Future Diary Volume 1

by Sakae Esuno | Graphic Novels |
ISBN: 1427815577 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 8/11/2010
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3 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, August 11, 2010
I'd read about this manga series in TV Tropes (see its entry here), and picked up the first volume at a local Borders. It has some elements in common with Death Note, such as a set of supernatural gadgets powered by gods who like to play with the human realm, but it's got its own spin.

It opens with a shocking scene: a girl and boy kissing, and the lines: "I had the dart right there. 'That's right, just stab her and it'll be all over.' That's what I was thinking... but then she whispered in my ear, 'You won't stab me. That's not in your future.'"

Okay! From that dramatic opening we step back a week, and meet Yukiteru, a lonely young boy, who keeps a daily journal on his cell phone of all the things going on around him. In his room at home, we see him chatting with his imaginary (?) friend Deus Ex Machina (pause to groan here!), who is a huge, hideous god who likes to mess about with people's lives. He starts a "game" to liven things up, and before Yukiteru knows what's happened, he's being stalked by a girl from his school - and is seeing his cell-phone journal showing events that have not happened yet...

Eventually the characters learn that there are a dozen of these "future diaries", some in the form of phones, others actual journals. They can describe future events for up to 90 days out, but can only show events that the owner of the diary would have written down if it had already happened. [This has amusing/bizarre side effects: the hero writes about everything but himself, so he can't read his own future in his diary, but his stalker writes only about him, so putting the two together...]

To add a twist to all this: Deus Ex Machina announces that the diary holders are competing in a life-and-death battle to be the sole survivor - and to inherit his power. (This would explain the scene with the dart!) And so the hunt begins...

I'm releasing this book to the book-buffet at the 2010 BookCrossing Unconvention in Boston, August 13-15 (see more at the BC Conventions page here). The convention is at the Hostelling International at 575 Comm Ave, and while convention attendees get first pick of the books, if previous conventions are anything to go by there will be BC books scattered all around Boston quite soon, so this will be a great weekend to go book-hunting!

Journal Entry 3 by wingKateKintailwing at Burke, Virginia USA on Monday, August 16, 2010
I picked this up from the Boston UnConvention book buffet.

I will probably read this, because it looks good and I like giving mangas a try if I happen upon them from Volume 1. When I'm done, I will pass it on to melydia if she hasn't already read it, because I know she likes Death Note. Thanks!

Journal Entry 4 by wingKateKintailwing at Burke, Virginia USA on Monday, August 30, 2010
This was quite interesting. It reminded me of a handful of other things, but had some unique elements that made it different. and there were some characters I actually cared about from the start. The opening was dramatic enough to pull me in and keep me reading and interested even though it jumped back a week or so after the initial teaser images.

I love the idea of people having diaries on their phones that allow them to see the future. But I especially loved the fact that each diary is a little different in its nature. And it's neat that these diaries can be combined to get a more complete picture of the future. That opens it up to all sorts of possibilities and adventures (and potential obstacles). The fight to the death for ultimate power aspect was very reminiscent of Highlander (which is my favorite television show of all time), but the unpredictable nature of the future keeps us wondering how things will turn out. I liked the mix of supernatural and real world here; that's a sort of genre I love. The story is simple but a lot of fun.

I hope I'll be able to track down other volumes of this series, because now I'm really interested to know how it turns out!

Journal Entry 5 by wingMelydiawing at -- Geocaches, Virginia USA on Friday, September 3, 2010
KateKintail picked this up for me since I attend a lot of anime conventions. This will most likely be released at Anime USA in Arlington, VA, in November. Thanks!

Edit: my husband wants to read it first, so it may or may not be released any time soon. Hopefully I'll get him to journal it when he's finished. (But I'm not holding my breath.)

Journal Entry 6 by wingMelydiawing at Rockville, Maryland USA on Saturday, August 17, 2019
My husband went through the bookshelves recently and decided he is never going to read this after all, so I am passing it along.

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