'Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, Vol 2'

Three years. I've been biting my nails in anticipation for this book for three bloody years.

And now I have to wait for the translation of volume three. And this book ends on an even more nerve-wrecking note than volume one. I love this book so much that my anxiety for volume three's translation and publication might kill me.

While it has been a long time since I last thought of the five-volumed Quantum Devil Saga and its spiritual older brother the Digital Devil Saga duology, I easily jumped back into the narrative and world without feeling like a day passed since I last read about Serph, the Embryon, and the denizens of the mysterious Junkyard. I rarely felt that connected to a story's world, and I cannot praise everyone involved in the games and this book series enough.

Before reading further, I suggest checking out my thoughts on Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, Vol 1 from 2014. Also, as I went down memory lane to prepare for this post, I remembered Kevin Frane informing me that the guys at Bento Books read my review of volume one and liked it. Supposedly. I-I'm still kinda in denial about it. *fans self to prevent fainting*

Anywho, enough about silly me. SPOILERS AHOY!

When the last volume ended, I became excited over the new possibilities due to the sudden and unexpected divergence from the first act of Digital Devil Saga 1. This change shifted the tone of the story enough that playing the duology would not necessarily prepare me for the direction the plot and characters would evolve and develop. I actually put playing the games on hold for a while because I wanted to keep my mind open to whatever could potentially happen in the book series. On the other hand, this would impact my impression of the games, leading me to compare the two interpretations of the same premise, the very thing I want to avoid doing as much as possible. It didn't take long for me to change my mind and return to Digital Devil Saga to alleviate my hunger for volume two.

Just as I had a general idea where the plot was going while reading volume one only to be proven dead wrong, I underestimated how much Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, Vol 2 would affect me.

If anyone reading volume one worried about QDS being more uplifting and optimistic compared to DDS, this book - especially the ending - doesn't relieve your concerns. It obliterates them and makes you curl up in the fetal position and cry yourself to sleep. ... Okay, maybe only I did.

Once more, Quantum Devil Saga expands on the main characters and provides a depth that Digital Devil Saga could not perform due to the differences between the medium of storytelling in books and video games. I have experienced some attempts to give the silent player characters of Megami Tensei games a defined personality, and Serph is becoming one of my favorite protagonists in the entire franchise. His idealism is borderline cliche, but that coupled with his pragmatism creates a proactive character who pushes forward without being blind to his and the Embryon's shortcomings. This kind of optimistic protagonist appeals more to me than overpowered, one-man-army pollyannas with no sense of intelligence or self-reflection. Not that MegaTen has an abundance of such protagonists, but some occasionally come too close in adaptations.

*sniffles*

Furthermore, Serph's interactions with Lupa further highlight his capacity as a leader and his compassion for others as he adapts to the changing rules and logic the world of the Junkyard once operated under. Serph and Lupa's strange father-son-like relationship help them adjust to their awakening emotions and question the nature of life so they can learn the truth of their existences. While many of their conversations are not shown, Jinana and Argilla support each other similarly, adding more to their brief and profound connection in the first game. Serph and Argilla become stronger people by the end of the book because of the love and faith Lupa and Jinana display for them. Lupa and Jinana serve important roles in the games as well, and while they do not have as much time for development as they do in the books, the core of who they are and what ideas they represent shine brilliantly. They are such wonderfully crafted and written characters that I wish existed in more stories nowadays.

The characters coping with their newfound emotions due to the Atma virus becomes even more of a crucial pillar to the story to heartbreaking results. Despite being the youngest of Serph's closest companions, Cielo forces his way into the fight to help protect Sera, whom he, like Argilla and Jinana, considers a family member. (And I am so happy Yu Godai kept the "I escaped from my being grounded in my room because of a cat!" scene, even if it was off screen.) Heat does not have as much attention in this book, but questions regarding his loyalty to Lupa and Serph despite his rebellious nature likely set up future development that I'm excited to see (especially if he resembles a fraction of the game's counterpart).

