Family Force V is an action packed graphic novel full of big emotions. Maise just wants to be a normal teen, but her family has a secret—they act as the world's defense from alien invaders a la Power Rangers. Larger forces are at play as the monsters start evolving, forcing Maise to confront her destiny. This was a fun but also heartfelt read that manga readers will love. Thanks to Image and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The art is exciting and bright, the story is emotional and smart and the antagonist is mysterious and scary. I liked this story starter, There is potential for lots of conflict, but the family is solid, humorous and sweet. There were a few times that the action seemed confusion in the illustrations, but since I read this online, this could be attributed to the smaller format. I will be looking for further volumes.

I saw someone describe this as Power Rangers meets Spider-Man, and I couldn’t agree more. The Moon Troopers function very similarly to Power Rangers or Voltron heroes, and the story line is very Spider-Man adjacent with a teenager protagonist who moonlights as a superhero losing a loved one and deciding to use their powers for the greater good.

It was a little cliche and predictable at times, but I think the target audience won’t mind, especially if they haven’t been oversaturated with this type of plot line yet. The themes and messages are solid, especially in regards to family and friendship, and it comes with the bonus of strong diversity representation for race and LGBTQ+ characters.

The ending wrapped up a little too easily and felt rushed, but this series has potential to go far in subsequent volumes.

This is my favorite new graphic novel that I’ve read this year, hands down. The synopsis caught my eye because it felt like it was tailored towards my specific interests, and it was executed so well. I read it in one setting and it went by so fast with the pacing, and I immediately wanted a second book after. I am a big Pacific Rim fan, and while there are no mechs, this comic involves a family team as they take on alien kaiju. Although the designs look similiar to Power Rangers and I can see the inspiration taken from there, it reminds me much more of a Big Hero 6 dynamic with family members fighting alongside each other instead of friends. The family dynamic really makes this feel like a fresh take on the genre. I appreciate seeing how the family drama blends into their kaiju-fighting responsibility. The main character, Maise, is a great example of the toll of balancing family, work, life, and friends. She was immediately someone I was rooting for. After a certain tragic event happens, it was interesting to see her character develope she takes on more responsibility.

Also, I should mention that the art and coloring done for this novel are stunning, and I really love the kaiju designs.

Thank you to NetGalley for my Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

I hate to repeat all of the other reviews, but this book is Power Rangers meets Transformers meets Godzilla and it's awesome. As a child of the 80s and 90s I was immediately drawn into the story about a family who fights monsters from outer space. The main character is very relatable as a teen who hates the responsibility that she's given without a choice, although her responsibility is far greater than the homework and part time jobs that most teens have. I look forward to Book 2. 3.5 stars.

The Power Rangers meet The Incredibles and Big Hero 6.

Being a teenager is hard. Add being born into a superhero family that's part of a worldwide protection agency tasked with defending the earth from frequent extraterrestrial kaiju attacks, and you've got Maisie's life in a nutshell.

We follow her as she tries to find her footing following a big incident that changes her outlook on (superhero) life. While reading through these pages, I could feel that this comic was a labour of love. The sense of community, extending grace to one another, and seeing the other person behind the mask.
Maisie is flawed, but her willingness to learn from her mistakes, adapt, and do better for the people around her make her a main character that you can't help but root for. While the beginning of the story may feel bitter sweet, the ending felt hopeful.

I'm definitely very curious to see where the next book in this comic series will take us after this!

Thank you to Skybound and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this graphic novel. This is a story that reminds me of my childhood watching families fulfilling their destiny of saving the world and the main character having to hide it from other people. I also enjoyed the Power Ranger feels from the heroes as well. I think what may happen with this series, though, is that it could end up predictable, but I think this is a great story for middle schoolers and high schoolers. Because of these points, I have to give this a solid 4 out.of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!! This novel was absolutely BEAUTIFUL and surprisingly very funny (Moonie was my favorite character)! The themes of family and finding your own identity were very strong and perfectly mixed together with a dash of teenage angst and awkwardness. I quickly fell in love with the sick graphics, action-packed storyline, family dynamic, all of it. I can’t wait until the official publication date so that I’m able to buy a copy for my niece who I know is going to love it (I thought of her literally every single time I flipped a page lol). This is perfect for pre-teens/teens (comic book loving adults too) just be aware there are a a few instances of profanity to look out for and the antagonist may be a little frightening for some. The only thing I wasn’t the biggest fan of was the pacing, there were a few things I wished would’ve been a little bit more dragged out but nonetheless I still really enjoyed this novel and would read the next in the series. Also, I’ve seen quite a few reviews mentioning a likeness to Power Rangers and I would completely agree, so if you grew up watching Power Rangers definitely give this novel a read and you’re sure to discover a new favorite.

If you liked Power Rangers and those kinds of shows then you will love this. The art work is great the characters have a lot of potential and the story has me very intrigued. Moonie is currently my favorite character but the ending had left me a little scared about their future. I can already tell this is a seres will be reading this series through to the end.

This is clearly a homage to Gatchaman and Mazinger Z, so it was like returning to the seventies, which I am grateful for, since the introduction with the pronouns almost made me close the manga without reading it. It is also a sing in favor of family and friendship and assuming one’s responsibilities, but all put together with plenty of action.

