''Hikkatsu! Strike a Blow to Vivify'', known simply as in Japan, is a Japanese '' shōnen''

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

series written and illustrated by Yu Yagami. It was published in Japan by MediaWorks in the monthly

manga magazine are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics an ...

'' Dengeki Comic Gao!'' from May 27, 2005, to May 27, 2006, and collected in three bound volumes. It was licensed in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

Go! Comi Go! Comi was the publishing imprint of the American multimedia company, Go! Media Entertainment, LLC, established to "specializ(e) in publishing Japanese comics for the American market, and in creating new manga and manga-oriented properties for ...

, with all three volumes released.

Story

In a future where geomagnetic abnormalities have made everyday

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come alive,

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...

student Shota seeks to save humanity by perfecting his "Repair Blow"—it was inspired by a man who hit a television to make it work, but with Shota's strength he just demolishes it. In the company of Momoko and Kanji, he travels

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

through enclaves of interest groups, looking to help others.

Main characters

; : A teenage boy who has spent ten years studying karate alone, trying to perfect a Repair Blow that will fix broken machinery (though usually he just winds up utterly destroying said machinery.) His Repair Blow is also able to fix a dislocated shoulder. ; : A girl raised by pigeons who falls in love with Shota at first sight when he tries to retrieve her last ¥200 lost in a

ramen is a Chinese noodle dish popularized in Japan. It includes served in several flavors of broth. Common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including , nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen h ...

vending machine A vending machine is an automated machine that dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, cigarettes, and lottery tickets to consumers after cash, a credit card, or other forms of payment are inserted into the machine or payment is otherwise m ...

. She travels with a pigeon named Hatoko, who ordinarily sits on her head. She also thinks that she and Shota are married and constantly has delusional fantasies in which Shota shows romantic interests in her while in reality he does not. She claims to have learned pigeon martial arts, used to defend against predators, from her foster family. ; : A grifter who sells defective toy robots at the start of the series. After his merchandise is destroyed by Shota practicing his Repair Blow, Kanji starts travelling with him, hoping to profit from him. He is also constantly attacked by Momoko.

Manga

The series was first published in '' Dengeki Comic Gao!'' and collected in three bound volumes. It is licensed in

, with two volumes published as of January 2008.

Reception

The English translation of ''Hikkatsu! Strike a Blow to Vivify'' was favorably reviewed by

Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and ot ...

, calling it "a satisfying light read". A common criticism of reviewers is that the characters are one-dimensional.

References

External links

Official Webtsite at Go! Comi
* {{anime News Network, manga, 7872 2005 manga Comedy anime and manga Dengeki Comic Gao! Go! Comi titles Science fiction anime and manga Shōnen manga