There's even an explanation for the hood he wears in QDS.

Gale was already my favorite character, and I love him even more in Quantum Devil Saga because Yu Godai pushes his character development even further than the first game. As the only Bishop in the Junkyard who did not succumb to insanity, Gale endures Serph's continuous impulsive strategies to rescue Sera and witnesses the unstoppable massacre of his allies. These experiences forces the poor human computer to struggle with gut-wrenching emotions he was never designed to process. Right before the story takes a dark turn for everyone, Gale vehemently snaps at Serph, only to realize how illogical his outburst was and bury his anger, fears, and worries for his leader's wellbeing behind the impenetrable mask he was always known for.

While members from the other tribes do not have as much depth to them, Mick the Slug's depravity reaches to highs the original games could not match in part due to Quantum Devil Saga's abundance of graphic and horrific gore. Varin Omega's descent into madness shatters the assumptions everyone held about the Junkyard, but the appearance of the Avatar sends Serph into complete shock. And the laws of the world further crumble as the Church's systems malfunction, the cycle of reincarnation ceases, and a mysterious black entity consumes everything it touches. Volume two ends on a very existential and apocalyptical turn, the polar opposite of volume one's optimistic and victorious ending.

HAHAHAHA, oh how quaint. The Jailer is a kitten next to Mick.

These shifts in tone kind of remind me of Madoka Magica, where moments of joyful hope and moments of profound despair drives the plot and characters. Writing a story where the two extremes are present is a balancing act not many succeed in attempting. I cannot objectively claim to know what was going on between Yu Godai and Atlus as they worked on this story in two mediums, but there is an earnestness and honesty that gives the impression that they can perform this balancing act without breaking a sweat. This is most noticeable with Cielo, who's cheerful, childlike, and humorous nature nearly breaks as he and Gale flee and warn the others of the sudden and rapid collapse of the Junkyard.

If there is one complaint I have against volume two specifically, it's the repetitive middle portion of the book. The Embryon, Maribel, and Wolves repeatedly launch missions to rescue Sera after reclaiming her for only two seconds. Damsels in distress tend to be annoying due to their overuse and misuse, and while I like Sera for helping her friends cope with their newfound emotions, the lack of reasonable breaks between each abduction becomes borderline absurd. There was one instance where Bat has Sera, only for Cielo to grab her, only for Mick the Slug to snatch her within a span of ten pages. Sera begins to recover her memories and reveals her power to incapacitate others, but the inconsistent use of them, along with her tendency to pass out, threatened my suspension of disbelief. At least the hilarious face-painting shenanigans and heart-to-heart dialogue did help the pacing between the kidnappings. The book keeps moving no matter what, even if some things that happen to add to the story's mystery do not completely justify the tedious, endless rescue missions.

Beyond that, I cannot address any other narrative flaws at this point. The Church's actions confuse the characters as much as the reader as it loses control of the Junkyard's reality. Digital Devil Saga does explain why the rules bend, contort, and shatter as they do, but I don't want to assume that the reasons as well as the greater villains' motivations are too identical. In fact, one character who seemed to be technically dead in the games might actually be alive in the books and plays alongside the mysterious Angel when manipulating the Junkyard denizens. It makes sense given who that person is, but I wonder how much the story will shift due to this one detail change. At this point, however, Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, Volume 2 strikes gold.

DDS makes me think of "Oblivion" by 30 Seconds to Mars for some reason.

Rank:

4.5 out of 5

If you enjoyed volume one, volume two will more than satisfy. The cliffhanger sucks because the story is so engaging. I want this book to sell well enough so we can have the remaining three books translated and how Yu Godai ends this tale. If MegaTen fans are still as dedicated as I have seen over the years, I'm sure it will very likely happen. Until the day that announcement arrives... I think I'm going to replay Digital Devil Saga. And cry. A lot.

That cutscene did not make it in the book, but the spirit and heart of that scene survived the transition into the books almost flawlessly. Here's hoping volumes three, four, and five keep this up just as well.