In 2018, manga releases a few months apart Epic Lanes and Versus Fighting Story. What do these two titles have in common? Quite simply the fact that they offer, each in their own way, a story taking place in the world of eSports. Let's go back to the first of them.
Taking place in the world of MOBA, Epic Lanes takes place in a fictional universe where the game Epic Lanes (sort of League of Legends) breaks all records and has more than 100 million players. This first volume therefore intends to immerse us in the esportées meanders of this universe with what that implies: cheating, cash prizes and rivalries. Why not after all, especially as the script is the work of Sophia Metz (founder of the bar chain eSport Meltdown) and her brother, Luc. Two enthusiasts who know this environment very well and therefore able to open the doors of this highly codified universe to us. Unfortunately, this first volume never fascinates and never manages to involve the reader as the whole lacks control
Indeed, although each of the participants has a very marked look, none really stands out as we seem to have seen each of them elsewhere. Also in question is the trait of Albert Carreres, rather used to comics dealing with football (Team Z, Neymar style) and whose style (half-European, half-Japanese) clearly lacks charisma, as much in that of the characters as of the creatures officiating in the game. Because yes, Epic Lanes often takes us out of the "IRL part" by presenting the fights of MOBA in the image of any fantasy title except that here, the whole lacks scale, the whole not being helped by a pretty awkward cutting
If there are also several clichés of Shonen (the rivalry between the hero and his nemesis, the slightly crazy sensei, a mysterious individual officiating in the shadows), it is hard to believe so much the world of eSports is ultimately not conducive to breathe an epic breath into the adventure. This manga is very badly named and we will also regret that despite the desire of the authors to address a large audience, the whole is not very accessible to neophytes, many terms are unfortunately not explained. Finally, note that the adventure should a priori not have a follow-up, all having stopped after a first volume which will obviously not have succeeded in convincing fans of eSports and those seeking to discover this very particular universe.
> Buy Epic Lanes – Tome 1
By Logan, Journalist igamesnews.com
MP
