MANGA REVIEW | "Fly Me to the Moon" - Volume Twenty-Two
There’s a lot of hidden mystery within Fly Me to the Moon. Most of that is geared towards Tsukasa’s past, whose centuries-long life has given her the chance to experience a plethora of things. However, tied to her past is the classic tale of Princess Kaguya, alongside that enigma of what happened to her and her lover. In Volume Twenty-Two, it appears all has finally been revealed.
For starters, we see how Tsukasa gave a helping hand to the Mikado that was in love with Kaguya. All it takes is an ingenious new invention: the love letter! Of course, the Mikado is not the best when it comes to words (no man really is, to be blunt!), so Tsukasa acts as his Cyrano de Bergerac to swoon the heart of Princess Kaguya. Good news: the plan works. Bad news: well…if you know the classic tale, you can kind of see where it’s going.
However, in Kenjiro Hata’s own special way, Fly Me to the Moon throws in a twist. Surprisingly, it’s nothing that’s funny in the slightest. Quite the contrary, this sort of left turn is one filled with turmoil, heartache, and a lot of blood. Thus we are given the classic end to the Princess Kaguya legend. An elixir of immortality, a choice, and a great sacrifice. It all ties back to what happened to Tsukasa, as she escaped the fate of death thanks to the concoction Princess Kaguya crafted.
But then, we return to the Kaguya that’s in the current world. The smart-yet- sluggish girl appears to be one and the same with the Kaguya of the past. If so, how did she get back to Earth? What’s her purpose for being there? Does she have any memories of the Mikado?
One hopes that these answers are revealed soon. After all, it appears something from above is coming. If it’s anything like in the past, this thing from above isn’t looking for a peace treaty; it’s looking to destroy! (Between this and Dr. STONE, the moon’s really got it out for Earthlings. Seriously, what’s the big deal?!)
Nevertheless, even with heartache at the forefront, Volume Twenty-Two of Fly Me to the Moon properly pulls the curtain back to this centuries-long mystery. While it has its sweet and funny moments, it’s when trouble arises when the back story shines brightest. And all of it ties to the here and now, with a great threat about to knock on Earth’s door. Will Tsukasa be okay? Hopefully with Nasa by her side, we’ll see some sort of happiness in the future of Fly Me to the Moon!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
