MANGA REVIEW | "Marriage Toxin" - Volume Four
Okay, I’ve heard of dragon masters and tiger masters. But hamster masters? Wasn’t that a throwaway gag in Hayate the Combat Butler many, many moons ago? But this is Marriage Toxin we’re talking about, so there must be more to it than literal hamsters, right? **checks notes** Okay, so legit gerbils. Fair enough. Onward to our review of Volume Four, you fuzzy critters!
Hamster Master Arashiyama has hired the lovesick Gero to protect her from the Hit Man Hunter. It takes zero time at all for the killer of killers to arrive on the scene, and he’s not exactly what Gero pictured. In fact, he’s got something in common with our Toxin Master: he’s doing what he does for love! Specifically, he wants to kill all the bad guys so the world can be a safe place for him and his future wife to open their dream cafe. So naturally, the two come to a very bloody agreement, and Arashiyama’s spared.
Well…that what readers think, until the neck decoration on Arashiyama starts choking her. And if Gero wants to keep her from Death’s Door, he’ll have to go to a tropical island where the head of the Beast Clan resides. A good ole one-on-one battle to save a damsel-in-distress. Except, no, that’s not what Marriage Toxin has in mind. Instead, we go full bird-brained…literally!
It’s at this point where the manga tells its readers to turn off their minds, and just enjoy the wackiness that’s about to be unleashed. The Bird Master arrives to face off against Gero, and his weapon is a true symbol of America. He also loves another symbol of America, so much so that he wants to combine the two and create the brand-new pastime “Birdsball”. And yes, it involves a baseball bat made entirely of bald eagles.
But that’s not all. Did someone ask for a kung fu bear? No? Well…good news: it’s not exactly a bear; it’s just a Bear Master that decided to Midsommar themselves. Nevertheless, there’s a quick-yet-fun fun between Bear Master and the Hit Man Hunter, whose real name is Piichi. As for the head of Beast Clan, he’s got some plans for the Toxin Master, and it’s not pretty in the slightest.
What is pretty is how Arashiyama aids Gero when he needs a breather. A freshly-cooked meal, with assistance from her hamster army, is the first he’s ever had. And who could blame him, as his whole life was filled with moments that could’ve led to being poisoned. Alas, this sweet moment is short-lived, when the head of the Beast Clan arrives to deliver some dreadfully unfortunate news.
Thus far, this assignment is the longest Gero has ever had, at least from the reader’s perspective. But it does showcase a bountiful of great fights, life-threatening scares, and the right amount of heart. Marriage Toxin may be a silly twist on that old assassin-in-love trope, but it entertains and swoons when the time calls for it. Volume Four may leave Gero’s fate up in the air, but knowing what he’s capable of, I’m certain he’ll land on his feet.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
