The Flowers of Evil: Complete, Vol. 2

惡の華 [Aku no Hana] #4-6

by Shuzo Oshimi

Flowers of Evil Complete volume 2 collects volumes 4-6 in an omnibus edition and features story and art by Shuzo Oshimi. Takao makes a decision…he will try to win the affection of one of his muses. This will be no simple task, as the teens are all now damaged and warped. Takao is in search of a utopia, one that can only be shared with his only friend, that will sit just briefly among the rice paddies of his rural hometown. But then Takao and Nakamura are wrongly accused of a crime, and the local authorities want to pin all strange behavior this small town has seen recently on the two teens. Will being treated as outcasts in their own community keep these two from crossing over to the other side…?

Genres: Manga, Comics, Fiction, Romance, Horror, Drama, Graphic Novels

554 pages, Paperback

First published June 8, 2012

About the author

Shuzo Oshimi (押見修造, Oshimi Shūzō) is a Japanese manga creator.
Drawn in a realistic art style, his comics tend to be psychological dramas exploring the difficulties in human relationships and often touching on disturbing situations and perversions.
Oshimi debuted in 2001 with the manga series Avant-Garde Yumeko, appeared in Kodansha's 'Monthly Shōnen Magazine.' Most of his works since then have been published by Kodansha and Futabasha.
Among his first successes the single volume manga Sweet Poolside (2004), later adapted into a live-action film, and the series Drifting Net Café (2008–2011), also adapted for TV.
Oshimi reached international acclaims with The Flowers of Evil (2009–2014) and Inside Mari (2012–2016), both adapted into successful anime. Other notable works are Blood on the Tracks (2017–2023) and Welcome Back, Alice (2020-2023) .

Reviews

[Katie Colson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I don't understand one girl's obsession with this boy, I certainly don't understand two. However, both girl's being in this story did heighten the intensity and emotions. I enjoyed seeing them play off of each other.

This is the most disturbing part of puberty in manga form.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This read was excellent, but it's not a comfortable story. These kids are really messed up.

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second omnibus of the teenage psychosexual drama remains as compulsively readable as the first. These little Holden Caulfields are intent on being perverts in a small town they see as tame and pointless, but their actions become more sadistic and self-destructive as they realize the world beyond the mountains around them is just more of the same.

The overheated drama and cliffhanger ending will have you reaching for the next volume immediately.

[Tomasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mocno popieprzone i niekomfortowe do czytania, ale nadal skrywa w sobie coś fascynującego.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome back to the wacky adventures of high school students who steal panties!

So now it's ramped up the crazyness. The main character is now inlove with the crazy girl who put him in the contract to begin with. He will do anything to prove his love to her. Including stealing ALL the girl's panties in the school and putting it up in a hut to prove his love of being a perv. Then have the other girl, who was his girlfriend, wanting to still be with him. Then the secret gets out and the WHOLE town knows what he did.

Good: Interesting to let the secret out. I was wondering if they were going to keep it under cover but nope. Also, the kids have some serious problems, but they don't shy away from it. This isn't a love story, this is a story about destruction.

Bad: It's over the top and still has some fucking scenes of no talking and just images of staring which goes on far too long.

Overall better than the 3rd volume, this complete collection feels more complete, and I'll probably keep going. A 3 out of 5.

[Jordaline Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think it could get weirder or more fucked but I was proven wrong.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

War der erste Teil vor allem als psychologisch fest gegründete coming=of=age Story interessant, wird die Geschichte im zweiten Band richtig heftig. Kasuga hat seine Liebe zu Büchern und zu Baudelaire hinter sich gelassen und begibt sich mit Nakamura auf die kompromisslose Suche nach der "anderen Seite".
Saeki kämpft um Kasugas Liebe und verführt ihn sogar, doch er hat sich inzwischen für Nakamura entschieden, deren Verhalten immer extremer wird. Es macht nicht den Eindruck, als könnten sich Kasuga und Nakamura wieder in die Dorfgesellschaft fügen, und tatsächlich gipfelt die Handlung schließlich in einem Amok-Szenario. An dieser Stelle endet Band 2 mit einem heftigsten cliffhanger
Eine düstere Geschichte mit Horror-Elementen, die nicht leicht auszuahlten ist und trotzdem in den Sog zieht.

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

At the end of this volume, I might risk saying that this might be Shuzo Oshimi's best work. As much as I love "Happiness", the way Oshimi plays with the emotions on this one is masterful.

However, I'm still only on vol. 4 of "Blood on the Tracks" so things can change.

Yeah... this volume is explosive.

The chemistry between the 3 main characters is something else.

Takao is no longer the well behaving girl that was in the first volume. Her claws are out and she is out for blood.

[Soteralzobooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.1

[Rikin · Rating 3 out of 5]

:/

[M K******g · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly there's no way to write a review of volume 2 without sounding like, well, a pervert. So disclaimer, I am not. Or at least not in the way where I spend most of my time dwelling over middle schooler sexuality. (for some reason my phone tried to autocorrect that to sensuality which honestly would be much weirder). I'll pick up here not at the beginning, but where the anime leaves off.

Kasuga starts off trying to reintegrate- it seems like there might be the implication here that he has accepted his perversion allowing him to engage in society once again, but that isn't really the case. He still hasn't accepted, or confronted, what his actual perversion is- which is kind of hard to put into words. basically, his deification/desexualization/dehumanization of Saeki has now been transferred onto Nakamura. He views her as "perverse" less in terms of sexuality and more in how it makes her a "deeper" person- she, not him, can understand flowers of evil and must in some way be protected. Though he does clearly get off on what develops into a kind of sub/Dom relationship.

The next antic- stealing all the panties to make a physical other side, represents weirdly enough both an escalation and a de-intensification. The other side becomes briefly fully externalized. Not sure how to expand on it but it's not nearly as stressful as the gym clothes arc.

Not to make this too plot focused, but after this Saeki rapes Kasuga. This is out of nowhere and manages to be both shocking and unsurprising- it is categorically different than anything else which has happened, and they're fucking middle schoolers, but it is not played off gratuitously. It reveals most about Saeki because she cannot conceive of it as rape- as alluded to earlier, she sees things black and white- kasuga thinks she is pretty, boys wants sex with those they're attracted to, so Kasuga can't not want it. We see this later when she asks if Kasuga wants to do it again "slower this time". This is kind of what I meant in my review of volume 1- she no longer fits neatly into a Freudian stereotype, as it seems like she takes the character of the Id but she very much is not- she sees herself still dictated by the same social expectations she has tried to escape. This is in no way to excuse her actions of course.

In general, as said earlier this volume is much more intense but oddly enough the least stressful read out of all of them- everything in a way is made bare or more importantly legible. There's more of a clear delineation between good and evil (or acceptable and unacceptable) acts than in volume 1- the perversion to an extent subsides.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is giving me a stress ulcer. As Kasuga, Saeki, and Narukami all spiral into this world of chaos, nihilism, and borderline psychotic breakdown, Oshimi proves he's a master of suspense. His art is still top notch. The expressions convey such raw and intense emotion. I immediately ordered Volume 3 after finishing.

[Katarína · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent & weird & SO much teen angst!

[Brian O'Connell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adds an additional level of pressure upon the perverse triangle of the first volume, the misery and melodrama amping up parallel to the characters’ ever-more confused sense of identity. There are even some affinities with Goodnight Punpun, almost always a good thing, even if Oshimi isn’t up to the impossible standard of that masterpiece. And the art, though it still doesn’t demonstrate the absolute mastery of the human face one sees in Oshimi’s Blood on the Tracks, is substantially better than the technique of the first volume. Good stuff!

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 2 deepens the unease I felt during Volume 1 in the best possible way. It’s genuinely unsettling and uncomfortable — yet somehow gripping at the same time.

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

This is so twisted and bizarre but really weirdly compelling.

I can see why people rave about Oshimi.

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volume 4 - 3/5

Things sure are getting weird. The story wasn’t quite as dark or dramatic as the last few volumes have been, but the protagonist has finally fully embraced his perverted side and is looking forward to getting in trouble with Nanako. I think things are about to be taken up a notch.

***

Volume 5 - 3/5

This series is like a car crash, there’s not that much substance to it but it’s so fascinating that it’s hard to look away from. All of the characters have become so deranged and perverted that I just find myself unable to stop reading it even though there’s not much of a plot.

***

Volume 6 - 4/5

Things are really going insane in this series now. The culprits were caught and somehow they fully embrace their perverted natures. It looks like Nakamura and Kasuga are building up into something deeper than run of the mill perverts, they might be escalating into full blown convicts. It’s exciting to watch such unstable characters in love with each other’s dark side, like Bonny and Clyde.

[Marina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ya man, I don't know. I don't get it and I don't like it. I regret buying all 4 complete volumes 😬
The art is phenomenal, but the story is bizarre and beyond comprehension. Pretty sure this is where I DNF the series

[Red Alibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This world is gray, no matter how far you go."

Oshimi really tuned up the what the fuck factor in these volumes! Our little shitbug is growing up! It seems just like yesterday he was denying being a pervert. Now, he's exuding pervertedness! They grow up so fast..

Nakamura's wish, from the previous volumes, partially came true:
"I just want to see.. I want so badly to see a real-deal genuine pervert raze this town with genuine perversion."

The author talking about his hometown growing up (which is the same town in the manga) somehow adds to the creepiness of the manga. He fucking (partially, I hope) based Takao on himself. That's real fucked up.

Also, as an aside, some parts of the translation is really just jumbled nonsense. I had to read the pages online by fucking amateurs, who translate shit for free, and they did a better job than those that get paid. Yoikes. Do with this info what you will.

