MANGA REVIEW | "Undead Unluck" - Vols. 4 & 5
Sometimes the greatest enemy can be right under your nose. It’s an even worse situation when that villain winds up being the last person you’d least expect. Andy, Fuuko, and the rest of the Union find this out in a frightening manner in the fourth volume of Undead Unluck, where the gang have no time to celebrate the completion of their most recent quest. And in usual fashion, it all goes down in a fiery blaze of glory!
But first, we return to where the third volume ended, as the Union tries to get Chikara to join up as the Eleventh Negator. A bombastic fight against Rip causes oceans to ripple, with Andy using another unorthodox way to mow him down. When the Union reunites and has their first meeting with a full crew, the headquarters is attacked by Under, a new organization that aims to flip the world upside-down. Just when the worst things seem to have come to fruition, the Under’s leader is revealed as a member of the Union.
One of the things that makes Undead Unluck a joy to read is just how insane the battles can be. Where a series like Chainsaw Man showcases chaotic fights in the most gruesome of ways, author Yoshifumi Tozuka instead goes clean with his battle presentation. Andy may be severing his arms and limbs in gory manners, but it’s all done in a Tex Avery/Chuck Jones fashion. Despite some of the serious aspects of the fight between Andy & Fuuko and Rip, there’s a cartoonish spirit that makes even the roughest moments feel wacky in the right places.
But nothing could compare to what happens when Under attacks the Union out of the blue. Just when you are given the blueprints on how the story will go down, everything literally explodes. But it’s the ultimate betrayal of a big Union member when things get shaken up. Hearts are bruised, trust is broken, and the fabric of the Union itself starts to tear. And yet, thanks to Andy’s anarchic ways, the team gets together to fight in a way that’s heartfelt and — above all — truly badass.
With more Un’s revealed, Undead Unluck’s fourth volume continues to build upon its world. But with the Union both fully assembled before being forced apart, it’s clear that Andy and Fuuko’s quest is far from over. As a new villain and new opposing force emerges, Undead Unluck’s next storytelling arc is shaping to be both explosive and game-changing.
VOL. 4 RATING:
VOL. 5 REVIEW
There’s a lot to love about Yoshifumi Tozuka’s Undead Unluck. From its unpredictability and its imaginative action scenes to its likable characters, everything about this series just screams “great shonen entertainment”! But in its fifth volume, Undead Unluck decides to go down one strange path. And in order to reach that path, Fuuko’s gotta get some creative juices flowing.
After being attacked by the new organizer Under, Andy and the rest of Union are told the truth on why they’re trying to kill God. The world runs on a time loop, with God constantly killing the planet and reshaping it in a different image. Only Andy and Juiz survive each incarnation, due to their certain powers. But there’s a way for the looping and Armageddon to stop, and the answer just so happens to rest in Fuuko’s favorite shojo manga.
In order to get close to the book’s creator, Fuuko and the rest of the Union decide to create a manga and submit it to the same publisher. After digging for clues in the manga office, Fuuko manages to meet with author Anno Un. It’s when she and Andy meet with the author when they realize that they’re more than just a writer; they have the knowledge of what happens in the future! Of course, Anno’s knowledge won’t just be handed over without a certain test, one that involves Fuuko getting to know Andy’s true past.
There’s a lot of information dumped in this volume of Undead Unluck in a very short time, but it’s fortunately not done in a flimsy manner. Quite the contrary, Juiz’s reveal of the time loop is presented with a lot of care, in a way that makes every moment of this new truth ever-so attention-grabbing. The shocker involving Fuuko’s favorite manga is showcased with a great dose of humor and WTF attitude, with the Unluck negator using her true story with Andy as the inspiration for her manga being a very funny way of infiltrating the location of the raw manga copies.
It’s when Anno makes their entrance when things get rather crazy, especially when a spider that turns people into books comes attacking. The idea that Fuuko and Andy need to get to know each other better before defeating the creature is kind of strange, but seeing how Fuuko enter’s Andy’s past is pretty unique. Watching her interact with both the original Andy and the dangerous Victor shows how little she cares about facing death, an aspect of hers that has evolved since the very first chapter of the series. It all leads to a grand reunion with modern Andy, which is filled with plenty of brutally explosive action!
Volume Five of Undead Unluck delivers strongly with its trademark wit, humor, and wanton violence, keeping it a hugely entertaining read. The idea of Fuuko trying to create a manga to meet with a possible negator is somewhat meta, but not done in an eye-rolling manner. Where it’ll take them on their journey remains to be seen, although Anno may have a good idea on what might go on…
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media
