Zone-00: Volume 1    by Kiyo QJO Order:  USA  Can TOKYOPOP, 2009 (2009) Softcover    Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto Kiyo QJO's Zone-00 has to be one of the most confusing mangas I have ever read. The storyline of an ogre (who most of the time is a girly-looking schoolboy) takes a back seat to the characters who, unfortunately, are too plentiful and thus hard to keep straight. There is also a bit towards the end about humans taking a drug called Zone-00 that turns them into demons - but this plot had hardly gone anywhere by the time the first volume closed. Aside from an over abundance of main characters, most of them also have two forms, which makes them even harder to keep straight. Plus, some panels are filled with side comments related to Japanese pop culture, making the story even more confusing, especially when these already full panels are cluttered with footnotes for non-Japanese readers. What Zone-00 does have going for it is Kiyo QJO's extremely consistent artwork. This creator of Trinity Blood has a definite style that is highly perfected. Unfortunately, this manga is too confusing and cluttered to allow readers to really appreciate the illustrations. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews