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漫画 虚構推理 / In/Spectre #1
In/Spectre, Vol. 1
KINDRED SPIRITS
The 17-year-old Kotoko has a unique situation. When she was a child, she was kidnapped by spirits called yōkai, and returned missing one leg and one eye. Since then, she has been able to communicate with otherworldly forces, both benevolent and dangerous. Kotoko is alone in her power until she learns that the crush she's watched from afar, Kurō, has had his own encounter with yōkai! As if being touched by the supernatural wasn't enough, Kurō's personal life is also in shambles. With their shared experiences and understanding, Kotoko and Kurō form a partnership to deal with mysteries, from ancient demons to the ghost of an idol. But for a girl who's used to dealing with spirits, winning love might prove to be the bigger challenge!
The 17-year-old Kotoko has a unique situation. When she was a child, she was kidnapped by spirits called yōkai, and returned missing one leg and one eye. Since then, she has been able to communicate with otherworldly forces, both benevolent and dangerous. Kotoko is alone in her power until she learns that the crush she's watched from afar, Kurō, has had his own encounter with yōkai! As if being touched by the supernatural wasn't enough, Kurō's personal life is also in shambles. With their shared experiences and understanding, Kotoko and Kurō form a partnership to deal with mysteries, from ancient demons to the ghost of an idol. But for a girl who's used to dealing with spirits, winning love might prove to be the bigger challenge!
176 pages, Paperback
First published October 16, 2015
377 people are currently reading
925 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
August 3, 2021
Empecé este manga por la temática básicamente. Bueno...si me tengo que quedar con este tomo solo la puntuación sería muy baja. ¿Por qué? Porque solo cuenta con dos capítulos, enormes eso sí, que lo único que te muestran es una introducción de los dos personajes protagonistas:
-La protagonista, una chica de 17 años que en los dos capítulos que componen el manga lo único que retienes es que ha "stalkeado" al protagonista masculino durante dos años de tal manera que me parece hasta enfermizo. Según ella ha sido amor a primera vista , según yo esto se llama obsesión.
-El protagonista, un chico de 22 años que guarda un "oscuro secreto" (cómo no) y eso que parecía hasta inofensivo.
Sin embargo, sin saberlo llegué más allá del tomo 2 y puedo decir que la historia mejora. Otro dato positivo es que te va enseñando un poco sobre quiénes son los yokai y un poco sobre foclore-cultura de Japón. Eso a mí decir que me encantó.
June 6, 2019
The protagonist is disabled. There is almost zero focus on her status as disabled. She's an adorable, badass, blunt, and sarcastic detective that can see and talk to demons/youkai! Kotoko uses a cane, sure, but she is so, so much more than that. I'm enamored with this manga. The art is great and it's very easy to follow what happens, even in combat. If you like mysteries that get spooky at times, this is for you. If you're craving disability representation, this is for you. If you like wit and unique philosophical concepts, this is for you. I love it so much.
Jan 2019 update: ANIME ADAPTATION ANNOUNCED!!!!
June 2019 update: anime drops January 2020!!!!!!
Jan 2019 update: ANIME ADAPTATION ANNOUNCED!!!!
June 2019 update: anime drops January 2020!!!!!!
December 5, 2019
The synopsis really had me interested in picking this manga up. Our protagonist is a disabled girl and that’s amazing!
For the most part, I really enjoyed this and couldn’t wait to learn more about how everything would play out. I still am interested, but towards the end I became less excited. I feel like they are building up to have some type of love triangle and I’m not here for that. Honestly, Kuro can get back with his ex because I don’t’ think he’s good enough for Kotoko. Yeah, I said it.
All in all, I’ll pick up volume two just to see if it still holds my attention.
This was a buddy read with my twin Autumn💜
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For the most part, I really enjoyed this and couldn’t wait to learn more about how everything would play out. I still am interested, but towards the end I became less excited. I feel like they are building up to have some type of love triangle and I’m not here for that. Honestly, Kuro can get back with his ex because I don’t’ think he’s good enough for Kotoko. Yeah, I said it.
All in all, I’ll pick up volume two just to see if it still holds my attention.
This was a buddy read with my twin Autumn💜
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September 4, 2022
Not quite how I expected it to be but still enjoyable! I'd be interested to see how the anime is
July 15, 2022
Irgendwie weird, irgendwie auch cool :D
December 31, 2019
3.5 stars
A girl, kidnapped by yokai, returns with one eye, a severed leg, and the ability to communicate with spirits. Her powers allow her to interact with these ghost-like creatures, for good and for bad. Along the way, she develops a crush on a man who might have a secret or two up his sleeve. The plot takes off from there. On top of getting the beginnings of a love story, we eventually get to see interactions with various demon species.
The first half of this was fairly interesting. I liked the incorporation of folklore and different creatures into the main character's life. I enjoyed the art as well. There were some super cute images and character designs, but the story also came with some that were borderline creepy. I didn't expect this to have any gore in it, but there were several depictions of mutilated body parts. Didn't bother me, it was well drawn, but maybe keep that in mind if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.
Things started to get a bit slow for me in the second half though. I think I generally don't care for police procedural types of stories, and the later half of this volume was focused too heavily on that to keep my full attention. Even if this wasn't my favorite manga ever, I still think that the overall concept is cool, and I had a fun reading experience for the most part.
A girl, kidnapped by yokai, returns with one eye, a severed leg, and the ability to communicate with spirits. Her powers allow her to interact with these ghost-like creatures, for good and for bad. Along the way, she develops a crush on a man who might have a secret or two up his sleeve. The plot takes off from there. On top of getting the beginnings of a love story, we eventually get to see interactions with various demon species.
The first half of this was fairly interesting. I liked the incorporation of folklore and different creatures into the main character's life. I enjoyed the art as well. There were some super cute images and character designs, but the story also came with some that were borderline creepy. I didn't expect this to have any gore in it, but there were several depictions of mutilated body parts. Didn't bother me, it was well drawn, but maybe keep that in mind if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.
Things started to get a bit slow for me in the second half though. I think I generally don't care for police procedural types of stories, and the later half of this volume was focused too heavily on that to keep my full attention. Even if this wasn't my favorite manga ever, I still think that the overall concept is cool, and I had a fun reading experience for the most part.
February 4, 2021
What a weird, yet intriguing series.
This has a ton of exposition, something I USUALLY hate but for some reason I was super intrigued about the world in this series. But the manga writer is same as the novel writer, and so I don't think they've done the crossover to let the art tell more of the story. However, manga/anime usually has a exposition dump issue.
Anyway to the main story. Kotoko is a girl who can see and interact with spirits and demons. Why? Because when she was a little girl she was kidnapped by them and her leg and eye were ripped out from her. But the main draw here is Kotoko meeting Kur, a handsome, older man, who she right away crushes on. So through hardships together they begin to bond. At the same time, two years later, Kur's ex girlfriend is now a cop and she's on a mission to find a girl who scares people at night with a big blade. Will everyone's world collide?
This is a odd story. Supernatural and world building heavy, romance is there, yet it works well because Kotoko is such a weird character. The way she speaks and talks is a "matter of fact' always and she is ALWAYS logical. On top of that she is pretty funny and makes plenty of funny perverted jokes too. Kur is a solid second lead with a cool backstory to make him different. The ending is a bit simple in terms of meeting but I gotta say, I'm intrigued to read more.
A 3.5 out of 5.
This has a ton of exposition, something I USUALLY hate but for some reason I was super intrigued about the world in this series. But the manga writer is same as the novel writer, and so I don't think they've done the crossover to let the art tell more of the story. However, manga/anime usually has a exposition dump issue.
Anyway to the main story. Kotoko is a girl who can see and interact with spirits and demons. Why? Because when she was a little girl she was kidnapped by them and her leg and eye were ripped out from her. But the main draw here is Kotoko meeting Kur, a handsome, older man, who she right away crushes on. So through hardships together they begin to bond. At the same time, two years later, Kur's ex girlfriend is now a cop and she's on a mission to find a girl who scares people at night with a big blade. Will everyone's world collide?
