The Good
No matter how you feel about the story, there's just no denying that WOLVERINE: JAPAN'S MOST WANTED delivers and then some with the visuals. It remains crisp and animated the entire time, almost making us feel as though we're actually watching an impressive cartoon unfold before our eyes. This Infinite Comic utilizes the unique reading experience a handful of times, delivering some really entertaining and cinematic moments. Nothing as rad as last issue's dismemberment, but they're still pretty neat.
The last issue spent a good chunk of time explaining what's going on with Wolverine's enemies and teased Silver Samurai's new, high-tech ninjas. This issue follows-up on that awesome cliffhanger and we get to see Shin test his forces out against the X-Man. There's a few cool moments and, like I said above, two or so of them get the bonus of feeling more fluid and fun thanks to the Infinite Comics format. It's not as thrilling or brutal as I hoped it would be, but it's still enjoyable.
The Bad
This chapter presents a couple of, "Oh man, this is going to be AWESOME" moments and doesn't really live up to the hype. I mean, seeing Wolverine surrounded by a bunch of advanced Ninjas is awesome, right? But then there's maybe two or three attacks at most before something else happens. There's even one moment in there where Wolverine just stands near Shin as he tries to pull his sword from the ground. From there, there's another moment which doesn't feel fluid as Shin just flies past Wolverine. Silver Samurai -- be it new school or classic -- versus Wolverine should be intense and super exciting. Unfortunately, this is just alright.
I'm cool with Wolverine being a badass and shrugging off being viciously impaled --- he has against Shin's father, after all -- but through the center of the lower chest? Shouldn't an adamantium sternum make that impossible? I checked a third time to see if it was maybe off to the side, perhaps slipping between ribs, but it's dead center (as seen in the shot of him leaping from the explosion). Maybe it's barely under the sternum? A minor criticism, I know, but I'm curious to see if others noticed this and felt the same way.
The Verdict
Ultimately, this chapter is just one decent extended action sequence. The visuals remain awesome and are definitely the most appealing aspect of this title. Additionally, it's bookended by a new element in the plot -- one which has an intriguing cliffhanger. It seems clear this book exists to bring solid art and plenty of action, and that's something I am absolutely cool with. It's not quite up there with SAVAGE WOLVERINE, but it'll definitely suffice if you want more Wolverine in your life.
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