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The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service #10-12
The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Omnibus, Book 4
The Kurosagi gang encounters more bizarre horror as weird folktales of Japan reemerge with new faces in the modern day! The Corpse Delivery Service finds they're being beaten to their clients by a bike-riding pilgrim with electrical means to reanimate the dead...a virtual gaming world may have some players online but no longer alive...a child convincted of murdering her family is paroled under a new identity to the very school where the crew has gotten part-time jobs. Plus five other strange stories!
688 pages, Paperback
Published June 21, 2016
9 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Eiji Otsuka
361 books143 followers大塚英志
Social anthropologist and novelist. Graduated from college with degree in anthropology, women's folklore, human sacrifice and post-war manga. In addition to his work with manga he is a critic, essayist, and author of several successful non-fiction books on Japanese popular and “otaku” sub-cultures. One of his first animation script works was Maho no Rouge Lipstick, an adult lolicon OVA. Otsuka was the editor for the bishojo lolicon manga series Petit Apple Pie.
In the 80s, Otsuka was editor-in-chief of Manga Burikko, a leading women's manga magazine where he pioneered research on the “otaku” sub-culture in modern Japan. In 1988 he published "Manga no Koro" (The Structure of Comics), a serious study of Japanese comics and their social significance. Also as critic, Otsuka Eiji, summarized the case of the Japanese red army's 1972 murders as a conflict between the masculine and the feminine principles as they were both embodied by women and against women (Otsuka,1994).
Social anthropologist and novelist. Graduated from college with degree in anthropology, women's folklore, human sacrifice and post-war manga. In addition to his work with manga he is a critic, essayist, and author of several successful non-fiction books on Japanese popular and “otaku” sub-cultures. One of his first animation script works was Maho no Rouge Lipstick, an adult lolicon OVA. Otsuka was the editor for the bishojo lolicon manga series Petit Apple Pie.
In the 80s, Otsuka was editor-in-chief of Manga Burikko, a leading women's manga magazine where he pioneered research on the “otaku” sub-culture in modern Japan. In 1988 he published "Manga no Koro" (The Structure of Comics), a serious study of Japanese comics and their social significance. Also as critic, Otsuka Eiji, summarized the case of the Japanese red army's 1972 murders as a conflict between the masculine and the feminine principles as they were both embodied by women and against women (Otsuka,1994).
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 7, 2019
Yes, yes, we will begin with the standard set of disclaimers.
DISCLAIMER: This is a is a review of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Omnibus 4. If you haven’t read omnibus 1 or 2 or 3 or caught up on individual volumes of the series, then you need to start with these reviews:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And here -
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And here -
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
That will catch you up to to where this omnibus edition begins. Each omnibus contains three editions of the original series. As I always like to point out, this is a very character-based manga series. The writer did a great job of giving us a cast that evolves as the series progresses.
Kuro Karatsu: Kuro continues to mature and thus spends less of his time as a comedic counterpart to Numata. The burgeoning romance with Sasaki gets some real legs in this omnibus, especially in the last volume, where Kuro and Ao take a vacation together.
Ao Sasaki - Ao spends a little more time on the field in these episodes, perhaps so that she can have a bit more face time with Karatsu?
Makoto Numata - Gets a lot of backstory answered in these pages. He’s a more complex character than I had originally had him pegged as.
Yuji Yata - Yuji finds more of a central role in these chapters. His skills as a fountain of semi-obscure knowledge pay off handsomely at times.
Kereellis - The alien presence really begins to assert himself at times. A bit less foul-mouthed and sarcastic, he also gets a bit more backstory in this omnibus.
Keiko Makino - Her budding relationship with Yata seems to stall a bit, but there are still sparks between the two. Fate doesn’t seem to be on their side, though. She always shows grit and spunk.
Tooru Sasayama - ALSO gets a big chunk of backstory that humanizes him a lot. Sasayama isn’t a bad guy, he just has issues to deal with. His honesty can’t be called into question anymore, that’s for sure.
