Lawless Kid (ロウレス キッド, also recognized by its capitalized title "LAWLESS KID") is a one-shot manga created by Yuto Sano. It made its debut as a one-shot piece in the pages of the Jump SQ 2019 SPRING Issue, precisely on April 22, 2019.[1]
Plot[]
Lawless Kid, introduction.
A month has gone by since the insurgency, giving rise to the belief among those in the upper echelons that their country is now free from trash. This is a distressing situation for kids like Orga, who could end up on the discarded side of the country, labeled as trash. Amid this, Harika's smiles provide Orga with solace amidst the disdain he feels for his homeland.
Mr. Fido, meanwhile, is reading the news and feeling infuriated by the hypocrisy in its content. After a while, Orga returns with cans and some items he managed to gather, causing Mr. Fido to reprimand him briefly. Orga explains that they need money from the lawless area they belong to in order to escape their current predicament.
During their conversation, Harika appears with her own collection of loot. Just as she's about to face her older brother, Orga cautions her for removing her mask outdoors. He reminds her that the mask serves a dual purpose—to counteract the effects of smoking and haze, as well as to prevent authorities from the upper region from recognizing her. He advises her against going alone. Right on time, Nick arrives and explains that he was with Harika the whole time, alleviating Orga's worries. Nick shares that he briefly stopped by a store and Orga breathes a sigh of relief. With the money from Mr. Fido in hand, the three of them are now ready to depart.
Trash Disposal Day, in the middle of horde trashes from the upper land.
Orga is presently outside, navigating through the tumultuous streets of his neighborhood. Memories of their challenging upbringing weigh on his mind as he recalls the hardships he and Harika endured. He voices their urgent need to escape the unfavorable town. Currently, Orga finds himself amidst the heap where discarded items from the upper region accumulate, joined by Nick and Harika. They prepare to scavenge useful things from this mound, alongside others who are also vying for salvageable items.
Nick remains quiet, prompting Harika to approach him. He informs her that Orga mentioned having other matters to attend to, while also posing a question about her feelings for Orga. Harika openly expresses her affection for Orga, Nick, and Mr. Fido. Her dedication to Orga's well-being drives her to give her utmost effort. Nick advises Harika that there's a way she can support Orga, something only she can provide to assist him.
Orga made a visit to Mr. Fido's shop once again to exchange some money. Welcomed by Mr. Fido, Orga learned that the Security Defense Forces had been excessively aggressive this time. Mr. Fido, now a beastman, recalled a time when such situations weren't as severe during his human days. However, Orga's attention was not on these tales; instead, he inquired about the whereabouts of Harika and Nick. Mr. Fido informed him that the two hadn't shown up yet. With a sense of urgency, Orga promptly left the shop, embarking on a search for them.
Orga discovered how Nick sold Harika to the government for money.
After an exhaustive quest that left him sweaty and fatigued, Orga paused to catch his breath. It was then that he spotted Nick, crouched and facing away in a nearby alley. Approaching him, Orga immediately asked about Harika. Nick's response came in the form of an apology, and as Orga's gaze fell upon some money on the ground, he grasped the unfortunate turn of events involving Harika.
Pulling Nick closer by his collar, Orga confronted him. In the midst of his apology, Nick revealed his exhaustion from daily trash scavenging for survival. Unlike Orga, he lacked the strength to join the military, but his desire to escape the town remained fervent. Despite whether they managed to quell their hunger for the day, Nick's longing to leave was unyielding, accompanied by his tearful apologies.
Rather than pressing Nick further, given the understanding he had gained from Nick's explanations, Orga redirected the conversation. He communicated to Nick that if he truly wished to make amends for his actions involving Harika, he should accompany Orga.
The Government Captain
The Government Captain is presently in his office, where he has gathered women and young girls for the purpose of enslaving them for the upper land inhabitants. He found it intriguing how Nick, who had previously sold Harika, ended up in a situation where a child was selling another child. One of his staff members inquired about allowing Nick to escape, but the Captain explained that he had administered a drug to Nick, expecting him to become dependent on it.
This dependency would likely prompt Nick to return, bringing money with him. Alternatively, if Nick lacked funds, they planned to utilize the child as an experimental subject or a soldier. Later, the Captain stepped onto a platform and introduced the group of girls and women they had gathered from the lower lands. He presented this collection, intended for enslavement, and offered them the opportunity to make choices, emphasizing that entering their country was a privilege and a form of reward for these women and girls.
Orga and Nick are currently on the move, approaching the other side of their country. However, their progress was halted by guards. In a swift move, Orga kicked one of the guards in the face, catching the attention of the others. This action led to the decision to eliminate Orga. Just as they were about to open fire, Mr. Fido appeared on the scene. He skillfully took down the guards one by one, noting that Orga wasn't the type to leave without taking his money, and sarcastically mentioning his "gratitude" towards the government. While reloading his gun, Mr. Fido handed it over to Orga. He emphasized the importance of being able to see Harika's smiles again and advised Orga not to waste bullets.
