MANGA REVIEW | "Fly Me to the Moon" - Volume Twenty-One
I can’t help but love when a manga volume lets its readers have their cake and eat it too. Despite some flaws with how this cabin arc got started in Fly Me to the Moon, it has certainly found a great way to end it. But not only does Volume Twenty-One deliver with some great storytelling progression, it also has tons of fun with its characters too. And it’s surprising how steamy author Kenjiro Hata lets Nasa and Tsukasa get!
First thing’s first: the current storyline. After burning a mysterious mask, Tsukasa finds some closure regarding her past life. Yet the cure to her immortality is still a mystery, but Nasa’s got a feeling that there’s more to this cabin than meets the eye. It’s with a little detective work and wordplay where the hubby discovers a little gift left behind by Grandma Tokiko. Yes, it’s a simple puzzle, but those unfamiliar to Tokiko’s family would have a crazy time solving it.
After dealing with the cabin situation, we go back to a sort of normalcy for Fly Me to the Moon. And by normalcy, I mean certain friends who keep putting their noses where they don’t belong! Questions about how much Nasa likes Tsukasa, what sort of kinks he has, and whether or not they got freaky in the forest fill up the air. Poor Tsukasa has to deal with the brunt of them, whilst Nasa — in another world mentally trying to solve Grandma Tokiko’s puzzle — pops back into reality at a key time: to see up Tsukasa’s skirt.
But it’s surprising who the cheekiest of everyone is in this volume: the almost-always serious Kaguya. Her aim to find out more about Nasa and Tsukasa’s marriage is for her own selfish reasons. As she hasn’t grown since elementary school, Kaguya believes that learning more about adult things will help her blossom into a fully-figured woman. (Wait till she finds out that most adults don’t even know about adult things!)
That’s when the story goes back to another flashback, this time to the original Princess Kaguya. Whether or not she is the same Kaguya as the present-day one remains to be seen, but they both share the same dang characteristics. There’s been a bountiful of retellings involving “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter”, and as of now, there’s not too much of a difference. What is a key unique aspect is Kaguya’s attitude, which reminds this reviewer of a certain twin-tailed billionaire teen with a blue-haired butler and talking tiger.
How this flashback will actually connect to Tsukasa’s past is hinted right at the end, meaning that we may finally get another mystery solved next time. Until then, Volume Twenty-One of Fly Me to the Moon delivers everything that’s made this story a fun read. Good mystery, cute bonding, and some naughtiness sprinkled on top is what makes for what is essentially a perfect rom-com hot fudge sundae.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