Yaichi - Makes a few token appearances here and there, but the telling of his tale seems to be largely abandoned for the time being. I find that disappointing, but it is what it is. I didn’t write the story, I can only read it.
The Volume 4 Omnibus consists of volumes ten through twelve of the series, plus the usual “Disjecta Membra” sections which give notes on Japanese to English translation, plus the detail for the sound effects tags scattered throughout the panels. The addition of the “Disjecta Membra” section really adds a ton of cultural depth to the series as a whole. The editor takes a lot of time to make the end notes interesting and informative. The astute reader can learn a ton about Japanese society from these notations. You will miss out on a great reader’s resource if you are not taking the time read these parts of the books.
The stories in Omnibus 4 take on a bit more serious tone and seem to have a lot more emotional punch than most of the earlier chapters. In large part this is because of a change in distribution that KCDS went through on more than one occasion. Due to the switch in magazine formats, the series switched from primarily single and double-chapter stories to narratives that spanned multiple chapters with shorter page counts. This gave Eiji Otsuka more time to develop deeper and more complex tales that allowed for a lot more attention to characterization. The plots also got a lot stronger and relied less on tropes that had already been covered in the series previously. The chapters in volumes ten through twelve embody a storytelling skill that was previously unknown in KCDS.
Volume ten consists of nine chapters that cover three distinct story arcs:
“Sweet Challenge,” “Not On A Sunday!” “The Unreturned Salinger” and “A Kiss After The Tears” comprise a story built around a mysterious stranger that can revive the recently deceased with a special defibrillator. At its heart it’s a tale of a father-son relationship gone sour, but the ending ties everything up neatly.
“Moonlight Story,” “Seaside Memory,” and “The Heart’s Season Off” combine to form a tale of small-government corruption and drug-smuggling mixed up with illegal refugees. The central figure in these chapters isn’t human, though, but canine. It’s a nice little trip into uncharted territory for our friends in the KCDS.
“A Mirror at 2 a. m.,” and “Delivery: Rainbow-Colored Canon” give us a lot of good (and by now necessary) backstory on Makoto Numata. Our pendulum-swinging badass with a frail heart gets a makeover as a much more complex and distressed character. He has ALSO lost family, and his temporary reuniting with his former master doesn’t go as well as it might have. A fake dowser is put in his place along the way, as a mystery is solved and retribution secured.
Volume eleven consists of nine chapters that detail two different narratives:
"Something Missing," "This Is My Hometown," "Ugly Duckling," "We Who Should Be Loved," "In The Past, It Was All Day Long, " and "Let's Make Some Memories" form one huge story that gives us a lot of insight into Sasayama’s character, as a young ward of the state that he adopted years ago becomes embroiled in a murder mystery that spans generations. This may be the best series of chapters that Otsuka has delivered yet, deep and tense with all sorts of plots and subplots jockeying for our attention as readers.
“In Order To Say Goodbye,” “It Was Sunny When I Woke Up,” and “Angels Dance” gives us a strange zombie story of sorts, as a sports doping scheme gone wrong threatens to get seriously out of control. The KCDS has to navigate some deep waters in this odd little series of events.
Volume twelve comprises three stories spread across eight chapters:
“Picnic Boogie,” “Arienu Republic,” and “Shadow Show” form a strange tale of a collection agency representative who....ummmm....takes things to the extreme to make sure that she finds her clients in order to collect. This narrative goes deep into virtual territory and contains what are easily the most sexually explicit scenes ever depicted in KCDS to this point. There is a good reason that KCDS is an adult-themed manga series, but if you ever needed a reminder, this is it. Darn fun story, though, and pretty creepy.
“I’m Sittin’ On The Edge Of The Skies,” “A Single Bound To The Moat,” and “In Deep Hurt” give us a chronicle of love lost, and a comedy team that never has a chance to fulfill it’s true potential. We have a young man who makes a living getting paid to live in apartments where the previous residents have died, a girl who can astral-project her soul, and a real-estate deal gone very, very wrong. It’s definitely a tragic tale, but it ends with a laugh or two. The basic plotline of the story is real, because in Japan a realtor has a legal responsibility to disclose what happened to the previous residents of a house or apartment. Needless to say, places where people have died are not exactly hot properties, even in space-challenged Tokyo.
