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Just read as much "51 Ways to Save Her" as is available on the net. I have been wanting to read this manga for months. It was even more heart wrenching than I could have imagined. This manga is the answer to a question that is on many people's minds: "What would happen if Tokyo were hit by a major earthquake?" The author puts in many logical reasons for what would happen inserted into the chaos of the aftermath.

It especially caught my attention because one of the characters is like me: lolita, obsessed with J-rockers, not doing much with her life. In fact, we meet her as she's standing in line to try to get a ticket for her favorite band's last live before they break up. Jumping ahead, the part that touched me the very most was when she meets the guitarist of said band during the aftermath. The two main characters find a safe-haven in a park. Many survivors are there gathered around a bon fire, crying and trying to keep warm. They sit next to a man with a guitar. His girlfriend is sleeping with her head on his thigh (it is night time). He tries to keep the crowd happy by playing his guitar and singing. The lolita realizes he is the guitarist to her favorite band and they become friends. He begins to tell the two main characters one of his reasons for the band's break up, saying he and his girlfriend are going to get married. He touches her head in a sweet caress, and it is at this moment that you realize...his girlfriend is dead. But he can't let her go. (I cried so hard).

Then jumping ahead, they are on Rainbow Bridge trying to escape Odaiba and in a panic he loses his girlfriend as she is shaken loose from his back and she goes over the bridge into the water. In this moment his denial is broken about her death and he commits suicide in his effort to get her back. Oh my god its such powerful writing... I was in shock. In fact, this whole series is very powerful.

In an earlier part, the male main character goes into a shopping mall to try to find a little boy for an old man, and is met with such horror. He tries to help a woman out from under a pillar and only half her body comes out...that's the first major shock you get in terms of gore. I almost threw up and cried at the same time.

Then just out of Rainbow Bridge in the Minato Ward, they are confronted with a phenomenon called fire tornadoes. Apparently they are formed over large flat bare landmasses when fire surrounds. In the updraft, anyone from that large flat area is suddenly taken up into the fire. The characters are suddenly pelted with charred bodies that are still alive, falling from the air out of nowhere. I almost vomited again at it.

Later on, one of the female main characters is raped very graphically as a lesson to all women reading that in a disaster they must be especially careful for perverts. This one chapter is an excellent depiction of what a woman goes through during a rape and every girl should read it just to know. Once again, I was amazed at the quality of the writing.

None of this manga is available on Amazon or Borders. I suppose its discontinued. I only got to read up to volume 4 chapter 3. I want to read more so badly. This series is drawn in a very realistic style. The depiction of gore is very life-like, so for squeamish people take caution. Hell, I read ero-guro manga (gore sex manga) casually and this manga made me almost vomit. I still feel sick from it. Also, people who have gone through disasters like 9/11 or the 1989 San Fransisco earthquake should not read this. Just take caution caution caution. The writing and drawing are spectacular so I highly recommened it, but just be careful when reading.

This manga also made me worry about all of my favorite artists who live in Tokyo or often travel to Tokyo. I know I don't know many of them personally (only one) but still...): hopefully a major earthquake in Tokyo will not happen in our lifetimes. Heck, hopefully no major disaster will befall any of us. It is wishful thinking. May we all be in peace.