When it comes to manga, long-running titles can maintain a fandom’s attention for decades, but eventually, even these stories must come to an end. While Shonen series like One Piece and Seinen titles such as Berserk are still ongoing, they’ve inspired subsequent hits like My Hero Academia and Vinland Saga, both of which have now concluded. This raises the question: what are the next big things in the industry? On the dark fantasy front, Tohru Kuramori’s Centuria finally arrives for Western readers, courtesy of VIZ Media.
The influence of the aforementioned Berserk and Vinland Saga looms large in the first volume of Kuramori’s series, which focuses on young boy Julian, who was sold into slavery by his own mother. Right from the start, the world of Centuria is a cruel one – and that’s even before the eldritch creatures! When Julian is caught as a stowaway aboard a slave ship, he narrowly escapes death thanks to the kindness of the fellow hundred slaves who take pity on him, especially a pregnant slave by the name of Mira.
VIZ Media
Before the slavers eventually show their true brutality, the slaves themselves are clinging onto whatever empathy they have left, even if their fates are sealed. Kuramori does a great job of establishing that warmth, which is why it is so upsetting when it’s taken away. When it comes to dark fantasy manga, you should always proceed with caution as the violence is strong here, particularly the first chapter which concludes with the massacre of many, drawn in such detail by Kuramori.
During the massacre, an eldritch sea entity appears and, in exchange for the blood of the hundred slain slaves—including Mira—gifts Julian their combined strength and lives. This is where the power fantasy kicks in, with Julian’s first course of action being the slaughter of the slavers, followed by battles against giant sea creatures in the second chapter, all rendered through stunning double-page spreads. However, this new power system comes at a cost. Beyond Mira’s sacrifice, Julian now carries a hundred lives within him, establishing a finite lifespan that will no doubt be tested in subsequent volumes.
Kuramori previously worked as an assistant to Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto, and that influence is easy to spot here. Despite the immense power he possesses, Julian clings to what remains of his humanity by raising Mira’s newborn daughter, Diana. The latter half of the volume takes a softer turn, as Julian and Diana seek refuge in a village, staying in the home of the young Titi and Angvall—the latter a knight revealed to be quite the muscle mommy. While no major conflict is established during these chapters, the final page is an absolute heart-warmer that neatly concludes the volume. Hopefully, this quiet moment serves as the calm before the storm, hinting at what Kuramori has planned next.
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