Box of Spirits. Band 2

魍魎の匣 [Mōryō no Hako] manga #2

by Aki Shimizu (Zeichnungen), Natsuhiko Kyogoku (Text)

Redakteur Toriguchi bittet Tatsumi Sekiguchi um Kooperation bei der Recherche über den Gründer einer Sekte namens »Schmutz versiegelnde Kiste«. Zusammen suchen sie einen Freund Sekiguchis auf, von dem sie sich Rat erhoffen. Akihiko Chuzenji betreibt eine Antiquariatsbuchhandlung und ist gleichzeitig Priester eines Shinto-Schreins. Toriguchi verdächtigt den Gründer der Sekte, der Täter der Verstümmelungsmordserie zu sein. Wird sich seine Vermutung bewahrheiten?

Genres: Manga

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 2008

Reviews

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second volume of manga author Aki Shimizu's adaptation of Natsuhiko Kyogoku’s “Hyakki Yakou” series with the second novel, “Mouryou no Hako” or “Box of Spirits”. It continues to build on the themes from “Ubume no Natsu”, like crime, suspense, body horror, psychological trauma, and esoteric Shinto rituals, while adding some mad science to the mix.

The cast returned as they were from the first novel. Chuuzenji the exorcist, Sekiguchi the novelist and reader P.O.V., KIba the cop, and Enokizu the detective, carried on with the same roles. This time, Kiba was the one entangled with the femme fatale.

[Mizuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork is really fitting and lovely, the parts with the characters discussing religions, psychics, fortune-telling and 'miracles' are really...educational, to say the least; but at the same time it can be really long winded. If urban legend, demon folklore and surreal murder mystery (e.g. Perfect Crime) is your thing, do read up!