MANGA REVIEW | "Colette Decides to Die" - Volume Two
For such a grim title, Colette Decides to Die is anything but. As the first volume showed, our titular character’s focus on helping Hades with his health in the underworld showcased a bountiful amount of sweetness and beauty on almost every page. It’s almost a crime that such a cute and lovely tale is given such a dark name, so perhaps we can fix that now. How about “Colette: Apothecary of the Dead”? It has a nicer ring to it, doesn’t it?
But I digress. It’s called Colette Decides to Die, and thus, it shall continue to be referred to as such. Despite its title, one shouldn’t fear that there will be tales of woe and misery. Instead, as the second volume shows, we are gifted with stories about life, hope, love, and the occasional free-day outing. Not only does this tankoban (which combines the third and fourth volumes) contain all that, but it amplifies just how wonderful of an artist and storyteller Alto Yukimura is. Also, there are more of those cute skeletons! Yay!
The first half of this volume has Colette helping out in the Celestial Realm. With Hades being all right for the time being, the apothecary is given the opportunity to help the gods above with their current woes and ailments. And if you know your Greek/Roman god history, you’d know that their pains can be listed upon an entire twelve-pack of toilet paper rolls. As such, she is welcomed with open arms by those in the Celestial Realm, even those of Hera…even though she first thinks Colette is yet another mistress of her husband. (I mean, have you seen how many things Zeus has put his…I don’t think I wanna finish that sentence.)
Although Hades has only eyes for Colette, that doesn’t mean the Celestial residents will simply let her win. Nay, after the Lord of the Underworld asks Colette to find a certain flower, the other beings up above hurry to find it for themselves. It’s a funny tale, one that not only shows the lengths the apothecary must go to find it, but also demonstrates just why Colette is such a likable character. She may have her gripes, but she puts her heart and soul into everything. There’s also the reason behind the flower, which I shan’t spoil you readers with due to it being all-so delightful!
A chapter about Charon the Ferryman surprisingly steals the spotlight in the first half. Not only does it show the level of kindness Hades has to give, but it adds a layer of humanity to a character that was once mysterious. Although it could’ve been all right just to keep his true identity behind the curtain, its way of treating the man responsible for bringing the dead to their destination is surprisingly heartwarming. Here’s hoping we see more of the man that takes two coppers to guide you in future chapters.
However, it’s in the second half of this Colette Wants to Die volume where the true sweetness is on display. Colette is asked to be a midwife after an incident, resulting in her taking on a job she’s never had experience doing before. At first, her heart is filled with doubt, and even when she agrees to take the job, she’s having trouble bonding with the patient. But the right words to push her forward come not from Hades, but rather one of his skeleton underlings.
Every moment in this arc is treated with such care and beauty. Welcoming a new life into the world should always be showcased as such, even when the nine months it takes for the moment to happen aren’t always glamorous. And yet, Colette takes on the task with gusto, getting closer with the patient and giving her the care, treatment, and advice that any woman expecting should receive. It even allows Colette to reflect on her past, as she’s unable to feel the warm embrace of her parents anymore due to the plagues.
When the hard work is done in Colette Wants to Die, the characters are allowed for a bit of fun. The apothecary and Hades have a day around town, as the two enjoy company and deal with street vendors both honest and dishonest. However, it’s all put to a halt when a former patient of Colette asks her for hand in marriage, whisking her away to his family’s abode. With Hades by her side, Colette deals with a plethora of niceness and heart from the family, even if she has to turn down the marriage proposal.
It all ends with a fun side story involving everyone’s favorite characters: the skeletons. Even though they hate having Colette steal their time with Hades, they come to realize how much of a help she’s been. Yes, they push her around to do chores and make her pick up every speck of dust and dog hair off the floor, but the fact that she does it all with gumption inspires and infuriates them. Overall, it’s a fun chapter to end this volume with!
I’m not sure why it took almost ten years for Colette Wants to Die to come to the English-speaking world. Nevertheless, I am happy that the rest of the world can experience the adventures of the beauty apothecary and the Lord of the Underworld. Volume Two is a pitch-perfect collection of stories and arcs that aid in building many of the characters that roam these panels. Now if only Yukimura could’ve chosen a lighter title to call it…
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