This is a odd story. Supernatural and world building heavy, romance is there, yet it works well because Kotoko is such a weird character. The way she speaks and talks is a "matter of fact' always and she is ALWAYS logical. On top of that she is pretty funny and makes plenty of funny perverted jokes too. Kur is a solid second lead with a cool backstory to make him different. The ending is a bit simple in terms of meeting but I gotta say, I'm intrigued to read more.
A 3.5 out of 5.
September 22, 2018
I just couldn't get into this one. Neither of the main characters appealed to me. She acts like a spoiled brat in my opinion. She likes the guy, decides she'll have him and he really doesn't fight her over it, even though he claims to not be interested.
**Spoiler **
The book ends with his ex, the one he loved and lost. She dumped him but suddenly thinks maybe she wants him again. Ugh. To much drama, not enough of the fantasy.
**Spoiler **
The book ends with his ex, the one he loved and lost. She dumped him but suddenly thinks maybe she wants him again. Ugh. To much drama, not enough of the fantasy.
February 11, 2017
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. It was definitely interesting and had some elements that I enjoyed, but I'm very wary of the romantic rivalry it seems to be setting up, as well as the lack of development before we shift character POVs.
March 18, 2023
It was okay, idk how to feel yet
I mean, the biggest issue for me is that she is 16 and he is 20- 21, and there dating? Ew
I mean, the biggest issue for me is that she is 16 and he is 20- 21, and there dating? Ew
November 10, 2025
This is the graphic novel of In/Spectre, which originally hit the shelves as a novel, and now has its own anime series. The story deals with the spirit realm, ghosts, kappas, and others. The heroine can see these beings and interact with them, but she is also their “god”.
A lot of the panels are difficult to follow because they’ve been taken directly from the novel. What works in fiction doesn’t necessarily work in a visual medium. Sadly, the manga also had pacing issues. The second chapter looked out of place and was slow. I also felt like it missed the point.
The interactions between the characters are also weird:
1) The heroine falls in love with a man she’s never actually spoken to. She likes his looks and is convinced she has saved his life (which she hasn’t).
2) The man's girlfriend is older than him and the manga highlights this several times. The other characters can’t ever speak about him without saying “He has a girlfriend. She’s one year older than him.” Is it really so weird that a man has an older girlfriend in Japan? One year is such a huge deal?
3) But the worst one: One of the ghosts died a painful death and has no face. Yet, the characters only focus on her chest. She has a “huge” chest. It’s not her missing, bloody face that’s the issue. No, her boobs. 100 cm. I actually googled that and that number says nothing because she could have 85B, which would still be a medium cup size.
Vol 1 was such a letdown. I loved the way the writer showed that disability isn’t a hindrance, and that you can still be a badass. But the weird interactions and dialogue choices ruined it for me. I’ll give this manga one more chance and read Vol 2 to see if anything has improved.
A lot of the panels are difficult to follow because they’ve been taken directly from the novel. What works in fiction doesn’t necessarily work in a visual medium. Sadly, the manga also had pacing issues. The second chapter looked out of place and was slow. I also felt like it missed the point.
The interactions between the characters are also weird:
1) The heroine falls in love with a man she’s never actually spoken to. She likes his looks and is convinced she has saved his life (which she hasn’t).
2) The man's girlfriend is older than him and the manga highlights this several times. The other characters can’t ever speak about him without saying “He has a girlfriend. She’s one year older than him.” Is it really so weird that a man has an older girlfriend in Japan? One year is such a huge deal?
3) But the worst one: One of the ghosts died a painful death and has no face. Yet, the characters only focus on her chest. She has a “huge” chest. It’s not her missing, bloody face that’s the issue. No, her boobs. 100 cm. I actually googled that and that number says nothing because she could have 85B, which would still be a medium cup size.
Vol 1 was such a letdown. I loved the way the writer showed that disability isn’t a hindrance, and that you can still be a badass. But the weird interactions and dialogue choices ruined it for me. I’ll give this manga one more chance and read Vol 2 to see if anything has improved.
July 27, 2020
This is the manga adaptation of a novel series, it is a story of mysteries within mysteries, of a one-eyed, one-legged young woman, and an immortal young man. It has some romance too, a love triangle is brewing by the end of this volume. (I'm totally rooting for the heroine Kotoko, the god of wisdom, oracle, and mediator of the spirits that abound in Japan, I wish she get her heart's fulfillment by the end of this story.