[Kristin Katsuye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one got better. I liked the first two volumes in this. It was the last one that threw me off again. It has a bit of that raw ugliness that horror tales have, yet there are things in here I just don’t like. Could be the horrors doing a good job or these tropes aren’t quite for me.

This volume contains 4-6.
Ch. 18-25

Btw maybe don’t read this one in public. I mean you can. It’s not that bad. I just wasn’t expecting this & probably wouldn’t have wanted to be reading this randomly during let’s say a lunch break at work or at the park/mall in front of a bunch of ppl. Granted half of comics/manga/graphic novels have interesting content on certain pages but idk about this one.

I’m not even hyping it up saying this horror is out there. It isn’t. It’s just idk the thought crossed my mind so I’m just warning others in case they needed the information.

[Lucas Loaysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you asked me to tell you what this is about I could not tell you. It’s about a couple of perverts in middle school? Sorta? The idea of being perverse in this story is taken to a bit more of a literal definition, the idea of being disgusting, wrong, or unsightly, but not in any sexual way. Basically the kids all hate themselves, and they’re trying to find their own way to deal with it… I think? This shit is so confusing and weird, but so interesting at the same time so I’m going to read more

Quotes that tickled my toes:

“Just like this, it’s fine if I shrivel up and die in this city all alone… without going anywhere”

*girl pours out her heart* “You’ve got less substance than a fucking fly”

“Just bash my head in… because no matter where I go I won’t be able to disappear”

[Remy Moses · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shuzo oshimi explains the problems of the teen agers they face in their mid life of school. How a bad parenting or some psychological issues they face in life affects them and the surroundings. Some people can’t relate this manga or find it as ridiculous. Because this is not everyone’s cup of tea. Comparing to the Happiness and Blood on the tracks manga this is completely different and psychological based manga. I liked it 50 percent. Not a big fan of it. I also don’t understand why the male character is so much obssessed with a female character Nakamura. This manga also explains how parents are getting affected by the doings of their son/daughter.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do really like The Flowers of Evil, from my perspective though it's written by a nerd who thinks he knows what it feels like to go through what he's writing about. I was expelled from primary school at age ten and forced to attend a boarding school for emotionally and behaviourally challenged children. I was kept there for sometimes 6 weeks at a time. Restraint was used illegally when it shouldn't have been. A lot of the subject matter relates to me but it's some weird idolised idea of what a troubled child would be going through. We see what they are thinking and why they are supposedly thinking it but the two don't match up.

[Ter Caldwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idk how to feel about this one. I just didn't get the characters. Nanako face a damn ass justification to why she was holding on Kasuga so bad (stupid in my opinion, even for a 13 yo) and then I didn't quite understand what the fuck was going onn so idk.
Its between 2-3?

Was it all that different from the volume 1?not really? Somehow that one i give 3.5/4 stars t'ho. Idk. Im just not sure how to rate this volumes lol

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear expansion from the foundations set by the first few volumes, this second ‘complete’ collection lays bare its trauma. Manifested almost like a conversation with the audience, showing its pain with confusion and torture, in search of meaning and catharsis. Shūzō Oshimi may not have placed us in a rattling torture chamber as it was in the first three volumes, but instead mirror the experience like a scab, repeatedly and prematurely picked, delaying the healing process.

[Layla · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s been screaming all the time… my perv down there, in words that I didn’t know, it kept screaming. And I understood what it said, the scream. I could hear.

“I want to get out.” “Let me out.” “Set me free.” “Where is it?” “Where is the exit?” “Where is the other side?”

But now I know. There is no other side. There’s no this side. Nothing at all. No shit-bugs, no pervs. Now theres nothing left. ‘Cause no matter where I go, I cant get rid of me.”

[moira.cuja · Rating 4 out of 5]

already said i had to pick it up asap. gave me exactly the same feeling as the first one. gotta say i love the drawing style. the characters are out of control and you can never understand them properly which usually puts me off but here its actually very interesting to watch. gonna have to wait for the third one now ughhhh

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh twisted is the descent into decadence. In this second omnibus we continue the mad dance of love and disgust. One boy finds love, one girl becomes a twisted mirror, another girl finally understands and all of this rising to a crescendo of insanity to leave us sitting on the edge looking across a plain of sewage wondering what will happen next volume.

[Rachana Hegde · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think i liked this less than the first volume and it's hard to say much without really spoiling it.. it felt draining to read this towards the end - at some point, it's almost like drama for drama's sake. and the characters are behaving so ridiculously - i was hoping that it would become more personally meaningful in some way but perhaps this series just isn't for me.

[Eliud · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Flowers of Evil Complete 2 continues Shuzo Oshimi’s disturbing, psychologically-charged exploration of adolescence. Collecting volumes 4–6 in one omnibus, this installment plunges deeper into the twisted relationship between its protagonists, revealing a narrative that is both harrowing and strangely captivating.