“Save me,” those were the words said by his classmate Sakurako Amamiya in Psyren volume 1 that prompts Ageha Yoshina to unwittingly enter a deadly survival game. Soon afterwards, Sakurako goes missing, and Ageha searches for her, which leads him to an alternative dimension known as Psyren.

The vast wasteland of the Psyren world is filled with terrifying creatures known as Taboo. To survive, Ageha must solve the mystery behind this apocalyptic world while fending for his and his friends' lives against these deadly monstrosities.

In volume 3, a mysterious enemy and a man-eating worm stand between Ageha and Psyren’s exit. In the midst of battle, Hiryu is shocked to learn that their enemy is someone very close to him! Meanwhile, new characters, Oboro and Kabuto, start to awaken their powers.

I love how all the characters interact with each other in this manga: It’s the perfect mix of drama and comedy. For instance, while his powers awaken, a feverish Oboro clings to Ageha a little too close for comfort. The invasion of Ageha’s personal space leaves him speechless and extremely uncomfortable. This scene made me die laughing, mostly because of Ageha’s embarrassed expression.

Another one of my favorite scenes is when Sakurako enters the battlefield. The action was incredible and her development was very intriguing. Also, her determination to save Ageha is moving. The scene reminds me of her desperate plea in the first volume. I’m curious to see how their relationship develops though the rest of the series.

Another exciting part of this volume is the epic battles scenes. The fight between Sakurako and Tatsuo at the beginning is explosive and leaves me craving more. And that’s only round one of the fight against Tatsuo! Artistically speaking, the battle scenes are easy to follow and are drawn very well. This volume of Psyren is pumped with excitement, and I was begging for more after I turned the last page.

Will Hiryu be able to both save his friend and survive? Will everyone make it out of Psyren alive? The only way to find out is to check out Psyren volume 3 in stores March 6, 2012.

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by Katherine McGowan