The story is mysteriously intriguing, and the art is sturdy enough to carry the storytelling. It is well illustrated, the graphic depictions of the monsters and spirits and well rendered. This translated version is also done well, translator notes added for context.
The story is mysteriously intriguing, and the art is sturdy enough to carry the storytelling. It is well illustrated, the graphic depictions of the monsters and spirits and well rendered. This translated version is also done well, translator notes added for context.
August 26, 2022
Too much love triangle, especially when one point on the triangle is a teenage girl and the other two are adults. And the boy in the middle is just so passive that I wouldn't have cared about him anyways. Also could have done without the gratuitous locker room scene, which seems to only be there to show bunch of women hanging out in their underwear.
July 20, 2020
More like 3,5/5 ⭐️ I liked the art and the premise sounded promising but the main female character felt so young(was drawn a cute youngster really)... gosh but it’s still interesting to know where it gonna go plot wise... I’ll surely read more volumes...
December 14, 2022
The main character is obnoxious and has an incredibly unlikable personality.
Series rating: 2 stars
Series rating: 2 stars
January 15, 2021
In this interesting manga, we follow Kuro, a young man who recently ended his long relationship with his lover. Suddenly, he meets a girl named Kotoko who's spent most of her life in the hospital and has been is her sights for a while now. Their meeting might turn them into a potential team against certain yokai, or ghosts, that have recently created havoc in their world and they're not the only ones affected by it.
The manga certainly feels like it's blending three genres (dark fantasy, romance and slice-of-life) into one. The lore and its fantasy feel is the best it has to offer for now, while it's slightly hazy story and ok characters will take a while to get used to. B+ (83/Very Good)
The manga certainly feels like it's blending three genres (dark fantasy, romance and slice-of-life) into one. The lore and its fantasy feel is the best it has to offer for now, while it's slightly hazy story and ok characters will take a while to get used to. B+ (83/Very Good)
August 27, 2024
{3.5/5}
Bizarre mais intéressant mdr
Bizarre mais intéressant mdr
November 20, 2016
I have to give this first installment high marks for originality. The characters are really unique and I like the start to the overarching plot. If you are in the mood for something different, give this a try!
December 29, 2017
Ich weiß nicht, was ich erwartet habe, aber so eine geniale Mischung sicher nicht! xD
April 5, 2020
2020 Read #322
3.5 stars
I really liked this! It’s such a refreshing take on supernatural lore from Japan, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the story and characters develop over time.
3.5 stars
I really liked this! It’s such a refreshing take on supernatural lore from Japan, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the story and characters develop over time.
July 26, 2025
I was expecting it to be alot more action and I got a lot more romance I really liked the mix though<33
December 22, 2019
Content/Trigger Warnings: Terminal illness, hospitalization, graphic injuries, minor stalking
earest readers, I can’t believe I never knew about this manga series! To think it’s been flying under my radar all this time is ridiculous! However, I’m super grateful that my best friend recommended we buddy read this because I loved every second of it! Even if you’re not a fan a manga, I truly believe with my heart and soul that this will be one you want to check out, if not for the synopsis alone!
Our tale follows 17-year-old Kotoko who hasn’t had an easy life and how found herself under unique circumstances. Kotoko was taken as a child by spirits called yokai who made her their their negotiator of the mortal world, but in return they took one of here eyes and one of her legs. Now Kotoko is able to communicate with other worldly forces and keep the balance, but it’s not as easy as it seems. Since then, Kotoko has been the only one with her power until one fateful day she discovers her crush, Kur, has a secret or two up his sleeve. Together, Kotoko and Kur form a partnership that will make them stronger than ever, but for a girl who has so many gifts, love is going to be one tough quest to navigate!
I loved this book so much! I loved that this was a great way to introduce the series. The thing I loved most of all is the play of the yokai. If you’re familiar with Japanese mythology and folklore then these creatures are no strangers to you. However, if you’ve never heard of them before, yokai are a specific class of creatures, spirits, and demons; they’re known to be bewitching, attractive, calamity, and spectre in Japanese folklore. You may have also heard them be called ayakashi or mononoke. I love anything that takes Japanese folklore and myths to weave an interesting story or add a unique element into the book. It’s one of those things that will make me pick up a book instantly.
