MANGA REVIEW | "Undead Unluck" - Volume Twenty-Two
Fuuko may have taken up the Union leader mantle in Undead Unluck, but that doesn’t mean that Ms. Juiz has lost her place on the team. Nay, as this reformation arc has gone to show, it’s about bringing the team back at the right time and place. And in its twenty-second volume, it’s time to bring Juiz back into the fold. But she’s not the only one to come in to join the Union.
In this new life, Juiz is known as Julia, a cute tomboy with a knack for fencing. She also gets plenty of love confessions at school, which would’ve made the original Juiz react in a cold manner with each one. However, when an UMA attacks her school grounds, Julia puts on a brave face and starts to fight it head-on. Thankfully, Fuuko and a couple of other Union members aren’t far behind.
Even though Julia is far cry personality-wise from Juiz, she still has her bravery intact. It’s this element that aids in her battle alongside Fuuko, and despite her Negation powers not yet awakening, she winds up being quite the strong fighter. This is also proven when Julia challenges Fuuko to a hundred fencing battles, with earning a mere win giving her the chance to find out more about Juiz. After hearing the story from Fuuko, it’s easy to see why Julia would want to join the Union once more, even if she lacks the memories of her past self.
This does lead to the next seat at the Union table opening up: a spiky-haired speedster named Top Bull Sparx. The fasting thing on two legs, he uses his skills to steal enough for him and his illness-stricken mother to survive. But the life of the hero is calling for Top, and when the UMA Beast arrives to cause chaos, that moment to play the good guy for once arrives for him. At first, he’s hesitant, but once he sees Fuuko and the others in action, he realizes what he’s truly capable of.
It’s very clear which character Top is influenced by, if his super speed and hair weren’t any indication. Even his cocky attitude is akin to that famous blue hedgehog, which would easily make the two of them either fast friends or speedy rivals. However, even with his addition to the Union being a big moment in this volume, it’s the UMA Beast who steals the show at around every turn.
Basically, Beast is the epitome of top-tier villain. His mannerisms and sadistic power give off true final boss power. From his means of stealing another’s ability to all of his different transformations, this UMA is giving Fuuko and the rest of the Union a run for their money. And even as the team gains more power throughout the fight, it would seem like Beast has another trick up his sleeve. Needless to say, his fight with the Union is certainly an exciting one.
Sadly, we don’t see how this battle comes to an end in Volume Twenty-Two. With that being said, Undead Unluck still finds a way to make the whole read worth it. Fortunately, VIZ Media does a darn good job with its Undead Unluck releases, so we don’t ever have to wait too long to see how a fight ends. And seeing what occurs in the last couple of panels of this volume, we can bet that this battle against Beast will be a whale of a time!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
