Original title : 유레카
Authored by : Son Hee Joon
Artist : Kim Youn Kyung

Genre : Comedy, Action, Heroic-Fantasy, MMORPG
N° Volumes : Korea (Daiwon C.I) : 25, France (Editions Tokebi) : 23, US (Tokyopop) : 9
Year : 2000 - Ongoing
US Editor Website : http://www.tokyopop.com/S-1354/

Synopsis :
In Korea, "Nety", an advanced virtual reality used for several applications became quite popular these years, giving lots of possibilities and conveniences for its users (online Games, Chat rooms, etc), like the ability to see, and feel what your character sees, touches, smells, hears, etc.
However, considering the multiple possible abuses of this system, each Nety user must use a personal ID card, which expires each year until its user update it (obviously, mainly for user's Body traits data update). as you might guess, each ID card is unique, and can't be used by anyone, due the build-in recognisition system (and of course, you can change your nety look on very few parameters, such like hair, beard, etc.). Of course, several sensorial features are tuned down or even locked, preventing harm for nety users. (most likely the "pain inhibitor")

Jangkun, the main character of this story, is a veteran player of one of the most famous Nety games, Lost Saga (aka Lo.Sa). Known as Lotto, a master level wizard, Jangkun is having a lot of fun on Lo.Sa with his friends, Wunsuk (Adol, master level warrior), and Kwansu (Boromir, master level priest), forming the Triple Treat Team.
why this name you ask? well... you can say that the trio isn't really "that" nice... oh nothing despicable, but they aren't the type of guys you would like to follow, until you have guts.
Nothing too fancy...they just beat the crap of hot celebrities who are playing a bit too well their thieves, they love hazing and bullying arrogant players, while under noobs disguise, and so forth...
Despite their fairly obnoxious actions, they are known as heroes and legendary veteran players, due their powers and knowledge of the game. (they were playing Lo.Sa. since beta, logging over 6000 hours. they are ones of the most ancient players, if not, the most)

thus, the main plot !
One day, Jangkun has to update his ID card. In the netroom, where he has to do the creepy "complete body scan", he bumped on a naked girl. While being completely caught offguard, the girl just leaves as nothing had happened.
Jangkun just ignores this, but discovers a weird ID card on the ground, with "Yureka" written on it.

At home, Jangkun hurries to log on Lo.Sa but is surprised that he is logged on... the girl avatar ! Actually, Jankgun swapped his card with the yureka one, which means the later is rigged, and its owner is probably a hacker.

mind you, Jangkun uses this opportunity, hangs around with his friends under this "disguise".
After many ventures, Jangkun logs back on Lotto, but discovers that "Yureka" is also logged in, and is actually controlled by an AI. Her existence get completely co-living with his Lo.Sa account, while her status is considered as "human" since she is virtually a "player" in the litteral meaning of the game.
Things get much complicated, to much our pleasure ^^


Characters :

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...ri/AvLotto.jpg
Jangkun

• Character : Lotto
• Main Class : Wizard
• Main Class Level : Master (Level 99, Max)
• Sub-Class : Swordmaster (Level 43 in volume 4)
• Weapon : Master Wizard Item - Sword of Harmony
  Spoiler for Weapon Ability:

  Depending of the Swordsman level of the Master Wizard, the wielder can use different properties on the sword, up to 6. Starting with Fire on Swordmaster Level 0, each 20 levels grants a new element useable with the sword : Fire, Water, Earth, Sky, Darkness and finally Holy. In lotto's case, he can only use Fire, Water and Earth.
• Specialties : Fire spells, bad mouthing, tricking/Taunting/bullying people, having fun time with Wunsuk and Kwansu

As you can read with the synopsis and his "specialties", Jangkun isn't really a lovey-dovey player, and is pretty much hardcore with his way of playing and treating with other players.
Despite his demeanor, Jangkun is pretty smart, mature and sensible to people feelings. (in fact, while he is pretty cunning, his intelligence is quite handy and successful in plans in PVP and against monsters. You can say, he is a tactical genius, which is ironic, considering that "jangkun" can be translated as "General")
On the other hand, Jangkun lets loose his fury whenever he is angry... and this isn't really a pretty sight. (very short tempered, and doesn't like being called as shortie, midget, bean etc... much like Edward Elric from FMA)

While he is truely a player you can consider as "no-life", he manages to keep his grades high, and looks serious... maybe too serious to everyone but Wunsuk and Kwansu (he actually pretend he doesn't know what is nety).
Weirdly enough, Jangkun is quite popular with girls in school, but he isn't interested, to much Kwansu's jealousy (which is increasing the "nerd" impression that most people has about him)



http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...ikari/AvYu.jpg
Yureka (A.I)

• Owner name : ????? (it is revealed much later in the story)
• Main Class : Swordmaster
• Main Class Level : unknown (Yureka has her stats maxed out, however, she doesn't have any talents)
• Weapons : A pair of Daggers or Swords.
• Specialties : Lightning Speed, Herculean Strength, Sleeping, Curiosity, being with Lotto

As the Heroine, Yureka is basically the biggest mystery of the story. Very few information is given times to times, as her owner shows up really rarely.
While she is very nice, cute and has peaceful behaviour, she has a tremendous strength and speed, which can match the best characters in Lo.Sa. Despite her lack of experience, skills and talents, her energy is rather enough to deal with any enemy.

However, it doesn't explain some weird glitches involving her presence with other characters. Without any explanation, her stats are ridiculously maxed out (with absolutely no talent) and she has a unique ability to copy enemies attacks used on her and retaliate with strengthened versions. (as a swordmaster "newbie", her ability still give her the opportunity to copy skills beyond her level, and even beyond her class, such likes enchanted elemental attacks, and various wizard skills without any mana sub-class)
The more jangkun witnesses her prowesss, the more he is wondering who yureka is really.

