Every quarter we are running a Manga Review Contest where you can submit a review from a selected list of manga. If you want to participate or learn more, click the link. Continue on to see what a fellow customer thought about the dino-mite Dinosaur Sanctuary Manga Volume 1.
This review is written by Sarah
In a world where dinosaurs are brought back from extinction, each species lives in the wild and high-tech parks called Dinoland. There are little dinosaur sanctuaries where you are just a bus ride away from seeing your favorite long-neck Camarasaurus.
Dinosaur Sanctuary is illustrated by Itaru Kinoshita and with help from researcher consultant Shin-Ichi Fujiwara, a real-life university researcher. They combine their skills to bring you the story of a tight-knit sanctuary crew and their heartfelt decisions in dedicating their efforts to the Enoshima Dinoland. As a debut volume from Seven Seas, there is much to look forward to. Reading Dinosaur Sanctuary was a new take on a slice-of-life zoological journey. Here, the more seasoned dinosaur lover can discover more about how their favorite species tick. The research afterword acts as a data chart on species care and gives thorough and well-thought reasons for the design illustrations.
This manga is an entertaining Jurassic Park-esque slice-of-life of an up-and-coming Dino Keeper, Suma Suzume. This manga brings every childhood question about dinosaurs right to your fingertips. Feel free to have your best Jurassic Park soundtrack playing as you read. Itaru Kinoshita puts a tremendous amount into conveying scale, and claws down to the feathers are illustrated with care and imagination. While the actual printing quality could use a little tweaking here and there, as flashbacks panels covering a dinosaur's history are heavily shaded with black silhouettes. Large shadow panels allow you to see printing lines, but this does not falter when expressing the dinosaurs' details and emotions.
Suma discovers what it means to be a Dino Keeper and works arm in arm in the struggles of keeping open a sanctuary for some of the most loved species throughout history. And as for any proper dinosaur sanctuary, our first image is the heartwarming Camarasaurus, which, as many of us know, has a long neck. Enoshima is a T.L.C small sanctuary that works to care for the species in their park. We, along with Suma, see the behind-the-scenes of dino care, feeding, health, and environment checks. We continuously find ways for people to understand the beauty and dangers of dinosaurs and, of course, DINOSAUR BABIES!! Each chapter is covered by a Dr. Dino lab afterword for dinosaurs and what Mr. Fujiwara's in-depth research lead to. Not only do we see what health concerns dinosaurs may need but also why some of our various herbivores are basically the biggest of cats.
As each Enoshima sanctuary crew tells Suma what it really means to be the keeper of the ancient animals, the past and future are not always so easily explained. Volume one is just the beginning of Suma's new life and how it quickly becomes intertwined with the lives of those she cares for, humans and dinos alike. Everyone needs a little T.L.C., no matter how big you are.
Check back every month for our manga review contest page as we will be adding new manga to the list! Don't forget to submit your reviews for a chance to win a $75 gift card like Sarah did!
Dinosaur Sanctuary Manga Volume 1
Dinosaurs are alive! In 1946, a remote island was discovered where dinosaurs never went extinct. Through breeding and genetic manipulation, dinosaur populations increased and dino-mania reached a fever pitch worldwide…until a certain terrible incident occurred. Afterward, dinosaur reserves like Enoshima Dinoland fell on hard times. Enter Suma Suzume, a kindhearted rookie dino-keeper! Can she be the one to save Dinoland from extinction?
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