Another thing I really loved about this manga was the disability representation. Even more so for the fact that we get a very high action scene with our main character who’s disabled and showing that disabled people can be active and do many things even if they’re not like they’re old selves. I find that it’s not often we get the chance to read about a main character who can kick some series butt, but is also disabled and I just really loved every second of it. I think we need to have more disabled representation in books and I truly think this will be one book many readers will love for the disability representation.
Aside from the good elements, there was one thing that really bothered me and that was the way this book concluded. Near the end it sets things up for s weird love triangle and those can be a bit of a hit or miss for me. Honestly, this is a bit of a miss with me. I also don’t like how in the ending it was painting Kotoko is a childish light either. The whole thing just didn’t impress and I don’t think Kotoko owed Kur’s ex-girlfriend a full explanation of who she is.
Overall, I truly did enjoy this manga! I loved the pace of it all, the mysterious elements, the craving need to know more, and the way Kotoko takes on the world. Even though the ending was a bit of a miss with me, I still have plans to pick up volume two and continue on with the series. I’m always here for a good series that has some of my favorite elements in it. Plus, I really want to know what’s going to happen between Kotoko and Kur. I have my fingers crossed that this will be a bit of a slow burn romance and I love a good slow burn romance!
Buddy read with Kayla from Books and Blends | Her Review
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October 2, 2019
In/Spectre volume 1 was great! I was expecting it to be good from the cute cover and interesting summary on the back, but it exceeded my expectations which was nice.:) I think this is actually one of my favorite new manga volume reads for the year. Main character Kotoko is interesting, I really like her. Kurō I don’t have an opinion on yet-I don’t dislike him but he’s just...there.
The setup sort of makes me think supernatural female Sherlock Holmes ish, but not exactly, if that makes any sense. With a dash of creepy. I would not give this volume to a little kid (some of the supernatural creatures are pretty scary-looking, and the fact that they temporarily kidnapped Kotoko-and then returned her missing a leg and eye-she was 11 might be distressing to a little kid.) However I’d definitely recommend to older kids/teens/etc. Or grown-ups. This volume honestly wasn’t as dark as I just made it sound, it’s quite funny and cute also. I just wanted to point it out.:)
5 stars.
The setup sort of makes me think supernatural female Sherlock Holmes ish, but not exactly, if that makes any sense. With a dash of creepy. I would not give this volume to a little kid (some of the supernatural creatures are pretty scary-looking, and the fact that they temporarily kidnapped Kotoko-and then returned her missing a leg and eye-she was 11 might be distressing to a little kid.) However I’d definitely recommend to older kids/teens/etc. Or grown-ups. This volume honestly wasn’t as dark as I just made it sound, it’s quite funny and cute also. I just wanted to point it out.:)
5 stars.
February 15, 2020
I sort of picked this up on a whim from my local Books a Million and I'm very impressed!
The story tonally as well as the characters grab you from start to end!
When Kotoko was 11 years old she was kidnapped by Yoki (Ghosts) to become their goddess of wisdom. She appears two weeks later on a park bench with one eye and one leg missing. When she is 17 she meets Kuro at the hospital where she goes for check-ups for her leg and eye and crushes hard on him. Together they take on Supernatural cases!
I would recommend this to anyone who likes atmospheric ghost stories and/or paranormal romance (sort of).
The story tonally as well as the characters grab you from start to end!
When Kotoko was 11 years old she was kidnapped by Yoki (Ghosts) to become their goddess of wisdom. She appears two weeks later on a park bench with one eye and one leg missing. When she is 17 she meets Kuro at the hospital where she goes for check-ups for her leg and eye and crushes hard on him. Together they take on Supernatural cases!
I would recommend this to anyone who likes atmospheric ghost stories and/or paranormal romance (sort of).
May 1, 2022
This review will be for the whole series; read at your own risk!