“To The Land Of Ink Paintings,” and “Time Machine” form the last story arc in the omnibus. Once again, dolls can be creepy, but at least it’s a fresh take on the plotline. LOTS of nudity in these chapters, too, but without the overtly sexual overtones found earlier in this volume. Again, this ain’t a manga for kids. This particular story arc was interesting because of the absence of Sasaki and Karatsu, who are off vacationing together. (!!!) The other characters get a chance to shine and show off their resourcefulness in this tale, and it gives the whole arc a lot of strength.
I’m going to take a break from the series while I wait for Dark Horse to get around to publishing the next omnibus. Getting the single editions of the KCDS can be expensive and tricky, so it’s worth my time to just wait it out. I need to move on to other graphic novel stuff for a bit anyway, so I think it’s a nice chance to refresh the batteries a bit, so to speak. I’m impressed by the strides made in these volumes, though. This series definitely still has legs, even though it’s fairly obscure and really doesn’t sell that well. I tend to seek out stuff that’s off of the beaten path anyway, so it’s worth my time to continue to follow the adventures of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service.
DISCLAIMER: This is a is a review of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Omnibus 4. If you haven’t read omnibus 1 or 2 or 3 or caught up on individual volumes of the series, then you need to start with these reviews:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And here -
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And here -
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
That will catch you up to to where this omnibus edition begins. Each omnibus contains three editions of the original series. As I always like to point out, this is a very character-based manga series. The writer did a great job of giving us a cast that evolves as the series progresses.
Kuro Karatsu: Kuro continues to mature and thus spends less of his time as a comedic counterpart to Numata. The burgeoning romance with Sasaki gets some real legs in this omnibus, especially in the last volume, where Kuro and Ao take a vacation together.
Ao Sasaki - Ao spends a little more time on the field in these episodes, perhaps so that she can have a bit more face time with Karatsu?
Makoto Numata - Gets a lot of backstory answered in these pages. He’s a more complex character than I had originally had him pegged as.
Yuji Yata - Yuji finds more of a central role in these chapters. His skills as a fountain of semi-obscure knowledge pay off handsomely at times.
Kereellis - The alien presence really begins to assert himself at times. A bit less foul-mouthed and sarcastic, he also gets a bit more backstory in this omnibus.
Keiko Makino - Her budding relationship with Yata seems to stall a bit, but there are still sparks between the two. Fate doesn’t seem to be on their side, though. She always shows grit and spunk.
Tooru Sasayama - ALSO gets a big chunk of backstory that humanizes him a lot. Sasayama isn’t a bad guy, he just has issues to deal with. His honesty can’t be called into question anymore, that’s for sure.
Yaichi - Makes a few token appearances here and there, but the telling of his tale seems to be largely abandoned for the time being. I find that disappointing, but it is what it is. I didn’t write the story, I can only read it.
The Volume 4 Omnibus consists of volumes ten through twelve of the series, plus the usual “Disjecta Membra” sections which give notes on Japanese to English translation, plus the detail for the sound effects tags scattered throughout the panels. The addition of the “Disjecta Membra” section really adds a ton of cultural depth to the series as a whole. The editor takes a lot of time to make the end notes interesting and informative. The astute reader can learn a ton about Japanese society from these notations. You will miss out on a great reader’s resource if you are not taking the time read these parts of the books.
The stories in Omnibus 4 take on a bit more serious tone and seem to have a lot more emotional punch than most of the earlier chapters. In large part this is because of a change in distribution that KCDS went through on more than one occasion. Due to the switch in magazine formats, the series switched from primarily single and double-chapter stories to narratives that spanned multiple chapters with shorter page counts. This gave Eiji Otsuka more time to develop deeper and more complex tales that allowed for a lot more attention to characterization. The plots also got a lot stronger and relied less on tropes that had already been covered in the series previously. The chapters in volumes ten through twelve embody a storytelling skill that was previously unknown in KCDS.