Orga and Nick successfully infiltrated the building.
Inside the building, Orga and Nick encountered a guard in an elevator. They brought the guard along to question. Orga, holding the guard's collar as he knelt, inquired about the group of women and girls they had captured earlier from the lower land. Nick urged Orga to remain calm. The guard revealed that the group was on level 20 and had pressed the elevator button for that floor. In frustration, Orga forcefully hit the guard's head against the elevator walls. He instructed Nick to take the guard's gun, prompting visible apprehension from Nick. Orga emphasized that in this situation, it was a matter of self-defense and survival, a decision only Nick could make.
Presently situated on the 20th-floor platform of the building, where the Government Captain, along with girls, women, and upper land residents who intended to buy the women as slaves, a speaker announcement caught their attention. The announcement mentioned the intrusion of two armed children into the building, with intentions unknown. Just as the announcement ceased, Orga and Nick entered the scene after overcoming additional guards on an elevator. This resulted in a brief reunion between Orga, Harika, and Nick as they recognized each other in the same room.
The Government Captain took action by shooting one of the guards, deeming them worthless. He then violently slapped Harika for calling out Orga's name. Nick, positioned behind Orga, attempted to shoot the Captain in the eye, targeting his eyepatch. Unfortunately, the shot did not incapacitate the Captain. Retaliating, the Captain recalled Nick from the incident when he had sold Harika and shot Nick in the chest. He proceeded to punch Orga in the face, taking advantage of Orga's momentary distraction caused by witnessing Nick's shooting.
Orga and Harika reunites.
The Captain pressed his foot onto Orga's head, issuing threats due to his displeasure at Nick's interference in the planned event meant for prominent buyers looking to purchase slaves. Orga, however, remained unfazed. The Captain expressed amusement at Orga's response and mentioned that he found instant shooting to be lacking in excitement. He made a reference to it being "Trash Disposal Day" and drew a parallel between cleaning up actual trash and improving the country. This linked back to Orga's earlier sarcastic remark. As he focused on strangling Orga, preparing to throw him into the pile of refuse below, Nick reentered the scene. He hurled the gun he had previously held at the Captain's face, allowing Orga an opportunity to land a powerful punch. The Captain lost his balance from it and tumbled into the heap of trash below. Few moments have passed, upon reaching the 20th floor, Mr. Fido reunited with the wounded Nick and aided him. In a poignant moment, Orga and Harika embraced, their eyes brimming with tears.
A week has elapsed since the conditions in the lower land started to improve. The absence of the defense forces and their lack of interference in the region have generated mixed emotions. While some individuals perceive this as a promising new beginning for their town, others experience a certain unease. Amidst this, Harika is seen joyfully strolling around. She approaches Orga and presents him with a freshly bloomed flower from beside the store. In response, Orga gently pats her head and admires the beauty of the flower.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Trivia[]
- The front design of this one-shot signifies Yuto Sano's status as a highly skilled newcomer possessing exceptional artistic abilities.
- It was suggested that Mr. Fido was previously a human, but there are indications that he underwent government experiments, resulting in his transformation into a beastman.[2][3]
Q&A Portion for Emerging Author[]
JUMP SQ 2019 SPRING Issue - Emerging Author's Comments
In the JUMP SQ. 2019 SPRING Issue, there is a Q&A section featuring emerging authors. Yuto Sano is among the authors who have provided responses in this section.
- Q1. Where are you from?
- Answer: Tokushima
- Q2. When did you first start drawing manga? What kind of work was it?
- Answer: At the age of 19, a comedy involving a thrifty salaryman rushing around town for a 9-panel time sale.
- Q3. What recent works have you found interesting? (Manga, anime, etc.)
- Answer: Musubaru Yakeato (結ばる焼け跡, alternatively known in English as The Ruins of the Fire that Bind Us,)[4]
- Q4. What's your favorite scene in your current work?
- Answer: The part where they say "I'm sorry."
- Q5. If you had a few months off, what would you do?
- Answer: Return to my hometown.
- Q6. Message to the readers
- Answer: I drew this while crying due to the lack of time. Thank you very much.
- Recommended by Editor Hattori
- Overwhelming artistic strength, a realistic worldview, and character depictions so vivid that you can almost hear their breathing... This is the extraordinary talent worthy of leading the new era. Flip the pages, and you too will become a witness to the moment a page of history is born!
Author's Comment[]
| Author's Comment | |
|---|---|
I drew a work that exceeded 50 pages for the first time. It's quite lengthy. Thank you for your support. 初めて50P超の作品を描きまし た。長い。よろしくお願いします。 |
|
Featured Media[]
References[]
- ↑ "LAWLESS KID Official Website". Jump SQ Website.
- ↑ Fido said about how the situation drastically changed from how it was when he was still a human.
- ↑ Page 31, Fido indicated how the government gave him the body he has now.
- ↑ This one is a historical seinen Japanese manga series written by Amase and illustrated by Shiori published last August of 2017 under Manga Goraku.