Rating: 
Summary: Good storyline and even better art
Review: After reading the first book in the Battle Angel Alita series all I can say is WOW! From the moment it starts you are drawn into the futuristic trash heap of a city known as the Scrap Yard. It is located under the floating city of Tiphares, and is an opposite of the gleaming, floating structure, full of brothels and endorphine junkies (you'll find out about that later on in the series), where there is no police force and crime is enforced by bounties placed on criminals. The book opens as Dr. Ido, a loveable scientist with a dark side, stumbles upon the remains of a cyborg while digging through trash for parts. She remembers nothing of her past, so he takes her under his wing, naming her Alita.
There's not many bad things to be said about this book. It draws you into to its futuristic yet strangely realistic world with its dark, grungy atmosphere and keeps you convinced in its realism with characters that are so well developed you'll be questioning who are the real heroes and villains. It does rely a lot on the battle scenes(pointed out by the title and by the fact that the chapters are called battles) which leads me to think that anime might be the better medium for this story, and it also is extremely gory, featuring decapitation, blood, and sadistic villains. These drawbacks aside, Battle Angel Alita is one of the best manga i've read and I would strongly recommend going out and buying it.
Rating:
Summary: Great-- for a start.
Review: Well, first of all, I read Battle Angel Alita: Angel of Victory, #4 first out of all the books. It was at our library, and I knew nothing about Battle Angel Alita. I became engrossed, and found myself buying Battle Angel Alita #1 at our bookstore. I am now planning on getting the whole series. After hearing many reviews about this and hearing it was great, I was excited. I read it, but didn't actually see what they'd meant. I love it, but I have to admit was a bit disappointed. Alita is rebuilt by Dr. Ido, and runs off killing things and signing up as a hunter-warrior. I've read a couple pages from Tears of an Angel, which appears to be a possible winner. But, still, I recommend this, and the story does get better! It took me a bit to find a complete listing of all the novels, but here it is...
Battle Angel Alita #1
Tears of an Angel #2
Killing Angel #3
Angel of Victory #4
Angel of Redemption #5
Angel of Death #6
Angel of Chaos #7
Fallen Angel #8
Angel's Ascension #9
I hope to all who buy this you enjoy it, and I hope you get the whole series and enjoy this deep, complex story! Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Good example of the type despite its weaknesses
Review: For those of you looking for a manga story that provides realised characters interacting in an interesting and fully developed environment, I suggest that you look elsewhere. Some will argue that the title character's search for her identity is enough to elevate this work into that category. I have to disagree as that aspect of the story seems both predictable and superficial. That does not, however, make this a bad piece of work. This is, in fact, probably the best example out there of the action manga style of art. I love the superdetailed technology and the flowing fight scenes that go on for pages. That alone, in my opinion, is worth the cover price.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Cyborg Girl
Review: I couldn't find anything spectacular about this series. The story is very hackneyed (amnesia, special fighting abilities, loses first fight but comes back stronger, on a quest to discover self), and the artwork is... well, it's Manga. Comparing one manga book to another is not unlike trying to find differences between Everclear's songs. Sure, the panels flowed smoothly and the art is clean... but again, nothing special.
If you're into manga, you might enjoy this. However, if you're getting sick of the genre, this will only make you sicker.
Rating: 
Summary: A wastefulness waste of money
Review: I'm giving this book two stars, insted of one, only because of the nice front cover, it is impressive, original and actual. I'm a reader of Shirow Massamune, Katsuriro Otomo, Frezzato, and so on. At fist glance the art of Alita is poor... but when you start to read you realise that it is worst than that it is terrible!!! The story is weak and it sequence is the worst I ever saw!!!! (>_<) I really have to say: don't buy it. Some fighting sequences last for over 30 pages !! and they look all the same. ARGHH.... all the same... ALL THE TIME>>>>>>> Try some Shirow Massamune it is 100 times better or maybe AKIRA don't rush in(like I did). Good lucky
Rating: 
Summary: The Alita books: outstanding
Review: The artwork is first rate and the story line is equally outstanding. Kishiro may miss a beat only in the middle of the series when he has Alita fall in love this (to me) sniveling little human boy and though Kishiro tries hard to get us to empathize with the little guy, the idea that Alita would be attracted to such an individual never clicked with me. Thankfully, though, that's just one book out of the nine -- and even in that one, the incredible detail of the artwork, the artist's vision of the physical space is so arresting and of such a high quality that the graphics alone make up for any weakness in an individual story line. The rest of the books are simply in a class by themselves and the artwork for the entire series, for me, made this a group of books worth collecting -- without question.
Rating:
Summary: A terrific action manga that's not for the faint-hearted!
Review: Do you ever wonder if there's a manga series out there that's filled with gut-wrenching violence yet actually has a plot? Then look no further than "Battle Angel Alita", a perfect hybrid of a killer story and plenty of blood & gore action. With all the magic-girl and alternate-world and mecha-oriented manga/anime out there today, "Battle Angel Alia" is quite a breath of fresh air. The story focuses on Alita (Gally in the Japanese version) and her quest to find her lost past, with only a powerful fighting instinct as her clue. This concept alone draws the reader into the story, and the enjoyment factor is quickly heightened by the well-fleshed out characters. Even the bad guys seem to have motives behind their actions! Of course, it's not "Princess Mononoke" morality, but it's still very believable. The art is beautifully drawn and always serious, meaning characters don't use chibi-like ways to express their emotions (ex: tear drop on head for embarrasment, wide eyes for surprise). But that doesn't mean there isn't humor found in this book; it's just not one of the main focuses. One of the main focuses in undoubtedly the blood and gore, which is more than enough to make this for a mature audience only. This manga isn't afraid to show people getting sliced, diced, impaled, shattered, and all the other terminology that applies. Scenes of this nature include a criminal ripping a man's scalp off and drinking the man's brain, and that same criminal placing another man's brain on his tongue with an eyeball still attached to the brain before eating it. Trust me, it's enough to make even those with iron stomachs squirm. The plot? Excellent! The story might seem to lag a little near the end of the book, but it all comes together beautifully, in my opinion. And besides, this first volume is merely the introduction to the world Alita will face. The next eight books in the series will undoubtedly steer towards Alita's quest to find herself. All in all, "Battle Angel Alita" is a must-have for any serious manga fan. Word of warning, however. There is a two episode anime OVA series that focuses on the first two volumes in the manga. I advise you to watch it only after reading the manga, because expectations might not be as high when done vice versa. But with all that said, enjoy entering the world of "Battle Angel Alita"!
Rating:
Summary: A science fantasy to rival all others
Review: (Note first that this review is meant to apply to the entire nine-volume series, as I believe the books were meant to be considered as a unit rather than as separate stories.) The Gunnm (or Battle Angel Alita) series is a unique and powerful story whose value transcends its genre and its form. To understand why, one must first understand that it is not a science fiction story. Although it uses a science-fiction type backdrop, and its world is carefully designed and lavishly illustrated, the focus is not, as in most science fiction, an extrapolation of modern trends and possibilities into a realistic possible future world. Indeed, as many fans have noted, a number of the ideas and concepts used in the series are completely physically impossible, let alone realistic. Yukito Kishiro has instead borrowed the visual and conceptual vocabulary of science fiction to create a science fantasy legend, sharing more with mythology than science at its root. The characters, while fully realized as individuals, also fulfil mythic archetypes. Doctor Ido is a stark duality: a compassionate doctor and a bloodthirsty murderer sharing a single soul. Desty Nova is the ultimate mad scientist; Hugo, the ultimate idealist. Kaos and Den are the perfect examples of hyperpassivity and hyperaggression. And Alita is the killer doll with a human heart; created to serve a single purpose, she strives within her means to find her own role. The original Japanese title, Gunnm, translates loosely to "gun dream" and sums up the series nicely: Alita is a weapon who can think, feel, and most importantly dream. Even as she kills and destroys, her thoughts are of love, compassion, self-sacrifice, and the ideals of freedom and justice. And kill and destroy she does. Like Homer and Vergil's epics, this saga is drenched in blood. For all her kindness and idealism, Alita was built to be a weapon, and she fights for her ideals with a vicious razor edge. The fights are brilliantly choreographed, and carefully illustrated so that the action is involving rather than confusing. And while the damage inflicted on the humans and machines in these fights is extreme and unflinchingly portrayed, it does not seem gratuitous. This series combines elements of myth, legend, and allegory and sets the drama in a world inspired by, but not constrained by, science fiction.
Rating:
Summary: First manga Ever and Extremely Good
Review: This is the First Manga I've ever read, but it was awesome, the artwork is incredible the story is told brilliantly and it has plenty of Action. I've seen the movie and loved it and I knew it was based on a manga that was supposedly one of the best, so I decided to check it out and I wasnt dissapointed in the slightest, now I just need to get the rest of the series so I can find out what happens to poor Alita.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic Manga From the 90's...
Review: Back in 1994, when I was just starting to get into my anime/manga phase, I would spend fifteen minutes after school every week browsing the tiny manga rack in a local psuedo-comic book store. At the time, I had only been reading Urusei Yatsura and was trying to expand my horizons. As you would expect (since you are reading this review), I picked up a few copies of "Battle Angel Alita" and "the rest is history", as the cliche goes. "Battle Angel Alita" is an excellent science fiction series that combines action, emotion, and an interesting twist on the 'dark future' concept. The first book is the logical introduction to the series, and I enjoyed it very much. It is best to pace yourself, however, as I finished this book easily in one sitting (I started reading it right after I opened the Amazon box). Overall, highly recommended.
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