MANGA REVIEW | "Marriage Toxin" - Volume Two
Even assassins want to find romance. The problem is most of them don’t know how to act like regular human beings. That seems to be the case of Marriage Toxin protagonist Hikaru Gero, a master of poison assassinations and a loser at dating. Thankfully, with his new cross-dressing advisor Mei, wedding bells could be in the air for our Gero clan heir. But will the “Wedding March” be heard in its second volume?
Volume Two begins where the premiere volume ended, as Hikaru is rescuing the art thief Himekawa. It’s a face-off against Water Master, who aims to take down both Hikaru and Himehawa in one blow. But then, the least-expecting thing occurs: the roles of rescuer and damsel get switched, resulting in a conclusion that’s both surprisingly witty and fun to watch unfold.
Of course, the real fun is the date night, as Hikaru is rewarded with a night out with Himekawa. Their choice of restaurant fun is…weird. There’s no way to get around saying that shark-themed establishments is by no means the best first date idea on the planet. In fact, what kind of person would come up with such a zany concept?! But no, there’s something very important that happens in this date, and it actually comes off as very mature and levelheaded.
So no, Marriage Toxin doesn’t get an engagement happening in its second volume. However, Hikaru shockingly throws down another kind of proposal, one that Himekawa is happy to jump on board with. It’s not exactly a guarantee for a walk down the aisle, but it at least sets the stage for one possible outcome in Joumyaku & Miyuki Yoda’s story. And thus, the next mission can begin, involving a young inheritor with crippling social anxiety!
The girl, Shiori, is about to start college, and the eldest daughter Futae may be trying to get her axed. Hikaru and Mei take on the job, not only to protect Shiori from danger, but also assist with her social issues. However, that’s the thing about Hikaru: not only does he suck at dating, he can’t read a room to save his life! Oh yeah, and there’s yet another assassin, one who uses both sound and unnerving Fabio-like charm to get what he wants.
Although Himekawa feels like already a great fit for Hikaru, I kinda get Mei’s reasoning over why he should still be on the search. That first girl you hit it off with may not be a permanent life partner. (I’m totally speaking from experience here!) So why not keep fishing until you reel in “the one”? Shiori may not have the same level of matches as Himekawa, but she does find ways to mesh well with Hikaru.
On top of that, both Hikaru and Shiori manage to find ways to get themselves out of an awkward vibe. Although Hikaru’s icebreaker bombed harder than the last Marvel movie, Shiori uses a similar technique and somehow comes out of it unscathed. Okay, she gets a little yakisoba all over her, but it makes for a hell of a conversation starter! It’s a heartwarming moment that’s not just funny, but a wonderful way for a character to break out of their shell.
This is all, of course, leading towards two assassin masters squaring off for their duties. And make no mistake about it: the Sound Master is no one-trick pony. Not only can he manipulate objects to use for weaponry, but the minds of others can be molded to fit his goals. The results can be somewhat terrifying, as Shiori is nearly convinced to do an unspeakable deed. Thankfully, two things interfere: common sense and a Poison Master!
Alas, readers will be left on quite the cliffhanger in Volume Two. Thankfully, getting there is a whole lot of fun! Marriage Toxin isn’t exactly perfect, but it’s shaping to be something far more important: unique. Hikaru and Mei make for an excellent partnership, and while we’re just starting to see who could be the future Bride, we’re off to a pretty darn good start. Let’s just hope Hikaru eases off from any sort of party tricks.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
