis. As she’s doing so, Wet is along with her and so they’re procuring at an area retailer with acquainted faces. There are additionally references to a different sniper referred to as Hawkeye. We then meet Hawkeye when Blau is on that mission and uncover it’s a duo made up of a human and AI that the android knew named Hawk. Stated AI used to reside in a stationary gun and loved watching folks beneath, changing into keen on their companion from afar. However then, because of happenstance, they obtained to fulfill, and now they work as a pair to try to do good as Hawkeye.
My favourite one entails a extra mechanical tackle the kuchisake-onna yokai. It presents a sophisticated relationship between an enhanced, inhuman people and ones who’re. As a result of we see an peculiar scavenger named Joey who, together with his band of people, occurs upon a futuristic tackle that delusion. The ensuing partnership that comes from Joey’s encounter with what seems like a futuristic city legend actually ensures issues finish on an attention-grabbing observe that additionally supplies an unimaginable cliffhanger.
The unique Mechanical Buddy Universe launched an sudden household, and the 1.0 sequel manga collection looks as if a good stronger one. The pairing of Blau and Wet highlights a beautiful, loving, familial relationship between a mom and her son. By following them on their mercenary roles and assignments, we then additionally get to see how different bonds between people and mechanical or synthetic beings go. Every one is exclusive in its personal means and price witnessing.
Mechanical Buddy Universe 1.0 quantity 1 is on the market now, and Square Enix will launch quantity 2 of the manga in June 2026.
