Switch Vol. 1

Rating T+ Genre manga Publisher VIZ Media External Links Official Switch Website

If blood, drugs and guns are what you want, then you won’t have a problem slipping into Saki Otoh and Nakamura Tomoi’s Switch volume 1. Hal and Kai are apprentices at a Narcotics Control Department in Japan. Although Kai portrays a timid apprentice in the Narcotic department, don’t let that fool you. Hal and Kai make one awesome team. With Hal’’s street smarts and Kai’s creepy alter ego, they work together to bust drug dealers, murderers and gangsters. Both newbies to the game, Hal and Kai try to teach each other what it means to be in the Narcotic Department.

In this new police series, "Dragon Speed" seems to be the happening drug in the streets. Kai is assigned to stop the distribution of this popular and addicting drug. Ryugen, the mastermind behind the Dragon Speed, is who Kai must stop, but it is almost impossible, and the clientele are already faithful customers of Ryugen. I was surprised to see Kai and Hal change like chameleons from the beginning of the novel to the end. Although they seem to have to butt heads periodically, as much as they hate to admit it, they make a great team when it comes to catching the bad guys.

I actually enjoyed the characters of Switch. They seemed like real people who have imperfections and are not afraid to show them. The art of this manga is what makes it realistic. Although Hal had the habit of lighting a cigarette in every scene, it made him seem life-like. The authors did a wonderful job, with each pen stroke in each picture making each facial expression seem believable.

I promise that Switch will take you on that bumpy road with the twists and turns that some people desire in a manga. It will definitely keep you on the edge with unexpected turns and a suspenseful ending. This wild ride will definitely deliver the gore, drugs and violence to those of you who are fans of a good mystery.