Satoru Noda said that horny people deserve rights and gave us lots of fanservice-y panels of buff men in this volume alone.
Inkarmat was so good in this volume (when is she not?). Ienaga had basically three panels in the whole volume but damn they were memorable. Sugimoto is the badass and I love him. I liked Inkarmat and Asirpa interactions and dynamics. Tanigaki can get it.
As in previous volumes, lots of cooking and eating and fighting and surprisingly f*cking.
I am super excited about the next volume, I loved that mini-arc in anime adaptation and I'm sure it's even better in manga
The bestiality cliffhanger gets resolved fairly quickly, allowing the characters to finally start converging on the prison where the treasure map mastermind is being held . . . EXCEPT here's just one more guy with tattooed skin and a special ability we've just stumbled across. One of the funniest cliffhangers of the series makes up for a little more foot-dragging on the larger plot.
Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto is a veteran of the Russo-Japanese war, scrapping out a meager existence. It is the early 20th century, and there is also a postwar gold rush on the wild frontier of Japan's Hokkaido region. Sugimoto stumbles upon the first “piece” of a map leading to a fortune in hidden gold belonging to the Ainu (an indigenous people of Japan and Russia). Ruthless criminals and rogue Japanese soldiers are also hunting for the gold in the harsh northern wilderness. It will take all Sugimoto's talents and the help of an immensely-skilled Ainu girl named Asirpa to survive, let alone find the gold.
As Golden Kamuy, Vol. 12 (Chapters 111 to 120) opens, Sugimoto and Asirpa must find the deranged animal lover, Dr. Shiton Anehata, in order to save their ally and soldier, Genjiro Tanigaki, from the wrath of a tribe of Ainu. They are not having any luck, but Hyakunosuke Ogata and Ryu the dog join them. Will that be enough to capture Anehata and stop a giant brown bear?
Later, Sugimoto, Asirpa, Tanigaki, and Ogata reunite with Yoshitake Shiraishi (the “Escape King”), Kiroranke (the sapper), Inkarmat (the lady fortune teller), and Cikapasi (the boy who tags along). This octet leaves on a journey to Abashiri Prison where they plan to meet Noppera-Bo, the mysterious man who might be Asirpa father and who allegedly knows the secrets of the Ainu gold. But first, they must get past the “Blind Bandits” of Lake Kussharo.
The Golden Kamuy manga has a large cast of characters. Besides the leads, Sugimoto and Asirpa, creator Satoru Noda has populated this series with wonderful supporting characters and also with guest characters that defy the imagination, especially in terms of deviance and in criminal intent.
Golden Kamuy Graphic Novel Volume 12 focuses on Sugimoto and Asirpa's compatriots in the goal to find the Ainu Gold. Noda uses the chapters contained in Vol. 12 to create situations that reveal more of the conflicts, connections, motivations behind this wonderful group of six adults and two minors that are part of the larger “Toshizo Hijikata group.” John Werry's translation catches the flavor of the characters, especially of guest star, Shiton Anehata.
Golden Kamuy also features some of the best depictions of nature and of the wilderness that I have ever encountered in comics. Noda's gorgeous art finds beauty in everything – the good, the bad, and the ugly of the natural world, and Steve Dutro's lettering is the perfect storytelling accompaniment.
Po dlouhy dobe slabsi dil, kde se autor vic nez pribehu venoval vsemoznejm uchylnostem (a to sem si rikal, ze po jeblym taxidermistovi uz to horsi bejt nemuze). Doufam, ze se z toho v tomhle booku vypsal a pribeh se zase zacne nekam posouvat.
Explores post-war, PTSD, morality, philosophy of violence, love, bliss, hunting, and ofcourse skinning. Northern Japanese peoples (Ainu) and eastern Russian peoples cultures are explored extensively, something not seen much in media; I must say I have learned quite a lot that about things and historical that I did not even know that I did not know about.
This volume is GOLD. One of my most favorites so far.
Aside from the consistent fun and thrilling and also knowledgeable ambience of the story, we get to see something more fun about most characters' dynamics being together. LMFAO really, to make it short Sugimoto, Tanigaki, Shiraishi, Ogata, and Kiroranke are the OG c*um brothers!
I remember this one interview with Noda asking him what the readers should pay attention to when reading Golden Kamuy, and he deadass said we, as his readers, should focus on THE BEAUTIFUL NUDITY OF MEN. And he's really drawing them! He's so real for that and I'm living for the naked bodies of his men, "be they pot-bellied or with thick chest hair;" from his own words. Amazing!
This volume was so good, the sheer amount of antics now that the guys are all together again is great. Asirpa leading them all in their food journey is so cute. And Ogata’s staunch denial that he enjoys their activities and determination to be the weird introvert is hilarious. I love all my little weirdos lol.
They leaned heavily into the comedic for this one and I enjoyed it a lot! But some interesting stuff was still revealed and may make for some complications in the near future. I actually think this newest convict they’re seeking is really neat, weaving in an element of history I actually was aware of when it came to those types of mining activities.
I’ve reached a point where I’m trying to convince my sister to watch the anime with me since she doesn’t read, that’s how good this series is.
We most definitely got some fan service in this one and I'm not complaining. The previous volumes arc wrapped up rather quickly which I'm fine with because what even was that! The group conflict in the middle of the volume is a great bit of suspense that I was just waiting for, I can't wait to see how that all unfolds as the group get closer to the prison. This next arc though, the blind bandits seems interesting as this is a whole new fighting arena for the group.
As always the artwork is stunning, the Ainu cooking background is always run and I like how Asirpas background is still all up in the air and gets me speculating on what is true and what isn't.
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl or rather Kotan-kor-kamuy—because why does everything have to be named after some white guy who discovers it millennia after indigenous populations—is now one of my favorite animal illustrations in this whole series. Lots of beefcake in this volume, so be careful who you share your sea otter hot pot with! A nice tangled web of intrigue is stirred up thanks to some unclear loyalties. It will make for an interesting potential twist when Sugimoto’s team finally (if ever) encounters Noppera-bō.Good times! Hinna hinna!
Shit started getting real gay this volume😳. Also Shiraishi being hit in the head by Tanigaki’s dick in the bath had me cracking up bruh😭. And bro had to comment how Tanigaki was packing too💀.
My only qualm with the volume was how the plot feels a little dragged, like another mini-arc with a quirky tattooed convict fr?? Although I like the character moments so i don’t mind too much.