MANGA REVIEW | "Kill Blue" - Volume Three
As the saying goes, “Third time’s the charm.” In the case of Kill Blue, it’s the third volume that delivers something that can only be described as “peak shonen”. And after reading through Juzo’s latest battle against crazy hitmen, it’s easy to see why Tadatoshi Fujimaki’s latest manga is being given the anime treatment. Because who wouldn’t want to bring to life the scenes that happen in this very volume?!
So first, the good news: Juzo reverted back to a middle-age man is only temporary. Yes, him getting back to normal is the whole point of this manga, but he obviously cannot do it when he’s on a middle school double date! Think of the scandals! As such, when Juzo goes back to being a middle school kid, he has the same level of happiness as Kuzco did when he changed back into a llama: pure joy, but a realization that it’s not exactly right.
Now the bad news: Noren’s been abducted…again. This time it’s a pair of brothers, one of whom looks a bit stitchy to be fully alive. Now Juzo, with the aid of Tenma, must rescue Noren from the hitmen siblings. Oh, and did I mention this mission involves exploding golf balls and a hypnotic lighter?
Yeah, we all know Shonen Jump series can go all in with the bat-shit craziness, so long as there’s a great story that goes with it. Kill Blue is no exception, as Juzo faces off against the hypnotist and Tenma against McFrankiiroy. And in these instances, readers are gifted with some of the coolest hitmen battles one could ever imagine. From hypnotized firefighters and perfectly timed shots in the air to seeing soccer used as a defense mechanism, Fujimaki thinks outside of the box to deliver some truly imaginative fights.
Of course, there’s more to these brothers than a thirst for blood. Although the stitch-covered golfer is a man of few words, he does deliver an impassioned speech via cue cards about his love for his bro. The same can be said about the hypnotist, who seems to need Noren to save his brother from what’s currently making him look so monstrous. It all ends on a solid note, albeit with some awkward realization from Tenma when he figures out just what Juzo really is.
But then, there’s the matter of Noren, who was hypnotized into falling in love with the first man she sees. Those eyes of hers fall onto Juzo, who then spends the next school day attempting to avoid her. Naturally, that’s a lot harder to pull off, seeing as how athletic she is. So when Juzo decides to take Noren out, he’s got a plan to get her back to normal involving the very men who put her in the state. He just didn’t count on a romantic moment almost happening on a Ferris Wheel…
I was a little worried about Kill Blue after reading its second volume, which put a whole lot of plot into its pages. Thankfully, Volume Three not only kept things simple, but it managed to deliver some of the coolest hitmen fights I’ve read in ages. While the mystery behind why Juzo turned back to his old self temporarily is still unsolved, everything else in these pages is simply top-tier Shonen manga. Now let’s see how Studio Cue will handle these pivotal moments in their anime adaptation!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
