Under the leadership of Kenny Ruiz, the Team Phoenix series continues the work of the late Osamu Tezuka. Indeed, the manga summons the main heroes of the father of the manga in a vast space opera. The first two volumes (find here the review of volume 1 and a volume 2) confirmed all the expectations placed in this series. This third opus, marked under the seal of action, offers us another joyful show.
Clash of Giants
Led by Princess Sapphire, Team Phoenix decided to oppose the yoke of Atlas, commissioner of the Robotic Union, who defeated and enslaved humanity.With the help of cyber-surgeon Black Jack, she infiltrates a maximum security prison in order to awaken Astro, presumed dead for 100 years. The complex operation must allow to enter the brain of the missing hero and end his long coma.
But at the same time, Atlas and his most formidable lieutenants were informed of this intrusion attempt. The most powerful robots in space come to stop once and for all Team Phoenix. Despite the courage and ingenuity of the rebels, the struggle is uneven. Only the arrival of allies can allow them to resist. But for how long? Because without Astro, no one seems able to overthrow Atlas. 
Team Phoenix: Astro's dilemma
This volume finally reveals the past of the strongest robot in the world. Indeed, since volume 1, Astro is a ghost, a fallen icon for the defense of robots. Victim of the violence of the biologicals, he became the justification of the totalitarian power of Atlas. It is the basis of this ideology according to which robots and biologics cannot coexist. It therefore legitimizes all violence.
However, this dual belonging to the world of robots and biological biology is why Astro could not intervene during the past war.Reduced to helplessness by this dilemma, he plunged into an endless loop of remorse, sadness and questions. To whom is he faithful? To his robot brothers or to his creators? The robot is faced with a very human choice: choose its parents or its brothers? Kenny Ruiz captures all the complexity of the character created by Tezuka. This super-powerful child who has to solve adult problems. 
The strongest robots in the world
In his Tezuka Universe operation, Kenny Ruiz still had a card up his sleeve. Indeed, the first volumes extensively explored Tezuka's works while preserving some of Astro's "lore". It was to better involve him in the second part of this volume through five of the seven strongest robots in the world (see the manga Pluto): Mont Blanc, Epsilon, Brando, North 2 and Hercules.
This arrival transforms the narrative into an epic confrontation. In space or on the surface, this Volume 3 of Team Phoenix offers a host of dynamic action scenes. Our heroes are on the verge of rupture, despite the unsuspected resources of their ship.The diversity of techniques, the very successful designs of each protagonist offers a real visual pleasure where jets of energy and sharp katanas waltz the bodies while building an excessive battlefield. 
Team Phoenix: the shock of reality
This series, behind its shonen approach, unfolds an intelligent reflection on the notion of power, renunciation and truth. Indeed, it describes a totalitarian power that feeds, in the literal sense of the word, on the energy of its opponents. But this power would be nothing without the voluntary collaboration and blindness of zealous servants. This is illustrated by the journey of Princess Sapphire, former servant of Atlas who became aware of her mistakes. To do nothing is to let arbitrariness prevail.
It is with this reflection, in the background, that the volume ends on a palpable tension. Once Astro is awake, Atlas' lies revealed, what will be the reaction of the people? The answer is not obvious because lying acts as a poison from which it is difficult to cure. On the other hand, some are satisfied with this untruth or are unable to recognize that they have gone down the wrong road. Questions, all very modern, reason in our world today.
In its third volume, Team Phoenix deepens its universe by laying the foundations for a Dantesque confrontation. Driven by a drawing as effective as ever, this series continues its bet to elegantly extend Tezuka's universe.
Find all the volumes published on the website of the Vega-Dupuis publishing house
