7 Billion Needles, Volume 2
“Once I started reading it, the rest of the world faded into  background, not unlike when protagonist Hikaru cranks  up her music to isolate herself from her surroundings… This is a  suspenseful, intense book. I love the complex and  detailed art, and how clearly the action is rendered. What I  enjoyed best, though, is how skillfully Nobuaki Tadano develops  Hikaru’s character. By the end of this introductory volume, it’s  impossible to not care for Hikaru. Oh, volume two,  it will be a long wait until November! Grade: A-”—Manga Maniac Cafe“I am again both surprised and pleased at the level of quality  Vertical Inc's manga releases deliver. Not only is the  tangible product itself appealing to the eyes and of a high  quality, but the manga itself is superb on every level. The heroine  herself is so realistic that the reader can easily identify,  sympathize, and relate to her... Having never read the original  novel, I have no idea what surprises lie ahead but the premise and  world that this volume has established makes picking up  the remaining three volumes a no brainer. Grade: A+” —Mania.com“Tadano’s artwork shows remarkable versatility in the way it  captures scenes ranging from everyday school  life to fantastical, superpowered combat… But these shiny bells and  whistles are nothing without the story, one  that has a surprisingly profound side lurking beneath the action.  When shy, distant Hikaru is ordered to start communicating  with her peers to help seek out the enemy, it says more about who  she is as a person—and who we are as humans—than  about the otherworldly turmoil going on around her.”—Anime News Network“Tadano made this science fiction story—with its monster-movie  overtones, and a jolting dose of ultraviolence—mostly  quiet and subdued, with a heroine who falls into none of the usual  manga stereotypes. Hal Clement might have had a hard time  seeing his story in this, but I think he would have appreciated  those quiet moments, and the communications between Horizon  and Hikaru.” —Antick Musings“The lack of easy outs keeps 7 Billion Needles fresh…and manages to bring the sixty-year-old  story into the present day and an all new setting with aplomb.  Hikaru is detached, but not to the point where it puts off the reader.  She just comes across as a normal girl who is a little out of her  depth in life, and a lot out of her depth when it comes to alien  invasions… This is good stuff, and assuming the next three books  maintain this level of quality, yet another entry in  Vertical, Inc.’s stock of great manga.” —ComicsAlliance“This is a book where the cover tells you exactly what you’re in for… Reading 7 Billion Needles Vol. 1 reminded me in some ways of Parasyte, only in this case it’s less cartoonish and much  creepier. And, with just a four-volume length, 7 Billion Needles already feels much more tight and  focused. I came for the beautiful production design of 7 Billion Needles, but I’ll stay for  the excellent story and art.” —Read About Comics“Maybe it was some failing that I didn’t figure it out earlier, but once the title’s meaning became evident,  it became pretty brilliant… Informed by Hal Clement’s original, 7 Billion Needles has its  own approach to the material. Reading the manga, I found myself not  so much thinking about the other manga that it resembled as  I was the novel… Few readers, regardless of whether their  preferences are based in manga, sci-fi or more general, will be  disappointed.” —Ain’t It Cool News“Let’s just say that it had meteoric impact, and I couldn’t stop myself from tearing through the book at  lightning-fast pace… Nobuaki Tadano’s methods shine through, providing something you can’t put down. What  carries the story, and provides most of the impact, is the art… It’s a great purchase for anyone who has an interest  in non-tech heavy sci-fi material.” —Japanator“[Tadano’s] graphic storytelling style is clear and strong. His crisp linework and straightforward paneling  allows readers to effortlessly follow the story—that’s not always a given, especially in action-driven stories  like this… A solid and entertaining sci-fi seinen manga read that’s off to a good  start. It’s worth picking up and worth sticking around to see what’ll happen next.” —About.com