GATE：Where the JSDF Fought: GATE Jieitai Kanochinite Kaku Tatakaeri Vol.１ (GATE：Where the JSDF Fought：GATE Jieitai Kanochinite Kaku Tatakaeri Book 1)

Gate volume 1 is beautifully crafted. The volume is significantly larger then your standard manga volume and even has a dust jacket cover. It also uses some pretty high grade paper. I was not expecting such a nice quality.Now for the actual manga itself. Gate is the story about a time when a gateway to another dimension opens up in the heart of Japan. An invading army, made of monsters and humans, pours out and precedes to massacre the cilivans of Japan. Japan's special forces respond quickly dealing with the intruders and is left with the task of learning about the world that lies beyond the Gate.Our protagonist is 1st Lieutenant Youji Itami is tasked with establishing peaceful relations if possible with the locals. Itami is an otaku, who while being laid back is a surprisingly competent strategist. For example there is one member who makes through out the series great Kaiju references. He is joined by a colorful cast of his platoon and local inhabitants.Gate does deserve a mature warning. Gate does deal with the horrors of war in a surprisingly realistic fashion, despite it's fantasy elements. As such the combat scenes can get gory and is not to be understated. Though not shown rape is also mentioned. However that being said if you're familiar with the the anime, the manga is an easy recommendation, as it also adds more detail to some events.

This manga is a wonderful series and--despite its heavy-handed nationalistic themes--finds a pretty spectacular niche marrying modern military action with the fantasy setting. This story gave me something I didn't know I wanted, and very few franchises or series come close to overthrowing GATE in what is practically it's own genre. If you're looking for a military/fantasy/political manga with action, drama and some light situational comedy, GATE may be a refreshing change of pace if you haven't already heard of it.As some others have pointed out, the trouble surrounding the publishing of the English translation pretty much ensures this will be the only English volume of GATE to ever see the light of day. As an avid fan of both the anime and Japanese manga I die a little inside knowing this is already the end of the road. Nonetheless, there is a good bit of emotional value in having this book on my shelf, since it not only makes for a great story, but also seemingly ran in somewhat limited qualities.

I have watched the anime and just finished reading the first volume of Gate. I like the sameness but difference in the book and video. The book adds more to the story and is a bit grittier. I am glad there is an English version to the books and hope they publish the full series in english. I am not a purist life my friends who need to read in the original language, but someone who likes good stories from other countries and I am grateful when someone translate the for me to read. This definitely a series worth reading and collecting.

I got the anime back when it was only available in subtitled and never regretted it. The manga is great fun too:) I'd really like to see more but I'll enjoy this while I'm waiting. Lots of good humor along with good action and drama. A very good balance and I recommend it to anyone who likes these kinds of stories.

I was disappointed in finding that the E-version wasn't available, only the print-version. If you're a fan of the series, it's a must-have addition to your collection.

After watching the anime, which is available in  Blu-ray , DVD , and  Premium  editions, I didn't think there was any chance that the allegedly more extremely nationalistic and anti-American comic books and, especially, light novels would ever be translated into English and published so I was rather stunned to come across this translated manga version. Somebody had more guts than I expected! Then, I noticed the dates involved: the first volume published in May of 2016, the second volume supposedly translated but never actually published...for four YEARS and counting...More like somebody had fewer brains than I expected, and presumably absolutely FREAKED when they realized what they had started messing with. Volume 1 runs about the equivalent of the first 5 episodes of the TV show, which means that the absolute nadir of the series, in which armed commandos from the United States, Russia, and Communist China are completely wiped out by the Japanese while their government is dusting off plans for reviving the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere and growing nostalgic for the good old days of the Rising Sun would occur at either the end of Volume 2 or the beginning of Volume 3.What could possibly be wrong with that, the world wonders?Granted, I've never seen much of the rest of the manga, but I have heard stories about it, and I have read this volume, which combines looking less attractive with some very much harsher story elements,...like having Rory sarcastically offering the last of the bandits she has otherwise exterminated the opportunity for a little necrophilia with a couple of naked victims before she kills him. (He fails to take her up on it before dying.)Gosh, I can hardly wait to see how Takumi Yanai tops this in future volumes,... which for some reason might never, ever be translated...As I said about the anime, Takumi had some brilliant ideas here, but the translation is likely never going to be finished.

The art is superbly done and the story doesn't overtly drag out the action to nothing more bland scenes. The main and happiest thing is this will not be the last volume of this manga set.

This is one of my favorite manga, I'm so happy it finally came out in English. I really hope they release the next chapters sooner rather than later!Edit: WHEN ARE THE NEXT CHAPTERS COMING OUT IN ENGLIST?!

To be honest, I've got the original Japanese manga up to vol24, so you could argue that I'm biased and in for the long haul.The series deals with a lot of interesting themes, outside of the whole 'modern man in a magic world' trope. Thankfully it soon settles down into Itami and his personal adventuring party doing cool things.The characters are interesting enough and varied that they feel more alive than a lot of Isekai manga and it does in the earlier volumes deal with some quite dark imagery.Later volumes do get mired in politics and less interesting subjects, but by focussing attention on different groups within the Gate it fleshes the world out. As other reviewers have said, the author's own political leanings do get a bit heavy handed at times, but there's always the main party to fall back on for some proper storytelling.