I was hoping this arc was going to bring the series back to its old, nasty roots. Having it involve a crazed serial killer living in the sewers who takes bites out of girls will do that to you. What it ultimately winds up being is little more than a riff on your average underground horror story. That’s because a good chunk of it is given over to Narumi, who was captured by the killer in the previous volume, as she has to lead the other captured girls to safety as they all deal with broken appendages. She’s got the guts and the resourcefulness to do so, but she’s still up against a killer that’s more beast than human at this point. It all comes down to guessing who’s going to live to be rescued by Kuroko and her burly buddy Urara.
If I sound disappointed by this, it’s not because of the actual quality of the story. Mangaka Yoshimurakana does a good job in ramping up the tension during Narumi’s scenes and it’s ultimately satisfying to see Urara go toe-to-toe with the killer. It’s just that I was left expecting more from this arc when it comes to seeing this series try to push the envelope in terms of content. It’s yet another reminder that this series was at its best when it was trying to go completely over the top and find new ways to disturb the reader. That doesn’t happen here, unless you count the way the arc’s name, “‘Til Death Do Us Part” is invoked by cutting between the climactic sewer fight and Chiyo’s heartfelt talk with Hinako at a water park. Which is more disturbing in a, “...the hell is this?” kind of way as opposed to something genuinely stomach-churning.
glickscomicpicks@gmail.com
Comic Picks #318: Barakamon
Comic Picks #317: No One Left to Fight
Comic Picks #316: Buried Treasures of Manga -- Here is Greenwood
Comic Picks #315: Thor by Jason Aaron
Comic Picks #314: Harleen
Comic Picks #313: Infinity Wars by Gerry Duggan
Comic Picks #312: Curse Words/Rumble
Comic Picks #311: Star Wars -- Doctor Aphra
Comic Picks #310: Absolute Carnage
Comic Picks #309: Happiness
Comic Picks #308: Best of 2019
Comic Picks #307: X-Men -- House of X/Powers of X
Comic Picks #306: Paper Girls
Comic Picks #305: The Wild Storm
Comic Picks #304: Black Science
Comic Picks #303: I Am A Hero
Comic Picks #302: Prison School
Comic Picks #301: The Wicked + The Divine
Comic Picks #300: Joker
Comic Picks #299: Thief of Thieves
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Otaku’s Anonymous
Dinner with the Heelers - A Bluey Podcast
Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect
That One Piece Talk
Mobile Suit Breakdown: the Gundam Podcast