Read 1 volume
This was really good!! It’s quirky and interesting and dark with some good humor bits. I almost donated it but im glad I read it first! I definitely want to read more!
Read 1 volume
This was really good!! It’s quirky and interesting and dark with some good humor bits. I almost donated it but im glad I read it first! I definitely want to read more!
May 18, 2018
Die Idee finde ich an sich echt cool, aber ich mag die Love-Story nicht. Ich werde die Reihe nicht weiter verfolgen.
May 8, 2023
2.75 ⭐️
I’m conflicted on this one. I started this because the anime was hilarious and mostly based on fantasy elements. But the manga has more representation of drama. Kotoko’s relationship with Kuro is peculiar. Kotoko keeps pushing herself onto Kuro and Kuro acts like he doesn’t care but sticks around. Kotoko’s pervy humour really has me giggling, though.
I’m conflicted on this one. I started this because the anime was hilarious and mostly based on fantasy elements. But the manga has more representation of drama. Kotoko’s relationship with Kuro is peculiar. Kotoko keeps pushing herself onto Kuro and Kuro acts like he doesn’t care but sticks around. Kotoko’s pervy humour really has me giggling, though.
July 6, 2022
Reread on 7/6/22:
Bumping up from 4 to 5 stars
Raising my rating because, upon reread, this is a phenomenal first volume in a lot of ways. It introduces the world well, sets up both Kotoko and Kuro well and shows how and why their relationship can work, and establishes the story's pacing. Speaking of, as I said in my first review, the pacing in this story is incredibly slow. While I used to complain about it in the past, this can easily be chalked up to this being a predominantly mystery series rather than a slice-of-life or action series. Yes, there will be action to break up the many, MANY info dumps, but this is a mystery series through and through. If you don't like slow paced mysteries, don't read this series.
Something that I failed to mention in my previous review that I want to mention now is that one of things I love about Kotoko is that she's proactive, both while working and with romance. She pursues Kuro and asks him out, she is constantly doing research (both academic and field) when dealing with yokai, and she will fight yokai and defend herself if she has to. She's a very well-rounded character, honestly one of the most well-rounded female characters in anime/manga, and the fact that she's in a mystery series of all things baffles me.
Anyway, I appreciated this first volume more upon this reread and can attest to its prowess in establishing the world, its lore, the characters, and the story.
First review on 5/11/2020:
Okay guys, here's the deal:
-If you do not like slow paced stories, don't start this series.
-If you do not like massive amounts of exposition dumps, don't start this series.
-If you are not a primarily character-driven reader, don't start this series.
-If you crave action, do not start this series.
Yeah, so I've noticed that this is not necessarily the most beloved yokai series, mostly for the previously stated reasons. I personally don't mind most of the problems mentioned, but I will say this was a pretty slow first volume. Granted, I loved the character intros and I'm obnoxiously obsessed with yokai, so the pacing didn't bother me as much as others. That being said, the beginning of the Steel Lady Nanase arc was not my cup of tea. I love yokai, not crime, gimme more of the yokai!
What does make this series work, though, is Kotoko Iwanaga, aka one of the best girls of all time and one of my fave female characters in anime. I won't gush now, but I do think she has a lot of redeeming qualities despite her flaws. Oh, and her relationship with Kuro is so dysfunctional yet adorable and I love it!
Those are my thoughts on the first volume. This arc is going to be really long, but hopefully it'll be more focused on the yokai rather than the crimes. This is a weird one to recommend because it's so different from other yokai manga, but if your curious, I highly recommend it with the caveat that it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
Bumping up from 4 to 5 stars
Raising my rating because, upon reread, this is a phenomenal first volume in a lot of ways. It introduces the world well, sets up both Kotoko and Kuro well and shows how and why their relationship can work, and establishes the story's pacing. Speaking of, as I said in my first review, the pacing in this story is incredibly slow. While I used to complain about it in the past, this can easily be chalked up to this being a predominantly mystery series rather than a slice-of-life or action series. Yes, there will be action to break up the many, MANY info dumps, but this is a mystery series through and through. If you don't like slow paced mysteries, don't read this series.
