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Es may not leap out right away to much of us who are not total complete 110% Otaku as a familiar title. Even I, who have more than a good exposure to the franchise, don’t recognize this title right off the bat. Still, as Broccoli Books moves to launch the title in January 10th of 2007 maybe it’s time we gave it consideration. So then, here’s your first look at Es Volume 1 from Broccoli.

Brief Synopsis
This is about all I know of the series. Expect a more indepth talk about it on the full review in the near future… I.e. this will be short, don’t blame me.

Kai Kudou is part of an elite organization of psychics known as Ashurum. Yes, another group of powerful people banned together into an organization. Like X-Men only without Patrick Stewart, but hopefully not like Kamui because you already know what bad bad things happened in that book with it’s gathered high potential people. Anyway Kai is sent on a mission to take custody of other unregistered illegal psychics in the city of Gald, because apparently Ashurum seems to take it‘s rhythm and role from a different organization of psychics from a world Star Trek-Deep Space Nine stole from in order to try and remain relevant, as well as the place Walter Koenig got his groove back post Star Trek movies, and Bruce Boxleitner became cool again. Yes I mean the world of Babylon 5 because, well, is it me or does Ashurum seem to play from the Psi-Cops rulebook with this locking up of “unregistered illegal” psychics? And yes, I am certain that Walter (“Surrender your wessel”) Koenig is not going to be in this series.

As it turns out, however, Kai is about to get a change of religion (or at least occupations) as he strays from his watchers (companions) and ends up being taken in by one Yuuki Tokugawa, an odd-job-kind of man who is currently working for the (surprise surprise) guerillas that are in opposition to the diabolical evil that seems to be the Koenig-less Ashurum.  Anyway as Kai spends more time with Yuuki and his mysterious sister Asuka, Kai starts to wonder what Ashurum’s purpose is - are they trying to protect the psychics or control them?  Odds are it’s control since they seem to run probably entirely off the Psi-Cop rulebook.

Volume preview
(NOTE - If you read Kamui Volume 5 or certain other Broccoli Book titles release sometime ago then you might have seen the 7 page preview of this title already, but here’s more for you to chew on prior to the book release in January…)

As Volume 1 opens we find our lead character has just gotten the Starship Troopers be all you can be propaganda speech download because he’s gone and joined the “enemy”, Ashurum. In a world where those born with psychic powers are persecuted (not the newest of concepts I agree), Kai Kudou has gone and joined the elite psychic forces of Ashurum in order to save those who have been victimized by prejudice and hate. Yeah, there’s a name for people like Kai, they’re called “suckers” (and according to P.T. Barnum there’s one born every minute, which is good for people who make inferior video games because they‘ll always be assured somebody is going to buy those games… yes people who somehow thought games like Untold Legend : Dark Kingdom, Mobile Suit Gundam : Crossfire and Genji : Days of the Blade were actually passable PS3 launch titles, I‘m looking at you).

On a mission to stem the flow of violence in the city of Gald (where all the action of Es takes place it seems), Kai finds himself attacked by the very citizens he hoped to protect, and engaged in battle with one of his own teammates! Wounded and alone, Kai is captured by the gun-for-hire Yuuki Tokugawa and his mysterious sister Asuka, in an encounter that will change his life forever (by mostly turning him from cannon fodder for evil to a good guy, we hope).

For more check out the first volume of Es, coming in January from Broccoli Books.

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