Since she is a "young" AI, she doesn't seem to have usual "common sense", as she is acting like a child, though she is always learning when the story goes further.
Also, unlike nety users, NPC aren't protected by the "pain inhibitor", and Yureka isn't an exception for this. Since guardians/NPC death means "true death" for them, instead of the usual "Game Over" (so, later, resurrection with a exp malus, etc), Jangkun thinks that Yureka might be endangered with "in-game letal situations".



http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...ari/AvAdol.jpg
Wunsuk :

• Character : Adol
• Main Class : Warrior
• Main Class Level : Master
• Sub-Class : Wizard (no estimation for its level)
• Weapon : Master Warrior item - Elemental Knuckle
  Spoiler for Weapon Ability:

  This master warrior item works pretty much like Lotto's Sword of Harmony : the wielder can use different element applied on the Brass Knuckles. However, the warrior doesn't have to stick on specific sub-class. The problem with this ability is the large amount of mana required to activate and use "elemental knuckle", thus suggesting to mix Warrior class with a strong mana class, such like wizard. Adol can use Fire, Ice, Lightning and Earth, and their effect are comparable to advanced wizard spells, along with their elemental effect on the melee attacks. it isn't stated if there are darkness and holy properties with this item.
• Specialties : Hand to Hand fights, Competitions with worthy oppenents

at the first glance, one might think wunsuk would match better the wizard role, and lotto would be the warrior/swordmaster. However, this is wrong...
just like Jangkun, Wunsuk can be extremely aggressive, harsh and violent, despite his usual cool temper.
He never refuses a fight when needed (though he prefers to avoid trouble, which isn't easy because of Jangkun and Kwansu...), and enjoys a lot fighting against strong oppenents.

That said, Wunsuk is the most "rational" guy among the Triple Treat Team, preferring calm situations.
with his bare fists melee combat style, Wunsuk is a fearsome oppenent, whocan deal insane amount of damage, while his oppenent is stunned by his speed. Things get much uglier when he is angry...



http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b.../AvBoromir.jpg
Kwansu :

• Character : Boromir
• Main Class : Clerk
• Main Class Level : Master
• Sub-Class : Warrior (no estimation for its level)
• Weapons : Usually, Spiked Heavy Mace. On rare occasions, Master Clerk Item - Mjöllnir
  Spoiler for Weapon Ability:

  This big hammer takes ,of course, its source from North Mythologies, Mjöllnir the hammer of Thor, Mighty God of Thunder. In Lo.Sa, this weapon has a strong attack power, but also has the fearsome ability : by clapping strongly on the ground, Mjöllnir call s forth several lightning bolts from the sky on any enemy in a wide area, dealing heavy lightning damage to them. The downside of this item is its weight, and thus, a good strength and stamina is required for its optimal use.
• Specialties : Holy Spells, Stamina, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES, hitting on Girls

Kwansu is your archtype lecherous companion...
if you ever played Tales of Symphonia, Kwansu is pretty much like Zelos, minus the arrogant and self esteem parts.
Thus, Kwansu is hitting each cute/pretty girls he meets (even IRL), though he doesn't have many success with them...
As for his style, his resilience is quite awesome, though you can also say it is because of his... chicken attitude -___-
This last trait might be weird for his "healer and buffer" role, but Kwansu isn't that passive, though not as fervous in battle as Wunsuk.

However, Kwansu demonstrated on several events that he has courage. and trust me, in these situations, he unleashes his true powers quite brightly. as a trivia related to this : Despite Boromis has Mjöllnir, Kwansu doesn't wield it often because... the hammer is too heavy... that's just tell how Kwansu is sometimes a bit hopeless...

As a comic relief, Kwansu will never miss an opportunity to do idiotic things, or running away from a "desperate" battle... to much Jangkun and Kwansu displeasure...
Talking about perverted behaviour, his reputation in-game is fairly poor, if not pretty bad, since he has a bold hobby as upskirting various female NPC, with the catch phrase like "i knew it, hers is white today!"


Opinion :
As you can read, Yureka (or iD_eNTITY) pretty much sounds like .Hack//.
However, despite striking similarities with the "MMORPG using virtual reality" universe, both are extremely different in their characters and plot.
The manwha is pretty straight forward, light-hearted (well, for the first "season) and extremely fun.
The plot itself is pretty rich, which becomes extremely darker in the "second season" (or arc if you prefer, which begins in Volume 16).

People used with MMORPG and other heroic fantasy stories won't be lost with this manwha, and will quickly understand the said system.

The only flaws i might say would be some continuous problems with terms (although it might be the French Editor fault), and very rarely, drawing mistakes.
Talking about the drawing style, Kim Youn Kyung is really awesome... while her start was average, her art keeps getting better and better, until it becomes truely eye candy, from volume 6-9 until now ^^
and since i'm talking about eye candy :
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/6...eka2rf7.th.jpg http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/4...eka3jk6.th.jpg http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/4...eka4ab4.th.jpg http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/8...eka5pa6.th.jpg http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/7...eka6ql9.th.jpg
arguably one of the cutest and prettiest manga/manwha character even drawn :love:


This is a manwha i would fervently recommend, and i'm quite curious if some AS members actually know the serie ^^" (and it would be even better if there are some people who are in the same plot state, as i'm ^^")

but meh...i fear this thread might be dead within the day ~~
oh yeah, i hope it isn't too clumsy... if anyone wants to correct some things, or help me with the grammar and spelling, feel free to do so ^^"


note : if you would like to use this review for your website, please at least give me credit : this isn't a dumb translation, but rather my own personal review that i share to AS members.