If you're like me and badly wanted more official Pacific Rim content in your life, then this is worth a read simply to fill in a couple little knowledge gaps from the start of the Kaiju attacks and the creation of the Jaeger program. As long as you're not expecting anything nearly as good as the film, but rather just some backstory and snippets of info, you're good to go.

The core of the story is a bit random and lackluster as it follows a journalist basically writing a fluff piece on those involved in the Kaiju attacks; this mostly just serves as a way for characters to infodump and have flashback moments. The result kind of feels like reading a very descriptive Wiki page, plus some Yancy and Raleigh drama that's a bit cliché (fighting over a girl...yawn.) Also the art styles throughout feel super low-budget? It's just not a pretty thing to look at.

But all that being said, it was still cool just to get some more info on the world of Pacific Rim, plus a neat little Pentecost and Mori side story. The origins of the creation of drifting was also fun to see, Also, don't skip the forwards by Travis Beacham! It has so much obvious heart and enjoyment for this world that it makes the story shine a little brighter. ( )

Fun preface to the blockbuster movie. Gives a little context to the strange world of Kaiju and Jaegers. ( )

This is a really cool graphic novel and gives some insights into the years between the first kaiju attack in San Francisco and the events of Pacific Rim. The art is pretty good, except for some of the human proportions that felt kind of unrealistic. Overall, it was a concise and well-told series of stories.

I liked the story of how the first prototype Jaeger was built, although I did think there was more than one casualty before the system of two-person drifting was discovered. The human element was ultimately what sold this book for me, and the sacrifices people made along the way to pave the road for the eventual destruction of the kaiju. ( )

This graphic novel is the prequel to the movie Pacific Rim. I haven't seen the movie and I'm not sure that I will, but this was so colorful and intriguing I picked it up. Giant monsters are attacking the United States and giant mechs (mechanical men controlled by real people) are the only way to stop them but it seems to be a losing battle.

I enjoyed the introduction by Travis Beacham as he explained the creation of fantasy worlds for movies and stories. I was also very interested in the back appendix about the steps a graphic novel goes through before it gets printed - the script, the penciling, the inking, and the coloring. I knew about it in theory but it was nice to see it graphically displayed.

As for the story - it's okay. It held my interest enough. There's definitely sadness there, plus some foreshadowing. The illustrations are beautiful and it's nice to look at. It seems geared toward people who are fans of the movie or - maybe in my case - people who haven't seen the movie but would like to check it out. ( )

In an alternate world in 2013, a monstrous creature called a kaiju emerges from the depths of the Pacific Ocean and decimates San Francisco. This event kickstarts a series of devastating attacks by different kaiju across the world chronicled in the 2013 film Pacific Rim. In order to defeat the kaiju, the world bands together and develops jaegers, giant robots designed to defeat the kaiju. The film only gives a little exposition about the development, but the graphic novel steps in to give Pacific Rim lovers the opportunity to learn more about the agonizing process of designing something that is capable of fighting monstrous creatures.

The emergence of familiar characters from the movie like film protagonists Raleigh and Yancy Becket, and just a glimpse of a young Mako Mori, another protagonist, will make the beloved story seem familiar. However, the introduction of new and intriguing characters will give the story an entirely new spin. The graphic novel may not produce any new fans, but for those fans of the movie already, the need to know more about the world created in Pacific Rim will be undeniably fulfilled. Recommended. Grades 9 and up. ( )