Volume ten consists of nine chapters that cover three distinct story arcs:
“Sweet Challenge,” “Not On A Sunday!” “The Unreturned Salinger” and “A Kiss After The Tears” comprise a story built around a mysterious stranger that can revive the recently deceased with a special defibrillator. At its heart it’s a tale of a father-son relationship gone sour, but the ending ties everything up neatly.
“Moonlight Story,” “Seaside Memory,” and “The Heart’s Season Off” combine to form a tale of small-government corruption and drug-smuggling mixed up with illegal refugees. The central figure in these chapters isn’t human, though, but canine. It’s a nice little trip into uncharted territory for our friends in the KCDS.
“A Mirror at 2 a. m.,” and “Delivery: Rainbow-Colored Canon” give us a lot of good (and by now necessary) backstory on Makoto Numata. Our pendulum-swinging badass with a frail heart gets a makeover as a much more complex and distressed character. He has ALSO lost family, and his temporary reuniting with his former master doesn’t go as well as it might have. A fake dowser is put in his place along the way, as a mystery is solved and retribution secured.
Volume eleven consists of nine chapters that detail two different narratives:
"Something Missing," "This Is My Hometown," "Ugly Duckling," "We Who Should Be Loved," "In The Past, It Was All Day Long, " and "Let's Make Some Memories" form one huge story that gives us a lot of insight into Sasayama’s character, as a young ward of the state that he adopted years ago becomes embroiled in a murder mystery that spans generations. This may be the best series of chapters that Otsuka has delivered yet, deep and tense with all sorts of plots and subplots jockeying for our attention as readers.
“In Order To Say Goodbye,” “It Was Sunny When I Woke Up,” and “Angels Dance” gives us a strange zombie story of sorts, as a sports doping scheme gone wrong threatens to get seriously out of control. The KCDS has to navigate some deep waters in this odd little series of events.
Volume twelve comprises three stories spread across eight chapters:
“Picnic Boogie,” “Arienu Republic,” and “Shadow Show” form a strange tale of a collection agency representative who....ummmm....takes things to the extreme to make sure that she finds her clients in order to collect. This narrative goes deep into virtual territory and contains what are easily the most sexually explicit scenes ever depicted in KCDS to this point. There is a good reason that KCDS is an adult-themed manga series, but if you ever needed a reminder, this is it. Darn fun story, though, and pretty creepy.
“I’m Sittin’ On The Edge Of The Skies,” “A Single Bound To The Moat,” and “In Deep Hurt” give us a chronicle of love lost, and a comedy team that never has a chance to fulfill it’s true potential. We have a young man who makes a living getting paid to live in apartments where the previous residents have died, a girl who can astral-project her soul, and a real-estate deal gone very, very wrong. It’s definitely a tragic tale, but it ends with a laugh or two. The basic plotline of the story is real, because in Japan a realtor has a legal responsibility to disclose what happened to the previous residents of a house or apartment. Needless to say, places where people have died are not exactly hot properties, even in space-challenged Tokyo.
“To The Land Of Ink Paintings,” and “Time Machine” form the last story arc in the omnibus. Once again, dolls can be creepy, but at least it’s a fresh take on the plotline. LOTS of nudity in these chapters, too, but without the overtly sexual overtones found earlier in this volume. Again, this ain’t a manga for kids. This particular story arc was interesting because of the absence of Sasaki and Karatsu, who are off vacationing together. (!!!) The other characters get a chance to shine and show off their resourcefulness in this tale, and it gives the whole arc a lot of strength.
I’m going to take a break from the series while I wait for Dark Horse to get around to publishing the next omnibus. Getting the single editions of the KCDS can be expensive and tricky, so it’s worth my time to just wait it out. I need to move on to other graphic novel stuff for a bit anyway, so I think it’s a nice chance to refresh the batteries a bit, so to speak. I’m impressed by the strides made in these volumes, though. This series definitely still has legs, even though it’s fairly obscure and really doesn’t sell that well. I tend to seek out stuff that’s off of the beaten path anyway, so it’s worth my time to continue to follow the adventures of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service.
