MANGA REVIEW | "Call of the Night" - Volume Eleven
Friends fight and scuffle often; it’s part of being in the buddy system. But there comes a time when a wall must be built between friends, before things turn for the worst. Ko and Mahiru have that moment in the latest Call of the Night, as the two are playfully competing to see who’ll turn first. And how it all goes down is something of a shocker.
For starters, the search for Kiku continues, with the reveal that she’s the one who caused Kyoko’s parents’ death. The key person to find her is Mahiru, the latest of Kiku’s interests. Ko meets up with his friend to have a chat, as well as to figure out where she might be. But when Mahiru becomes defensive, the fists begin to fly.
What happens next is something we tend to see in many a superhero movie. A hidden power is unleashed within Ko, as he begins to knock the snot out of Mahiru. Nazuna comes to stop the fight, as Mahiru realizes the truth: Ko’s not exactly turned, but he’s halfway there. The reveal leaves Mahiru pissed, to the point where he wants to end his friendship with Ko.
It’s funny how Call of the Night breaks one friendship after mended another back together. Nazuna and Kyoko have once again become chummy, with Kyoko’s vampiric knowledge a key part of the plan to capture Kiku. But Ko and Mahiru need to see eye-to-eye in order for their plan to work. Thankfully, there’s one person that can help: Akira.
If there’s one thing Akira’s good at, it’s being a voice of reason. Her chat with Ko is exactly what’s needed to get him out of his funk. Their connection is strong, and while there’s a hint of love for Ko in Akira’s heart, she knows that he only has eyes for Nazuna. Hence why she holds nothing back when it comes to dealing with broken friendships, especially with the fact that it’s really stupid for the two of them to fight.
However, before Ko can face Mahiru again, he’s gotta do something about his half-vampire powers. Nazuna’s there for him to figure out how to both awaken them and controls them, as they find the spark that starts up the Dracula-like magic. What Nazuna didn’t count on what also awakening Ko’s inner turmoils, with him mumbling about fitting in at school as the two battle. It’s a moment that should fit better in a shonen action series, but somehow feels in place of what’s happening here.
There’s one last reveal towards the end, but one cannot spoil it here. But things feel like they’re about to go down a different path in Call of the Night. What was once an analogy of youth transitioning to adulthood is becoming a different kind of beast. So props to author Kotoyama for not going down a predictable path like most writers, as this is not what I imagined would happen in this series. But I’m glad, as Call of the Night’s eleventh volume shows how to execute left turns that still fit with the tone and style of the overall narrative.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
