MANGA REVIEW | "Colette Decides to Die" - Volume Five
The more I read Colette Decides to Die, the more I wish it had an anime adaptation. From its personality-filled characters to the terrific stories it tells, Alto Yukimaru’s series is one that could have benefitted from being given the animation treatment. This wish comes to mind strongly in its fifth volume, where we see characters grow, love blossom, and even introduce a new face or two. And considering what happens in it, I wouldn’t be too surprised if anyone else would wish it would be brought to life.
Colette Decides to Die starts off where the fourth volume ended, as the sea otter Kotsume continues to train to be a better worker. Every trick he learns aids in his quest to regain his job as Poseidon’s servant. But when the skeletons find that Poseidon has put a job posting in the gods’ special newsletter, the time to prep becomes much, much shorter. So can Kotsume do it?
In this arc, it’s not just about whether or not someone can do the job; it’s whether they can redeem themselves for past flaws and errors. And in some stories, a character will find redemption and their place back in society. However, even with its cutesy art style and feel-good attitude, Colette Decides to Die instead pulls off a major shocker. And in the end, Kotsume’s quest to stand by the side of Poseidon again results in failure.
Thankfully, Poseidon is nice enough to explain to Kotsume why he didn’t get the job. Said explanation winds up being good enough for the sea otter, even if it doesn’t give him the results he was aiming for. The good news is, someone else is hiring, and…okay, you know exactly where this is going. So be glad, readers: Kotsume is sticking around this series! Skeleton party for everyone!
Afterwards, we return to the titular Colette, who is now realizing her feelings for Hades. Although we can all be sure there’s been something growing deep within these two characters, it’s only now that something’s blossomed in one of their hearts. And after an evening of doing a silly wish ritual and getting very, very close to Hades’s lips, Colette fully gets what she is experiencing: love! But will Hades return the feeling?
Throughout Colette Decides to Die, we’ve seen Hades be grateful for all of the help Colette gives him. And it’s clear that he likes having her around, to the point where it sort of aches him when she doesn’t return from the surface world. Yet even with all of these hints wracking his body and brain, I don’t think Hades has fully come to terms with these emotions. Perhaps soon, he’ll figure it all out, and maybe this series will have itself a happy ending of sorts.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. There’s a baby to take care of now! Okay, Menthe is actually a nymph, but it’s pretty much the same thing. The Underworld shouldn’t be a place for a child, but with Colette, Kotsume, and the best skeletons in the world there, one can’t help but see these surroundings as the perfect place for a little girl. However, there’s a slight problem: with all of the attention Hades is giving Menthe, Colette starts to experience a new feeling: jealousy! Good thing she’s got Harry in her corner to help her out of her funk!
Every time I open up a volume of Colette Decides to Die, I feel so much joy and whimsy in my heart. These characters are a delight to read about, and now having Kotsume and (hopefully) Menthe joining the fold adds more things to love about Yukimaru’s series. Yes, the title sounds grim, and I still don’t understand why it’s called that. But whenever I hear the words Colette Decides to Die said together, it won’t be followed by a shudder or a cry; it’ll be followed with a gentle smile.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
