Red Eyes
Red Eyes (レッドアイーズ, Reddoaiizu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Jun Shindo and published by Kodansha. The manga is licensed for a French-language release in France, a German-language release in Germany and an Italian-language release by Panini Comics.[1][2][3]
Red Eyes | |
レッドアイーズ (Reddoaiizu) | |
---|---|
Manga | |
Written by | Jun Shindo |
Published by | Kodansha |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | 2000 – present |
Volumes | 24 |
Summary
At the start of the series, the Republic of Regium is engaged in a costly war with the Federation of Dragnov. Dragnov wanted to reunify the two countries, but Regium was bitterly opposed to this and mobilized their army instead. In part due to winter conditions, the Regium forces had the upper hand at the start of the war, but gradually the Dragnov forces came close to overrunning Regium's last line of defence around the capital of Solgrenne, until Dragnov launched a new missile that caused serious damage to the capital despite being detonated indirectly 8 km outside the city, which convinced the Regium politicians to negotiate for a surrender, although the Regium Third Army refused to surrender and continued fighting.
The story follows Captain Grahad Mills, commander of the Regium special forces "Jackal" unit, that utilizes the most advanced SAA(Special Assault Armor) in existence. With the last line of defense faltering, the Jackals are deployed in a last-ditch attempt to hold the line, and succeeded at destroying all opponents in their sector. Unexpectedly though, Mills's subordinates all frame him for the murder of several Regium soldiers, causing him to be sentenced for execution. Mills then escapes from Prison, and tracks down the old members of the Jackals, trying to find out why they betrayed him.
The story's conflict takes place approximately in Eastern European countries such as Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Bulgaria, who however have drastically changed in theirs names and territories, since it is eventually revealed that the story takes place approximately several centuries in the future after a devastating World War, and the reason many nations use former American & NATO weaponry is because the United States had previously subjugated the world under a one world order controlled by itself.
In fact, in the comic-universe the United States succeeded in the Strategic Defence Initiative program (SDI), therefore making the US invulnerable to ICBM attacks, as result the Cold War came to an end when the Soviet Union fell in the mid-eighties. However, the US continued their military programs eventually succeeding in the construction of the first laser strategic weapon, reducing a city to cinders in seconds. With this huge power the United States create in 2001 the D.U.P.E. (the Democratic Union for Peace on Earth) a super-state with its territory that encompass the entire continent of Asia (except most of the Middle East and Turkey), Oceania and America(except Canada). As consequence of the DUPE formation, the European Union is transformed into a continental state from the previous European Nato countries but, the EU remain a second-rate power compare to the DUPE.
The year 2001 became the new first year of the new era, known as 1 GU (first year of the Great Unification's calendar), however in 50 GU (2050 AD) an unknown power is able to hack in the SDI system, forcing the system in SafeMode, making the system unable to process order from the DUPE command centre (except its original mission to intercept any launched ICBMs and missiles). As result of losing its deterrence system, the other countries of the planet launch a full-scale attack against the DUPE forces, beginning the "20 years war" (World War III) that ended de facto in 70 GU (2070 AD) with no winner and the death of half the population of the planet, while all main actors of the war eventually dissolved and ceased to exist following the mutual destruction.
Nations and alliances are created, formed and destroyed in the course of the war and after, one of them is the Regimu Kingdom, a new state that incorporate the former nation of Ukraine, Poland, Slovack, Romania and Bulgaria, but in 87 GU (2087 AD) a nationalist revolt result in the fall of the monarchy and the creation of the Regium Republic(former Romania and Bulgaria), while the remaining three states remain independent until 129 GU (2129 AD) when the countries decide to form the Dragnov Federation. In 179 GU (2179 AD) the Dragnov Federation and the Regium Republic go to war against each other which last until 182 GU (2182 AD), with the loss of 2 million soldiers for the Federation and 2.2 million soldiers and 8 million civilians for the Republic, when the Federation is able to launch a new type of missile against the Republic which is undetectable from the SDI satellites, that are still carrying on their original mission after 110 years.
Characters
Jackals
Although there are eight Jackals in total, including Mills, oddly enough no mention of the missing eighth member is made when Mills asks both Waldmann and Lenny for information on the other members of the Jackals.
Captain Grahalt Mills
Nicknamed "Genocide" for destroying superior amounts of Dragnov troops alone, he prefers to work alone on the battlefield. He is a master of all forms of combat, managing to escape from a high security prison while killing the special forces soldiers who were guarding him. In the beginning swear vengeance against those who have betrayed him, but later decide to join the Third Army, feeling his original mission not complete and that he has a better chance to expose Krayz's plan.