Something that I failed to mention in my previous review that I want to mention now is that one of things I love about Kotoko is that she's proactive, both while working and with romance. She pursues Kuro and asks him out, she is constantly doing research (both academic and field) when dealing with yokai, and she will fight yokai and defend herself if she has to. She's a very well-rounded character, honestly one of the most well-rounded female characters in anime/manga, and the fact that she's in a mystery series of all things baffles me.
Anyway, I appreciated this first volume more upon this reread and can attest to its prowess in establishing the world, its lore, the characters, and the story.
First review on 5/11/2020:
Okay guys, here's the deal:
-If you do not like slow paced stories, don't start this series.
-If you do not like massive amounts of exposition dumps, don't start this series.
-If you are not a primarily character-driven reader, don't start this series.
-If you crave action, do not start this series.
Yeah, so I've noticed that this is not necessarily the most beloved yokai series, mostly for the previously stated reasons. I personally don't mind most of the problems mentioned, but I will say this was a pretty slow first volume. Granted, I loved the character intros and I'm obnoxiously obsessed with yokai, so the pacing didn't bother me as much as others. That being said, the beginning of the Steel Lady Nanase arc was not my cup of tea. I love yokai, not crime, gimme more of the yokai!
What does make this series work, though, is Kotoko Iwanaga, aka one of the best girls of all time and one of my fave female characters in anime. I won't gush now, but I do think she has a lot of redeeming qualities despite her flaws. Oh, and her relationship with Kuro is so dysfunctional yet adorable and I love it!
Those are my thoughts on the first volume. This arc is going to be really long, but hopefully it'll be more focused on the yokai rather than the crimes. This is a weird one to recommend because it's so different from other yokai manga, but if your curious, I highly recommend it with the caveat that it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
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March 21, 2020The pacing isn't great
The main thing that endeared me to this book was the heroine. She's smart, sassy, and capable, but often underestimated due to her appearance and disability (she has a prosthetic leg). She reminds me a lot of Shinoa from Seraph of the End, and her personality definitely got me through the slower parts of this volume.
This book consists of two long chapters and a small bonus chapter. Each chapter felt unfocused. They carried on for a very long time (at one point there was literally a two and a half year time skip mid-chapter) and there are points in each where it felt like I was stuck reading a very long conversation between two characters where the same couple of points were reiterated about five times apiece. The dialogue could use some tightening up.
The art is nice enough, but later in the book there are more and more sleepy, pointless fanservice shots. They're in the middle of a fight! I don't need to see this girl's underwear multiple times. In fact, the way women are handled in this book just isn't great in general. If two women are speaking to each other, they're either talking about someone having a boyfriend, or that they used to have a boyfriend, or how they really SHOULD have a boyfriend. At the end of the book two women start to have a conversation that didn't follow this pattern, but then one of the women realised that the person she as talking to was her boyfriend's ex girlfriend, so their conversation had to be about that now. I'm just so tired.
The main thing that endeared me to this book was the heroine. She's smart, sassy, and capable, but often underestimated due to her appearance and disability (she has a prosthetic leg). She reminds me a lot of Shinoa from Seraph of the End, and her personality definitely got me through the slower parts of this volume.
This book consists of two long chapters and a small bonus chapter. Each chapter felt unfocused. They carried on for a very long time (at one point there was literally a two and a half year time skip mid-chapter) and there are points in each where it felt like I was stuck reading a very long conversation between two characters where the same couple of points were reiterated about five times apiece. The dialogue could use some tightening up.
The art is nice enough, but later in the book there are more and more sleepy, pointless fanservice shots. They're in the middle of a fight! I don't need to see this girl's underwear multiple times. In fact, the way women are handled in this book just isn't great in general. If two women are speaking to each other, they're either talking about someone having a boyfriend, or that they used to have a boyfriend, or how they really SHOULD have a boyfriend. At the end of the book two women start to have a conversation that didn't follow this pattern, but then one of the women realised that the person she as talking to was her boyfriend's ex girlfriend, so their conversation had to be about that now. I'm just so tired.
January 9, 2018
I'm getting the whole damn series. I like how this started. It was interesting to see how both of them existed and now I'm fully intrigued. Both of the MC's had an interaction with Yokai and it changed both of them for better or worse.
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