MANGA REVIEW | "Undead Unluck" - Volume Three
With a seat at the Union’s table, Andy and Fuuko found themselves in good company in the last Undead Unluck. However, during their first mission, chaos reigned all over Nevada. Worse, Andy’s previous entity Victhor woke from his slumber, causing more problems for the Union. Thankfully, as we see in the third volume, Fuuko becomes both the key to Andy’s heart and one of the Union’s strongest assets.
The battle with Victhor rages onward, as Union members throw everything they can at the godly being. But some quick thinking from Fuuko brings them victory, via awakening Andy from deep within Victhor’s being. After things calm down, a new seat appears at the Union’s table, as well as a crazy penalty involving aliens that are itching to conquer Earth. Once that squabble is over, Andy and Fuuko head to Brazil in search of a Negator who’s about to be sold in a black market auction.
Within Undead Unluck is a strong bond between Andy and Fuuko. While it remains to be seen how their relationship evolves throughout the series (especially after what Fuuko does to bring Andy back from Victhor), the amount of fun and care that these two have with and for each other is some of the strongest I’ve seen in recent shonen manga. The way they tackle jobs, do mundane tasks like clothes shopping, and even how they eat together is brought forth in this mixture of hilarity, badassery, and sweetness.
Of course, the good stuff comes when it comes time for the fights to commence. We get a doozy of a battle between Victhor and the Union, of course, with almost everything imaginable thrown at the God of Victory in a downpour of glory. But when Andy finally comes face-to-face with the Negator Unrepair, that’s when the zombie-like hero gets his moment to shine. And yet, even when he’s the star of the fight, he always leaves room in the spotlight for Fuuko to show her skills both as a fighter and a friend.
This aspect of Fuuko is where she shows her best side. On top of helping Andy awaken from Victhor, there’s a moment with Negator Tatiana that brings the humanity aspect of these characters to light. How Fuuko calms her from almost obliterating a section of the Union’s lair showcases why she’s the heart of Undead Unluck. She does her best to see the person that’s in front of her, even if said person is trapped in a monstrous machine, and letting those who have been called abominations be reminded of the kind soul that rests in their hearts.
It’s one thing to have a good mixture of comedy, action, and drama in a series; it’s another thing to do it with the moods meshing together flawlessly. Undead Unluck has that down to a t, with an attitude and look that make it a top contender for the title of next big shonen series. While it may still have to deal with the Jujutsu Kaisens and My Hero Academias of the world, Undead Unluck has enough muscle and gas in its tank to take on any other shonen manga that may stand in its way. Pity those serials that lay a single finger on Fuuko; they won’t see what’s hurtling towards them…
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Gabrielle Dyer of VIZ Media