Lieutenant Julian Krayz
Mills's second in command, he organized a mutiny because the Dragnov forces were winning and he wanted to be on the winning side. When assigned to eliminate enemy forces, he also killed friendly Regium soldiers and used their deaths to frame Mills as a traitor that attempted to defect to Dragnov. After the war, he became Colonel in the Dragnov armed forces as well as remaining as a lieutenant in the Regium forces, effectively drawing pay from two armies. He's later reveal that he's an actual descendant of the Regimu Kingdom royal dynasty and he want to use the war to recreate the Regimu Kingdom, for this purpose he's also trying to gain access to the D.U.P.E. satellite network, thinking he's found a viable "key" to the system.
Captain Waldmann
Became Captain of the GIGN's(Regium's SWAT) 1st armored unit after the war. A proudy but, ambitious soldier, before the war ending, he had attempted to kill Mills by asking a homeless boy to give Mills a booby trapped package, but Mills survived and became Captain of the Jackals instead, a position that would have gone to Waldmann if Mills had died. Betrayed Mills because he felt that Regium had lost the war, and because he failed to kill Mills previously. Eventually killed by Mills after apologizing.
Lieutenant Lenny Kruger
Was once wounded by a sniper and Mills took two rounds for him, saving his life. Betrayed Mills because Krayz was using his sister, Leila, as a hostage, who became his subourdinate after the war. He later fight against Mills, but he's clear he has no intention to kill him and once been defeated by Mills, he beg Mills to kill him feeling unworthy, however Mills forgive him of his betrayal and "order" him to join Mills' group, he later return to be Mills trusted aide and second command and a valutable soldiers in the Third Army.
Lars Odd
A famous sniper during the war, used a sniper variant of the Swashbuckler. He sent his sick brother to a military hospital for treatment, and it is implied that Krayz used him as a hostage to get Lars to betray Mills. His brother died anyway, and Lars quit the army to live in the mountains, swearing never to kill again. He later decided to temporary withdraw his promise to help Mills reach the Regium Third Army, but he died in a sniping operation against a Dragnovian turret that was preventing Mills from crossing the mountains, managing to fire a round down the barrel of the turret, but taking a direct hit from the gun in the process.
Klaus Gadon
Betrayed Mills because he wanted the war to end, but then later joined the Third Army and became in charge of supply and logistics. Responsible for feeding Krayz information about Mills's activities.
Rod Sterioni
Joined the Third Army after the war, but has not been seen since he tried to get Lars to join him in the Third Army. He is later reveal that he actually leave the Army to join Krayz's plan and that he originally wanted to use Lars to kill the commander-in-chief of the Dragnov forces in Regium, but he's later able to complete himself the mission, sneaking in the Dragnov occupation forces headquarters and executing the commander-in-chief, masked as a cleaner.
Saya Hamilton
A homeless woman that stayed in the same derelict building that Mills used as a bait to lure Waldmann. Insisted on staying with Mills afterwards. Her hometown was being evacuated at the end of the war when trigger happy Dragnovian troops blew up a refugee truck that was carrying her family and friends.
Colonel Classad
A hero of Regium, he was the commander of the Ranger Regiment, an inter service special forces unit. He recruited Mills when he was working as a pump attendant at a gas station, when ordinarily only elite members of the military would have been selected. Near the end of the training, Colonel Classad led a rebellion involving several platoons of active duty Rangers to seize the SAA at the training camp, the rebels' intention was to start a war with Dragnov as they were dismayed by the government's lack of honor and willingness to give in to Dragnov in regards to territorial demands. Classad however deliberately forced a confrontation with Mills and forced Mills to shoot him after a lengthy battle, which transformed him into the killing machine "Genocide". Mills then wiped out the other rebels single-handedly.
Lieutenant Leila Kruger
Sister of Lenny Kruger, and adjutant of Krayz, whom she has an intimate relationship with.
Colonel Leon Ridas
Strategist of the Third Army, with uncharacteristic unkempt hair. Largely responsible for the Third Army's success so far, and partly responsible for the "Miracle of Lent", wherein Ridas directed the eight members of the Jackals, commanded by Mills, and held off an entire Dragnovian armored division for 2 days.
References
- "RED EYES" (in French). Panini Comics. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
- "RED EYES 1" (in German). Panini Comics. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
- "MANGA 2000 14" (in Italian). Panini Comics. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
Red Eyes Chp. 20 Page 17, Map of the story's conflict
External links
- Red Eyes (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia