Shin Zero: A Generation Adrift in a Post-Heroic World
In a near-future city echoing the vibrant streets of Osaka, five young adults grapple with the anxieties and uncertainties of their time. It’s 2025, and the world is a far cry from the action-packed adventures their grandparents experienced. The Sentai, colorfully clad superheroes of yesteryear, were once humanity’s last line of defense, bravely battling monstrous threats. But those days are gone. The monsters have vanished, leaving the heroes of the present relegated to mundane jobs as security guards and night watchmen. Their future prospects seem bleak, overshadowed by a sense of disillusionment and a profound lack of purpose. But is the threat truly extinguished, or does it merely lie dormant, waiting to resurface in a new and unexpected form?
Shin Zero, the first installment of a planned trilogy, paints a poignant portrait of a disaffected generation searching for meaning in a world that feels increasingly uncertain. Departing from the dystopian narratives that the authors have previously explored, this story grounds itself in a realistic present, allowing for a more credible exploration of the challenges facing young people today.
"Our primary desire was to address the difficulty that younger generations face when trying to envision an increasingly anxiety-inducing future," explains Mathieu Bablet, the writer behind the script. "To achieve this, we needed to anchor ourselves in the present, allowing us to speak authentically about these issues."
Drawing inspiration from his own childhood memories, Bablet, the acclaimed creator of Carbon & Silicium, offers a contemporary take on the Japanese "Super Sentai" genre, which gained international popularity in the 1990s with the Power Rangers series.
"There’s definitely a nostalgic element," the writer admits with a smile. "These are stories that left a lasting impression on us as children, through television." But the appeal extends beyond mere nostalgia. The "Sentai" genre is intrinsically linked to a broader cinematic movement known as "Tokusatsu" (literally "special effects"), which gave rise to iconic franchises like Godzilla. These established codes provide a rich visual foundation for crafting a unique universe, "quite different from what one might find in Western fiction," Bablet believes.
Between their unremarkable shifts, Nikki, Warren, Satoshi, Héloïse, and Sofia share their dreams and aspirations while struggling to make ends meet. "The monster – the kaiju – is almost an excuse," the author acknowledges. "They’re fantastic to imagine, but ultimately, they’re not the focus of the story. We wanted to showcase the lives and struggles of young people on the cusp of adulthood. For their parents, it was easy to identify the monsters; but today, everything is more ambiguous, and the world is painted in shades of gray. This contributes to a sense of disenchantment: we can no longer even dream, because there’s nothing left to dream about."
Shin Zero is a compelling read, characterized by its rhythmic pacing and poetic sensibility. It subtly explores a multitude of societal themes, including the treatment of the elderly, unemployment, and precarious living conditions. The conclusion of the book features a helpful explanation that traces the origins of the Power Rangers and the conventions that the authors sought to honor.
Even without prior knowledge of manga, the story resonates with readers because of its proximity to contemporary concerns. It is a triumph that should not be limited to fans of manga and spectacular action sequences.
Guillaume Singelin, who comes from a Franco-Belgian comic book background, skillfully blurs the lines between genres in Shin Zero. "I wanted to draw inspiration from the conventions of manga, which I read extensively growing up, while attempting to blend different influences," explains the creator of Frontier.
The resulting art style is reminiscent of animation while requiring significant preliminary work. "Generally, I use very traditional panel layouts," Singelin explains. "But the conventions of manga are different, particularly in terms of the number of panels per page. I re-read a lot of manga to understand how to break these frames and maintain the pacing. It was a new learning experience for me, but that’s also what attracted me to this project."
Another indicator of the blending of genres is the sparing use of color. "Initially, I considered sticking to black and white," Singelin explains. "But we quickly realized that when the characters were in costume, it became difficult to distinguish them! Ultimately, we decided to keep the five colors to differentiate the heroes, as that is a signature of the Sentai. We also integrated them into the flashbacks and certain ethereal scenes."
Beyond the action sequences, which are relatively few, the artist emphasizes the challenge of depicting the heroes in their everyday lives. "Like a director, I had to carefully consider each shot to position the characters and objects in the right place, in order to convey the interactions between them in their shared living space. In the more intimate scenes, I relied heavily on facial expressions."
Work on the sequel has already begun, with the second volume currently in development. The authors assure their readers that they do not intend to keep them waiting for too long, while still taking the time to develop their story. "In fact, we don’t even know if there will be monsters in the sequel!" they tease. It remains to be seen whether their heroes will ultimately find their place in this disillusioned world, which, after all, is not so different from our own. The core of the story is about belonging, finding identity and meaning, and wrestling with apathy in a world saturated with information and yet starved for genuine connection.
The choice to set the story in a city resembling Osaka further enhances the themes of cultural fusion and globalization. The characters are not simply generic young adults; they are products of a specific environment, shaped by both local traditions and global trends. This adds layers of complexity to their struggles and aspirations, making them all the more relatable to a diverse audience. The "Super Sentai" concept acts not only as an appealing backdrop but also as a clever metaphor for the expectations and pressures placed upon younger generations. They are inheriting a world that was supposedly saved, but are now faced with different, more insidious threats that require a different kind of heroism. The focus shifts from defeating external monsters to confronting internal demons and navigating the complexities of modern life.
