On the whole, this was a solid mix of action, adventure, and character development, taking the reader from Samus Aran’s early childhood, through her training with the Chozo, and her confrontations with the Space Pirates and Mother Brain.

Nintendo characters are usually on the two-dimensional side, but Ishikawa’s Samus is a surprisingly well-rounded woman. Her growth from ‘helpless child’ to ‘most badass warrior in the galaxy’ is well-plotted. And she’s actually… well-written. Samus kicks ass and takes names, but she also has moments of doubt, loneliness, regret, insecurity, and a full-blown PTSD episode. She has a group of friends she keeps close to her, but she also has a tendency to strike out alone. Her battles aren’t easy, which makes it all the more rewarding when she triumphs.

There’s enough plot to keep it engaging for two whole volumes, and Ishikawa manages to cram a surprising amount of complexity into it. While it’s not going to win any literary awards, it was solidly enjoyable from beginning to end.

(Disclaimer: I’ve never actually played a Metroid game and know of Samus pretty much exclusively through the Super Smash series.)