On the cover is series protagonist Kongoh Akira, described LOLariously by TV Tropes as a a ten-to-twelve-foot-tall mountain of muscle with incredibly spiky Anime Hair, mile-wide shoulders, and a stare that could cut bread.
Kongoh Bancho © Suzuki Nakaba/Shogakukan (First serialized in Shonen Sunday)
Published in Indonesia as Meet the Banchou by PT Gramedia/m&c!
Meet the Banchou 1 of 10
By Suzuki Nakaba
Original title: 金剛番長 (Kongoh Bancho)
AKA Diamond Delinquent
Shogakukan, originally serialized in Shonen Sunday, shounen
Volume 1 first released in Japan 2008.02
Published in Indonesia 2010.05 by Gramedia/m&c!
Synopsis
Japan enters a dark era, a time that sees the emergence of the “23 District Project.” Kongou Banchou appears to stop the ominous venture, even if he has to fight all the banchou in the country. The first banchou he clashes with is Iai Banchou.
Okay, I realize m&c!'s blurb is a little skimpy on wha-wha-what?! detail, so let me reiterate/borrow again TV Tropes' blurb for this badass gang leader fighting series:
May contain [SPOILERS]
Kongoh... has come to stop something called “The 23 District Project”. This involves people called “Bancho”, people who have exceptional fighting skills as well as great amounts of charisma ... fighting for control of the 23 districts of Japan. (The word “bancho” itself is usually used to refer to the leader of a delinquent gang, and all Bancho wear Japanese school uniform jackets, in one form or another.) Whosoever conquers them all will be given control of Japan and will be able to mold its future to their liking.
He later ends up defeating one of the Bancho - Iai Bancho, a master of iaijutsu. He is then told that defeating a bancho means you gain their territory and are now part of the 23 District Project, whether you want to be or not, and is given his new title by his defeated opponent: Kongoh Bancho.
Meet the Banchou is another Shonen Sunday serial from Suzuki Nakaba-sensei who also created Blizzard Axel. Going by the series' covers alone, it would take a leap to conclude they were both illustrated by one person. Compare the Meet the Banchou 1 art with the Isn't it a little wimpy?, ice skating themed Blizzard Axel volume 8 cover on the right:)
Meet the Banchou 1 contains chapters*:
- 金剛晄現る!! (Kongo Akira(?) Appears!)
- 金剛番長 (Kongo Boss)
- 23区計画 (23 District Project)
- 鮮血の花びら (Petals of blood)
- 金剛番長vs居合番長 (Boss vs Boss)
- 激闘の幕開け (Beginning of the fierce fighting)
*Tentative chapter translations only (c/o Google)
m&c! volume 1 street date: 5 May 2010
~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03) via m&c! on facebook
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