September 21, 2023
I'm still enjoying this series, but the stories have settled into a formulaic groove that could prove wearying in the long run. Every story here basically ends with a reanimated corpse seeking revenge on those who have done them wrong.
First Vol. 10 story arc:
The group meets a man who can briefly resurrect corpses with a special automated external defibrillator (AED). A police officer is tempted to use it for a little bit of vigilante justice for his son, who proves to have some daddy issues to work out.
Second Vol. 10 story arc:
A police officer has transferred to a small town to escape the strange and violent crimes of the big city. But when the delivery service arrives to gift him with a retired police dog with which he once partnered, they end up revealing the town isn't as peaceful as it appears. Does the dog die?
Third Vol. 10 story arc:
Numata is reunited with his dowsing mentor when the group helps out on a reality series being built around a fake psychic. A little of Numata's origin is teased.
First Vol. 11 story arc:
The group is tricked into becoming bodyguards for a girl who has just been released from juvenile detention after being accused of murdering her mother. To complicates matters, she has her own paranormal power.
Second Vol. 11 story arc:
The group discovers a swimmer who does a dead man's float all day, but then swims laps all night long.
First Vol. 12 story arc:
An overeager bill collector pulls the group into investigating in a complex scheme where people in debt sell their identities to rich people who want to escape into a new life. The operation is run by a (human) succubus, kicking off a volume where the fan service knob has gotten cranked to the right. Or some knob is getting cranked, anyhow.
Second Vol. 12 story arc:
A comedian who is paid to live in homes or apartments where the previous occupant has died to help clear their real estate reputation runs across a club hostess who can astral project. Things go bad in this Romeo and Juliet tale when they run athwart some ruthless real estate flippers.
Third Vol. 12 story arc:
An old man obsessed with his sister who died before his eyes during World War II has used her projected adult body as the basis for a legendary sex doll. Ummmmmmmmm, say what now?
First Vol. 10 story arc:
The group meets a man who can briefly resurrect corpses with a special automated external defibrillator (AED). A police officer is tempted to use it for a little bit of vigilante justice for his son, who proves to have some daddy issues to work out.
Second Vol. 10 story arc:
A police officer has transferred to a small town to escape the strange and violent crimes of the big city. But when the delivery service arrives to gift him with a retired police dog with which he once partnered, they end up revealing the town isn't as peaceful as it appears. Does the dog die?
Third Vol. 10 story arc:
Numata is reunited with his dowsing mentor when the group helps out on a reality series being built around a fake psychic. A little of Numata's origin is teased.
First Vol. 11 story arc:
The group is tricked into becoming bodyguards for a girl who has just been released from juvenile detention after being accused of murdering her mother. To complicates matters, she has her own paranormal power.
Second Vol. 11 story arc:
The group discovers a swimmer who does a dead man's float all day, but then swims laps all night long.
First Vol. 12 story arc:
An overeager bill collector pulls the group into investigating in a complex scheme where people in debt sell their identities to rich people who want to escape into a new life. The operation is run by a (human) succubus, kicking off a volume where the fan service knob has gotten cranked to the right. Or some knob is getting cranked, anyhow.
Second Vol. 12 story arc:
A comedian who is paid to live in homes or apartments where the previous occupant has died to help clear their real estate reputation runs across a club hostess who can astral project. Things go bad in this Romeo and Juliet tale when they run athwart some ruthless real estate flippers.
Third Vol. 12 story arc:
An old man obsessed with his sister who died before his eyes during World War II has used her projected adult body as the basis for a legendary sex doll. Ummmmmmmmm, say what now?
January 6, 2020
This series continues to somehow balance gruesome imagery with humorous dialogue. I've come to trust the fact that I'll always be entertained by this manga.
Content Warning: nudity, some sexual scenes, harsh language, graphic body horror, and numerous murders.
Content Warning: nudity, some sexual scenes, harsh language, graphic body horror, and numerous murders.
May 28, 2019
WARNING: This volume contains a lot of NSFW content!
