Kazuki Mutou is mortally wounded saving a girl from a strange monster, but is given a new life through the power of the alchemically-made Core Iron. Along with a second chance, this grants him the ability to use his own Buso Renkin, or Alchemy Weapon. Joining forces with Tokiko, the Buso Renkin user he'd saved earlier and who gave him the Core Iron, he uses his newfound powers to fight the malevolent Homunculus monsters and protect his friends and the rest of mankind...

From award winning author and artist Nobuhiro Watsuki (creator of Rurouni Kenshin) comes Buso Renkin, the story of a young high school student who finds himself smack bang in the middle of a conflict between two factions of strange and incredible beings.

Never underestimate the power of underwear. With no battle gear to speak of besides his butterfly mask and skivvies, Papillion Mask survives a bitter duel against our boy Kazuki. Meanwhile, Papillion Mask's great-great-grandfather Dr. Butterfly promises him the true powers of a humanoid homunculus, which includes the ability to use a Buso Renkin. Will Kazuki and Tokiko be able to fend off their powerful - and eccentric - nemesis?

Volume 3 in this series contains chapters 18-26. Buso Renkin, translated as "Armoured Alchemist", has also spawned a series of original CDs, a novel and an anime series.

As with previous volumes, this collection contains more interesting extras dotted in amongst the pages. Again, the author uses these segments to explain what he was trying to achieve with each episode, where his inspiration for characters came from, how each episode was received by the public, and his thoughts on the writing and drawing process.

Another interesting addition to the series. The style is starting to be set now, with more and more fights slowly creeping into the story.

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Nick Smithson