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Eternal Sabbath
by Jennifer Southerington

Fuyumi Soryo’s series Eternal Sabbath, or ES, follows Ryousuke Akiba and Dr. Mine Kujyou. Akiba, the result of a genetic experiment named ES, has the ability to alter memory and perception to the point where people may actually physically experience whatever he shows them. He is at turns compassionate and cruel with this ability. Kujyou, a researcher at a medical university, is one of a rare few who can tell when Akiba is tampering with them. Kujyou, always too smart and too curious for her own good, can’t resist trying to learn more about ES.

Soryo did a pretty good job of piquing my interest with this first volume by presenting a character that challenges the reader to question whether his actions are good or evil or perhaps even indifferent. Several characters describe Akiba as being detached, apathetic towards others, and to some extent this is true. Yet, in the very first chapter the reader sees Akiba get involved when he discovers Takeshi, a high school boy on the verge of self destruction. Takeshi witnessed the murder of a homeless man and the guilt and anger have overwhelmed him. Not only does Akiba seek out and torment the murderer, but he delves into Takeshi’s mind, absorbing all his anger. Akiba did not need to get involved with Takeshi for his survival or even for his own amusement. In fact, it seems that removing Takeshi’s anger was even quite painful. 

However Akiba does not “fix” Takeshi, leaving him with this: “Now you have nothing but your regret and misery. Get rid of them yourself.” And later he passes by as a man is beaten to death in the street, with little more than a disgruntled glance at the small blood stain that gets on his shirt. It leaves the reader, and Dr. Kujyou, wondering what motivates this character. And if people like Kujyou, who are difficult for him to manipulate and therefore a danger to him, why does Akiba place himself more and more into her path? Because Akiba is just as curious about what he can not manipulate, what he does not understand, as Kujyou.

The volume ends with the introduction of Sakaki, a man from Akiba’s past. Sakaki is looking for someone named Isaac, the only person Akiba seems to feel real responsibility for or guilt over, despite his insistence that it’s none of his concern. Sakaki then begins to explain his involvement with ES to Kujyou, describing Akiba’s creation as a miracle and Isaac’s purpose as a sacrifice to science. The reader is left wondering what disastrous event led to Akiba and Isaac’s escape, what destruction Isaac has done since, and what happens next.

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