Volume 10
An interesting take on how CPR and AEDs can revive people who would otherwise be dead. Also, puppies and a cute guy in uniform. But, it wouldn't feel right without a little murder.
Volume 11
This one was a really good! The last few story arcs have been bringing in random people with 'powers' similar to those of Kurosagi, but I adore the 'demon on your shoulder' thing they had here. Also, the teacher's reaction on pages 154-155 were priceless! The rest of this volume is about a zombie swimmer and Olympic fraud.
Volume 12
Again with the dolls?! Except this time, they look like real people. And apparently the nudity scenes weren't enough so we actually stuck a little porn in this one. But it's okay cause it's virtual... Yeah, no, it's still weird. Also, astral projection apparently qualifies your body as being dead, so thumbs up for covering that(?) Overall, this one is a weird one.
This omnibus contains volumes 10 - 12
Volume 10
An interesting take on how CPR and AEDs can revive people who would otherwise be dead. Also, puppies and a cute guy in uniform. But, it wouldn't feel right without a little murder.
Volume 11
This one was a really good! The last few story arcs have been bringing in random people with 'powers' similar to those of Kurosagi, but I adore the 'demon on your shoulder' thing they had here. Also, the teacher's reaction on pages 154-155 were priceless! The rest of this volume is about a zombie swimmer and Olympic fraud.
Volume 12
Again with the dolls?! Except this time, they look like real people. And apparently the nudity scenes weren't enough so we actually stuck a little porn in this one. But it's okay cause it's virtual... Yeah, no, it's still weird. Also, astral projection apparently qualifies your body as being dead, so thumbs up for covering that(?) Overall, this one is a weird one.
This omnibus contains volumes 10 - 12
September 3, 2021
I hope we see Mei again in future volumes.
March 24, 2020
Love these stories, the art is always very detailed and quite gruesome at times, the stories are fascinating and creepy. Additionally, the notes in the Disjecta Membra are very useful or quite interesting. Some of the dialogue between the main characters is quite funny as well.
September 11, 2016
I have loved all of the Kurosagi books... this one made me laugh out loud several times.
April 19, 2021
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Although we get more backstory (and the tiniest bit of development) for the side characters, there was no development, or even a hint, of the bigger plot revolving around Yaichi and Karatsu's power. At this point, I can't help but think the author has no intention to develop that plot point any further, which is disappointing. Might continue with this series some time in the future, but right now I don't care enough about the characters to keep reading.
Although we get more backstory (and the tiniest bit of development) for the side characters, there was no development, or even a hint, of the bigger plot revolving around Yaichi and Karatsu's power. At this point, I can't help but think the author has no intention to develop that plot point any further, which is disappointing. Might continue with this series some time in the future, but right now I don't care enough about the characters to keep reading.
December 23, 2023
3.5⭐️
This was an OK issue. It had mediocre stories with almost no Sasayama (one of my fave side characters the club interacts with) and almost no personal connection to the story on the members side.
This was an OK issue. It had mediocre stories with almost no Sasayama (one of my fave side characters the club interacts with) and almost no personal connection to the story on the members side.
July 14, 2024
Really enjoy the style of the artist(s). Have read 1,2 and 3 omnibus editions and i must say i had the most fun with this one and the first. I really really hope this series gets more attention in the future and I'm excited to read the next one(hopefully soon!!).
September 12, 2024
These characters are such delightful fuck-ups. It's almost better that this series never got that much-rumored Hollywood movie adaptation because this way there's no weird problematic crap you have to ignore or explain away when talking about it, like with so many beloved manga
May 26, 2017
I have to say: The idea of a man creating a -very- detailed doll modeled after his long dead sister is more than a little disturbing.
June 20, 2021
Once again ticks the boxes - violence, gore, nudity, humour and weird stories. I'll likely read Book 5 when it's released.
May 18, 2024
Me encanta esta colección de libros, tiene un loco de humor, un poco de horror y en ocasiones mucha melancolía.
October 28, 2024
This one was more hit-and-miss than the previous ones.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews