| RE:Play | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama, Romance, Fantasy |
| Original English-language manga | |
| Author | Christy Lijewski |
| Publisher |  Tokyopop |
| Serialized in | n/a, published in volumes |
| Original run | (n/a) – (n/a) |
| Volumes | 3, only 1 released |
| Related works | |
RE:Play is an Original English Language manga created by Christy Lijewski. She was a runner-up winner for her short story, "Doors" in TOKYOPOP’s third Rising Stars of Manga talent search competition. Since then, she has gone on to create Next Exit, published by Slave Labor Graphics in late 2004. The first volume of RE:Play was released August 8, 2006.[1] There are three volumes planned.[2]
Contents |
Plot
A punk rock band named Faust faces a huge setback after Ed, their bassist, leaves to join another band. Cree Winter, a young female who sings in Faust, is roaming around the streets at night when she comes upon Izsak, a guitarist who was playing a somber song on his bass (which is later revealed to be one of her mom's songs), Cree convinces him to join Faust as their new bassist. At first Izsak is a godsend—the band it on its way to becoming successful again and Cree develops feelings for Izsak, as he does for her. But Izsak is being stalked by a mysterious pair who seem to have mystical powers
Characters
Faust
- Cree Winters
- The band's vocalist and one of the founders. She is the daughter of Maria Winters, a famous singer who died in a plane crash when Cree was a child. Cree feels guilty because before her mother left, Cree told her mother not to come back.
She found Izsak on the streets in chapter one of book one, and seemed to have been enchanted by his somber song, this is also because she is a bit sensitive when it comes to music. She backed up Izsak when they first met Rail and she is what put him into Faust.
- Izsak
- A man Cree found in the subway playing a bass guitar. She convinced him to be the band's bassist. He seems to only remember his recent past. He has an incurable but non-fatal blood disorder from birth.
- He seems to be a somber loner, but as he begans to meet up with Faust, he takes a liking and seems to attach. He is usually willing to do things, and despite his gruesome past that comes up frequently, he is quite positive.
- Rail Kainer
- The other founder of Faust and the guitarist. He was born in Hamburg, Germany, and his father spoke German to him. Cree's friend and older-brother figure. His parents took her in after she was orphaned. Rail resented her because he was used to being an only child. After a talk with his father, he promised to that he would not let anyone make Cree cry.
- Rail is talented and athletic. He has a major in physics and was 10 points away from getting a perfect score on the SAT. He can play the violin and the cello. He was the captain of his high school swim team. Rail has several bad habits, including snoring.
- Charles "Char" Delphi
- The band's drummer and fashion designer. Her taste and Rail's taste often come into conflict. Char also seems to have something for Izsak, as in the first meetings she was seeming to flirt around him. She is the only member of "Faust" who does not have facial piercings. She is Ed's twin, and they have moles on the opposite sides of their faces. She is revealed to actually be male; at Lejiewski's art blog she hints at it, Edward refers to Char as his "Brother", stating that Char is "no more of a girl" than he is, and it is revealed in the profiles that "her" whole name is actually Charles. The reasons for his cross-dressing (if there are any) are unknown.
Mephisto
- Ed Delphi
- The guitarist that left the band and joined Mephisto. He used to date Cree and is Char's twin.
Other
- Niji
- A woman stalking Izsak and Laurent's superior.
- Laurent
- Niji's subordinate. He appears young, but can shapeshift into a more mature form. He has black wings that can also function as limbs. He can fly without using his wings.
Trivia
- Re:Play has many in-jokes, a few relating to Lijewski's favorite manga, Bleach by Tite Kubo.
- In chapter one Rail is wearing a shirt with a smiling face that resembles "Fishbone-D," a hollow from Bleach and a character from another one of Tite Kubo's manga, Zombie Powder.
- Char also draws very childish pictures, much like the Bleach character Rukia Kuchiki.
- "Bostov" is Karin Kurosaki's nickname for Kon.
- In chapter three, Cree wears a shirt that says shinigami in kanji.
- Hellcat Punks is an actual Japanese brand that appears on several pieces of clothing. [1]
- On Char's television in chapter two, there is an ad for a new album release from HYDE.
- In chapter two, Izsak wears a t-shirt with "AKFG" text, a popular acronym for Asian Kung-Fu Generation.
- Char's story of Mr. Bostov shows a speech bubble with a doodle of Roy from Fullmetal Alchemist.
- At Faust's concert, there is a girl in the front row by Laurent and Niji who has an eyepatch very similar to the one Agito and Akito from Air Gear wear.
- The band names 'Faust' and 'Mephisto' are a direct reference to Goethe's original "Faust", in which the protagonist (Faustus) offers his soul to Mephistoles (personification of the devil) in exchange for his aid in Faust's studies. Coincidentally, the name 'Mephistoles' is believed by some to be a play on the Latin "Ne Fausto filius", or "No friend of Faust".
- At one point, Rail remarks that "Professor Hohenheim" kept him after class. This is a possible reference to the character of the same name in the Fullmetal Alchemist Anime and Manga, of which Lijewski is a fan.
Notes
- ^ Amazon.com's page for RE:Play. Retrieved on July 29, 2006.
- ^ TOKYOPOP's RE:Play page. Retrieved on July 29, 2006.
