Firefighter! A Hero Rises above the Ashes     Jun 16, 2007     reviewed by sensei joe    
(Firefighter! Daigo Vol. 01 (2nd Edition))

Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M (vol. 1) is a manga by Masahito Soda. It is from Viz: action. Soda masterfully creates a splash page which sets the pace for the fiery-frenetic action. As you can see (on my blog: http://senseijoe.wordpress.com), the artwork is phenomenal. The intensity in the firefighter’s eyes captures the emotions. We soon learn that the little boy rescued in this scene is our hero, Daigo Asahina. The story begins with Daigo going over to his high school to show his favorite teacher, Ms. Ochiai, his new uniform - he tells her he has been assigned to Medaka-Ga-Hama Station or Fire Company M. He then exuberantly heads over to the station (two days early I might add), where we are introduced to Captain Gomi and the other firefighters currently on shift. Daigo’s excitement is quenched when he sees the work ethic of the rest of the fire company. The rest of this first volume addresses his fear of being in a looser-slacker company, which is really a projection of his own insecurities onto his fellow firemen. We see pure adrenaline pumping and fiery fear flooding Daigo’s mind as he goes on his first call, a gas leak. We continue to see his emotions as he struggles with doubts as the company gets a call to put out a fire at his high school. Soda expertly weaves comedy and drama between the suspenseful action-packed rescue scenes to give his audience a breather from the action and develop his characters. Daigo is an endearing and complex character with guts. This helps him rise above the ashes of so many common action heroes featured in anime or manga. If you are in the market for a refreshing and suspenseful read look no further than Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M.

Sensei no Otaku says: “Daigo is like a phoenix that rises from the ashes burned out heroes. Go buy Firefighter! vol. 1 now!” PS. I bought it from justmanga.com and they got it to me in no time! justmanga.com rocks!

sensei joe also recommended: Cowboy Bebop, GTO, Master Keaton,
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