Gizmo Riser Vol 1 Review
Writer & Artist: Roku Souna
Translators: Motoko Tamamuro & Jonathan Clements
Letterer: Jezael Manahan
Editor: Louis Yamani
Designer: David Colderley
Publisher: Titan Manga
Price: $12.99
Release Date: April 14, 2026
Claw works all day for a piece of bread. If he doesn't meet his daily quota, he goes hungry, and Quarry Supervisor Van Quarran punishes him. After his father died, Claw’s uncle looked out for him. But lately, Zack has been in the hospital, recovering from Van Quarran's punishments for Claw's poor performance.
His only joy comes during his off time. When the boy slips down a narrow alley, Claw can gaze up the shaft and see the sun. For a little while, he can feel as warm as when he presses through the crowd of workers surrounding a fire in a metal drum. Will Claw ever escape the darkness of Haden? And what will ascending into the light and freedom cost him? Let’s leap into Gizmo Riser Vol 1 and see!
Story
Claw is a young stonemason. Yet the Supervisor still expects him to hew a block of stone half his size each day. But when he delivers his stone, and later returns to collect his pay, the stone has vanished. As the Supervisor beats Claw, the other workers watch, fearful of getting involved. Then his uncle arrives. Zack walks with a leg brace and a cane. When he requests leniency, the Quarry Supervisor demands 6 stones tomorrow.
In Gizmo Riser Vol 1, Claw knows his uncle cannot meet Van Quarran’s demands. Yet Zach tells his nephew not to be sad. It is his 13th birthday! After they celebrate, Zack and Claw visit the shaft at night. Zach shows him the moon and stars. And he tells his nephew what he’s learned about life on the surface.
Roku Souna’s fast-paced follows Claw as his life in Haden goes from bad to impossible. Quarry Supervisor Van Quarran wields influence from the money he makes from his workers. When Claw angers him, Van Quarran sends the police to arrest the boy. Despite how his brother died, Zack refuses to let his nephew become like the workers who watched the Quarry Supervisor beat Claw.
Everyone knows that leaving Haden is a felony punishable by death. But disobeying the authorities in Haden can also cost you your life. And Zack will do anything to help Claw embark on the journey of his dreams in Gizmo Riser Vol 1.
Art
A diagram portrays the island state of Ulnaria as a Rook in Chess, with the narrowing neck and widening base underground. While portraying how Haden supports Ulnaria, it also suggests its culture and history, with soldiers fighting and a graveyard. Claw lives in the base of the Rook. When he gazes up during the day, Claw sees buildings stacked atop each other like blocks, extending up until glaring sunlight obscures the opening. Yet he spends each day far below Haden. Working with his pick, Claw hews a 12x12x40" block from the surrounding stone. Then the boy loads it onto a wooden carrier, heaves it on his back, and follows a long line of workers ascending a staircase carved into the deep chasm.
Claw wears pants, a T-shirt, and braces. As the boy is always cold, Zack gives him a jacket. His uncle imbues the buttons and the star on each shoulder with significance in Gizmo Riser Vol 1. A key affords access to a basement workshop, where Claw dons metal claws and straps a reel onto his back. As he ascends the shaft and fights his way across levels, heavily populated vistas give way to frantic action. Figures blur, rectangular panels become diagonal, and dramatic upshots reveal the boy’s bare feet. Caricatures highlight Claw’s youth, personality, and the stress he’s undergoing.
As Roku Souna takes Claw on a journey through the different levels of Ulnaria, black uppercase letters fill dialogue balloons, jagged shapes, or appear in panel backgrounds. Boxes identify characters and provide narration. Letters swell and grow bold with increased volume and intense emotions. Claw’s thoughts fill clouds, while sound effects highlight his desperation, death-defying action, and battles against more experienced opponents. Thanks to Titan Manga for providing a physical review copy.
Final Thoughts
Claw is a boy who dreams of freedom. He dares to imagine what life could be like if people treated each other better. Claw is always surprised by cynicism and when people hurt others for profit. Yet even when he gets the opportunity, he refuses to play it safe.
The 13-year-old boy insists on working hard to get what he wants. Claw may be young and naïve. Still, Claw knows that if he cheats, he’s no better than the society that represses its people in Gizmo Riser Vol 1.
Rating 9/10
To look inside see my preview of Gizmo Riser Vol 1.
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