MANGA REVIEW | "Mujina Into the Deep" - Volume Two
Warning: The following manga discussed in this review is intended for readers 18 & older.
There are two sides of the mujina coin. If you become one, then you lose all human rights, to the point where you don’t exist in the slightest. On the other hand, if you don’t exist, that means you can do all the crimes you want and not be charged for it. So why not become an assassin, just as Ubume and Tenko have in Mujina Into the Deep? In its second volume, the world of Inio Asano’s new series is put under the microscope, as we see how this strange future works to the benefit of humans and the disadvantage of the mujina…most of the time.
First, Ubume has a job to do, one that she’s happy to accomplish for free. Her targets are the Megidos, entertainment industry leaders who are known for torturing children. If she gets the job done, then she’ll start earning more paying gigs. However, the Megidos has a wild security system made up of drones and a muscular pretty boy known as Hideman. And when he appears, the fight begins.
Watching Ubume battle against Hideman made me realize how much Inio Asano’s characters remind me of those of Suda51 (No More Heroes, Killer7). Ubume may not have the pop culture trash talking skills of Travis Touchdown, but she’s certainly got his assassination skills down pat. As for Hideman, you don’t know whether to laugh or be disturbed by his visual appearance, a trait we often see in Suda51’s villains. But when they battle — a fight which features rocket fists, car-lifting strength, and sliced-off faces — all you can do is utter a single, “Damn.”
Then there are the Megidos themselves. Again, they have a visual style that’s both creepy and funny. Watching as one rides a pain-inducing motorcycle to her death is visually entertaining, but it’s the fat guy with the receding hairline who shows off chunnibyo-like skills that’ll raise some eyebrows. But no matter what they throw at Ubume, nothing can stop her desire to kill and be at the top of the assassin departments!
When the news gets out about the death of the Megidos, the reveal is somewhat reminiscent of what happened to Johnny’s Entertainment in Japan. While the agency made many stars and big hits, the scandals and abuse that were uncovered destroyed any respect that they had. The character of Mitsuhara struggles with the death of the Megidos in the same way some idols dealt with Johnny Kitagawa: relief that they’re gone, but sad for the good they did for the industry. (Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say!)
One thing that Mujina Into the Deep is building towards is the inevitable fight between Ubume and Tenko. And yet, it’s funny seeing how chummy they act when there’s no thirst for blood between them. Sure, there’s pure hatred, but sometimes you can find ways to have fun with those you despise. (If I had a nickel for every time I had to rub elbows with people I didn’t like in the gaming and anime industry at an A-grade afterparty, I’d probably have eight nickels.)
Some good news comes in the form of Juno’s new rights card. It pushes the “fatherly” Terumi to make her go out and get a job. After all, getting a job is part of being in human society, where you work until you’re eighty-five, are given five years at a retirement “farm”, and are gifted forever sleeping pills at 90. (I’d make a joke about this, but…**tugs collar**) It’s not as easy as being an assassin, as evident by the way Tenko learned how to be a killing machine: mimicking action flicks.
That’s when Mujina Into the Deep puts the focus on Mai, a young girl who sells her humanity. Her reason is so she can support her favorite host club member, and it all works in her favor. That is, until the host freaks out about her being a mujina, leaving her with nothing to her name and an apartment that she can no longer afford. And it’s not like she can buy back her humanity, as the cost of it is double what she sold it for. (The old GameStop Trick, as we call it.)
In that moment, we see desperation on Mai’s face. And in that instance, that’s when we see what every mujina is offered: a chance to buy back humanity by becoming an assassin. Poor Mai doesn’t want to kill, but after she takes her first job (along with a dose of CB), it’s apparent that she’s got a knack for assassination. Props to Asano for making her first job a memorable one, with the target’s bodyguard being a pudgy sadist whose demise will make any reader’s face drop.
Mujina Into the Deep isn’t for everyone. However, as the second volume shows, those who can muster it will be rewarded with some top-tier visuals, great action, and plenty of emotion. Sometimes you’ll laugh, other times you’ll wince, and — in the case of the action — you’ll no doubt throw a fist in the air. It may lack the deep philosophy of Asano’s past works, but it shows that the man behind Punpun can also craft a killer action manga that’s on the same level.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
