MANGA REVIEW | "Kagurabachi" - Volume Two
When Kagurabachi first showed up in the pages of Shonen Jump, it quickly became the talk of the manga community. And it’s easy to see why: it’s got phenomenal action, a noble protagonist, and an easy-to-follow narrative. Even I couldn’t help but be in awe of the coolness and simplicity of Takeru Hokazono’s debut. However, while Volume Two of Kagurabachi offers more of this kind of goodness, I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing.
The narrative continues from the first volume, as weapons dealer Sojo kidnaps the young girl Char for her regenerative powers. Right from the get-go, you see that he’s the ruthless kind of villain, going so far as to chop off Sojo’s body parts just to make a point. This act makes him easy to detest, as our hero Chihiro attempts to rescue Char from the pain of constant experimentation. However, we quickly see that, despite his earnest heart and toughness, Chihiro isn’t exactly the Superman type.
It’s kind of refreshing to see a Shonen hero not be this immovable force that most series tend to have them be. The likes of Kenshiro, Goku, and Mash Burndead always start off looking like no villain can stop them. So when we see Chihiro be outright defeated at first by Sojo, it brings a level of humanity to the character. Granted, he doesn’t go down without a fight, which consists of reducing the streets to rubble and some well-deserved beheadings.
But as his comrades Shiba and Azami tell Chihiro, he can’t just rush right back into battle. His first fight with Sojo has left his body a massive wreck, where he can’t even properly wield Enten. In order to succeed, Chihiro’s got to play second banana in the mission to rescue Char. Fortunately, Azami has already assembled a team that are both oddballs and true threats to evil. Their skills are impressive, no doubt, but that doesn’t mean that Chihiro has to be left out of the fun of killing bad guys.
Although he is on the rescue side of the mission, Chihiro can’t pass up an opportunity to rid the world of folks who’d harm a child. Even with his broken body, Chihiro uses whatever strength he’s got left to take out Sojo’s goons. And once he finally reaches Char, the look on the child’s face is filled with both relief and suffering. (Once you read her backstory, it’s easy to see how that pain in her eyes was always there, especially if one looks back at the first volume.)
This, of course, leads up to the final one-on-one battle between Chihiro and Sojo. While it’s kind of humorous seeing the two talk amongst themselves over dango and tea, it’s not at all a friendly heart-to-heart. Clashing philosophies separate the hero from the villain, with power and justice being the main focal point. And then, when they unsheathe their swords, an epic 12-second battle commences that has plenty of well-drawn gore and a satisfying conclusion.
Yet even with all of this cool action and deep back stories, I feel like something was missing from this second volume of Kagurabachi. Although its humorous side was pushed aside in favor of the drama and action, what’s here is pretty darn exciting. Still, I can’t help but sense a certain je ne sais quoi that these chapters were missing. However, that doesn’t take away from the coolness that Volume Two of Kagurabachi was able to deliver. Perhaps when it dives deeper into the Hishaku, that missing element will emerge, wielding its enchanted blade for all to ogle over.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
