ID: Invaded #Brake-Broken Vol.1 Review – Highway Identity Robbery

ID: Invaded #Brake-Broken Vol.1 knows how to make a first impression, with no panel wasted to deliver high kinetic storytelling right from the first page. It’s rare for a manga to get the ball rolling with such effectiveness, and while the pacing hits a speed bump or two, this is a great way to kickstart a manga serialization of an established anime.

The manga adaption serves as a sequel to the anime, giving fans a reason to invest in the new story and cast. The manga was released in three volumes in Japan, and if the release of the first volume reels you in, then the subsequent volumes will be a done deal.

ID: Invaded #Brake-Broken Vol.1 immediately begins with a car chase sequence of all things, and right in the thick of it too. What’s more bizarre is that the driver in question is an amnesiac who has no idea who or where he is, and yet he instinctively knows what to do.

This sensation is delivered in such a surreal and yet intense tone that you can’t help but be immediately captivated. With such a strange and yet compelling opening, it doesn’t take long for things to add up and make sense. Still, the approach of opening with an intense action sequence as a segway to the world-building works extremely well.

ID: Invaded #Brake-Broken is like Psycho-Pass meets Speed (the film). Whether the car chase shenanigans is still a theme in subsequent volumes remains to be seen, but in the first one, it’s all about trying to solve an opaque mystery all while navigating deadly traffic.

Borrowing a similar idea from the video games like AI: The Somnium Files and even D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die, ID: Invaded presents a world where police detectives can dive into the subconscious memories of criminals and relive certain moments in real-time with the complete ability to interact in that environment. All of this then gets broadcasted for other investigators to review and analyze. The manga does a great job setting this up and explaining how it works and doesn’t try to get needlessly convoluted with the pseudoscience.

Beyond the thrilling introduction, the manga does a great job building up intrigue surrounding a murder mystery. As they explore the criminal psyche, they try to piece together different clues, some obvious, some subtle, to solve the mystery. So while the first volume is largely action-packed, there are moments of intrigue to balance things out. Although not a huge focus of the first volume, it introduces the cast and their unique personalities.

Although ID: Invaded #Brake-Broken is meant to be a sequel to the anime, it’s not essential to watch the anime beforehand even though they share the basic premise and main characters. What’s great about the manga is that it allows you to dive into a world that really feels realized and developed.

If you are a fan of the anima dying to know what happens next in this universe, it makes sense to jump in, but if you happen to read the manga first, then go back to the anime as a prequel still works just as nicely. It’s a fleshed-out world with many moving parts, so it doesn’t really matter what your viewing/reading order is.

ID: Invaded #Brake-Broken Vol.1 opens with a bang, and despite some minor speed dumps, the story development doesn’t lose any momentum, ending on a high note with plenty of ground covered. The pacing is excellent and well-thought-out, and it’s clear that the story development was thought through carefully for the next volumes. If you’re a fan of the anime waiting for a worthy follow-up, or just a manga fan looking for a fast-paced cyberpunk story, then you can’t go wrong with this one.