By the way, the end closes with a disturbing surprise.

Note: better reading in a big screen, in a double page format.

The art in this manga was fantastic and I was absolutely sucked into the story. Maise is born into a family that is forced to act as superheroes protecting the world from alien beings. Maise has a lot of growth throughout the book and seeing her go through everything really made this book for me. A fantastic read!

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy of this book.
I love the family dynamics and the art is great. I’m really excited for the next volume.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC.

I'm a fan of Matt Braly's Amphibia, so I was very excited when this book was announced. The concept follows a typical teen superhero story—someone trying to balance superhero life with everyday life—but that’s a trope I’ve always had a soft spot for. Matt Braly adds some interesting subplots and twists that keep it fresh. I also really enjoyed the backstory behind how the characters gained their superpowers.

This was Power Rangers. But as a Power Rangers fan, THIS WAS POWER RANGERS but with all the rangers being related and a family. Full of adventure, teenage angst, POC, and humor, I really enjoyed this. Thanks NetGalley for the e-ARC!

If what bars you from your freedom is the safety of the world - what would you do?

Family Force V is a story of the daily struggle we have of pursuing a predestined role vs our individual goals. Here's hoping that whatever we choose, we do our best - with no regrets.

From the moment we get introduced to the main characters, I got a sense of it's resemblance to Power Rangers and Voltes V. Overall it was a touching read that flies by so fast you'll be invested in their family dynamics before you know it.

Being a big fan of the Amphibia TV series, I was intrigued to see that creator Matt Braly was co authoring this project. It’s a Super Sentai/Power Rangers inspired story about a teen, Maise, that’s not into the family superhero business and would rather focus on her art career. However, events conspire that she will have to take saving the world more seriously than before.

The characters were fleshed out and relatable, especially Maise. I felt for her plight as she has to go through so many changes, but she has great growth, despite her flaws. It took a somewhat cliched trope of a teen wanting to be normal and made it fresh. The rest of her family was really fun and interesting as well with a great dynamic.

The world felt almost like Pacific Rim with an invasion of kaiju monsters happening every so often, and we have a group of Power Ranger expies fighting against them. There a ton of tech and some magic, and I was really fascinated in what tool would show up next. The pacing was fast, but had enough time to really meld in during certain scenes.

The artwork was fantastic with great character design, art, and expressive. While the majority of the artwork was likely from Ainsworth Lin, it was easy to spot Braly’s artwork in the panels it appeared. The back of the book even had the concept sketches in his style. The action scenes were thrilling and the scenes in between were taken with just as much care.

I’m looking forward to more volumes of Family Force V, especially after that explosive ending.

DISCLAIMER: I requested and received this book as an ARC through NetGalley.

I’ve recently started exploring manga! When I first started my library work, graphic novels were a big blind spot in my reading, so I started by exploring graphic novels like Maus and Wash Day Diaries, but I never tried manga. Manga is an important genre in my library, and I hate having genre blind spots. I’m so glad this was my introduction into the genre.

Family Force V is a great start for readers who are getting their first taste of manga. It blends the western and eastern comic traditions to create a dynamic, action-packed read that will keep all readers engaged from start to finish! I tend to prefer character-driven over action-driven stories, but this satisfies both! I was absolutely charmed by these relatable characters and their relationships. The plight of a teen girl being torn between family obligations and social demands is relatable, even if the reader has never fought a kaiju. The bonds among the monster-fighting family make this story like a Power Rangers x The Incredibles crossover.

And it is appropriate to use films as reference points in describing this book, because it is very cinematic. This is a graphic novel that revels in exciting and dynamic images that drive the action and express emotional depth. While there was the occasional panel in which a lighting choice blocked the action, overall there is a great sense of flow and power to the illustrations. Reading this was truly like bingeing a TV show, with each chapter ending at just the right moment to keep the reader wanting more.

As a beginning manga reader, I enjoyed this immensely. This is a wonderful match for many kinds of readers: action comic and manga fans, reluctant readers who love superhero movies, readers who are beginning to dip their toes into manga, or even readers who love action stories who need a quick read during a busy season. I hope readers are as excited by the fight sequences and charmed by the characters as I was.

Family Force V, Book 1 by Matt Braly and illustrated by Ainsworth Lin will be available in June of 2025 from Skybound.

References

Braly, M. (2025). Family Force V (A. Lin, Illus.). Skybound.

Volume 1 of this series has set it up to be a very strong string of stories! I think Maise is going to really bring a lot of depth to the story. I'm very interested in seeing how the creators are going to allow her family to keep their secret, while keeping Citalli and his mom safe from losing her job. While the critical loss of a member in the beginning of a story was a bit heartbreaking, but definitely necessary to the plotline, it still sucked to see it happen. With that being said, Daichi needed this family as much as maybe Maise needed someone to pull her head out of her butt.

I adored the family dynamics, and the identity struggle that Maise faced. This was a really strong start to a story about friendship, family, identity, and overcoming challenges. It got be choked up at one specific part, and I’m really excited for the next volume.

As for the first volume in the series, this was okay. The plot had an intriguing concept, and there were moments that i was genuinely shocked. The overall idea for the plot is pretty cool and has a lot of potential. I didn’t really find myself connecting with the characters yet, however they were interesting. I loved the art style.