With almost everyone except Tanigaki and Inkarmat stalled on the plot progression front, it’s the character work that does the heavy lifting and it’s good, a lot of them get to shine and none more so than Usami who has my favorite flashback so far. Sugimoto’s chapter while hems lost in fog is a highlight too!
Golden Kamuy is brilliant. This volume had so many wonderful, memorable, creepy, touching scenes and moments. Every panel and every line of dialogue hold a meaning. I love Inkarmat and Tanigaki, the Tsurumi and Tokishige backstory/first meeting. The Ienaga bravery and Koito vs Tsukishima confrontation. Wow what a volume.
1. Listen, terms like 'sociopath' shouldn't be tossed around lightly, but holy shit, chapter 228. Noda, WTF?
2. There's a great bit in the Elfquest Gatherum book where someone comments on Wendy Pini's "peaceful birth" scenes. Plenty of comics/TV shows/movies/etc have had pregnant people in them (something something propagation of the species), and if the birth is shown, it's almost always fraught or dramatic or tragic - "the action hero must carry the laboring woman to safety while bullets fly and things explode" - whereas Pini tended to depict calm, safe births where the laboring partner was supported by loved ones in a safe environment and the baby was greeted with joy by all present.
Ever since then I've kept track of peaceful births vs "action" births in media and this volume had a literal "action hero must carry the laboring woman to safety while bullets fly" scene AND the woman has a safe, culturally sensitive birth surrounded by caring attendants. Noda, WTF?
3. Tsukishima and Koito have been redeemed in my eyes and I am excited about future character development.
Twist after twist after twist—'Golden Kamuy' keeps you on your toes, never letting you predict what’s coming next or how the characters will react. This volume was packed with developments, from Hijikata and Tsurumi’s crew gaining a new objective to the thrilling highlights of Usami’s backstory and Tanigaki and Inkarmat’s dramatic escape.
Tsurumi’s charisma continues to shine, particularly in how he manipulates the members of his group. The way they revered him during their youth and remain willing to go to great lengths for his approval is both captivating and deeply unsettling. It’s clear that Tsurumi’s skill in providing attention and validation has cemented their loyalty and respect, but wow—grooming and recruiting them at such a young age is disturbingly strategic on his part. It truly highlights how calculated and manipulative he can be.
The tension during Tanigaki and Inkarmat’s escape from Tsukishima was thrilling. One moment, it’s a high-stakes chase, and the next, they’re unexpectedly working together for Inkarmat’s sake—all thanks to Koito’s intervention. The twists in this sequence kept me glued to the page, and the dynamic between the characters was so compelling.
Okay, I can't fairly review this volume because I have waited for MONTHS to get hold of it! I accidentally missed buying vol 23 when it was new, and then my store just couldn't get it 😭😭😭 I've bought volume 24 to I think 27 and waited for this to get in, unable to read them since I didn't want to spoil the art (I love the fan translation, but I feel like the pages work so much more better on paper) and now, at LAST I have the book!
And it's a good, good volume too. Inkarmat and Tanigaki were grand, the backstory was neat, the different philosophies of Tsurumi's followers cool and it's building towards the end. I think I liked everything.
Except Sugimoto eating that adorable birb. Dick move, Sugimoto, you definitely lost a dozen fav points this time
DIIIIGO El pasado oscuro de Usami, la verdadera dinámica de poder que ejerce Tsurumi en sus hombres, la liberación de Koito, Tanigaki y en parte la de Tsukishima, el fin de Ienaga, la crisis de Ogata y demás es lo que encontramos en este tomo.
Me ha gustado y sorprendido bastante. Se cierran tramas y siento que se acerca el final. Triste pero así debe ser...
Yowza, the intensity ramped up towards the end of this one! Tensions are high and I knew something like this would happen as these groups no longer have solid foundations and unity. Chaos!!
Usami has always been so terrifying with his devotion to Tsurumi, on a whole different level to Koito. Learning his backstory in this volume left me genuinely unsettled and disturbed.
DAMN THIS VOLUME. Fucking brilliant. I don't even have words. We get to plunge into characters in this volume. Tsurumi is really such a good manipulator. Man, he's good. I loved a lot of things in this volume. LIKE EVERY THING. I won't elaborate. I want to say all of them did big things on this one but I would say KOITO AND IENAGA MVP here. FR. GK SUPREMACY.
Chapter 228 was so fucking funny. It took me a while to appreciate it, since my initial reaction upon finishing was horror and indescribable sadness, but five minutes later, I was in. Noda dedicated an entire chapter to One Joke and I respect that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Tenemos una historia sádica de la mano de la de un estratega increíblemente escrito. Introducción de un personaje pirata que promete mucho. Esta serie no deja de sorprenderme.
Lt. Tsurumi's group and Hijikata's group resume the hunt for tattooed skins (only four left); while Asirpa, Sugimoto, and Shiraishi figure out a different way to search for the gold, thanks to Heita (the crazy gold hunter in the last book).
In other news, Tanigaki finds out Inkarmat is pregnant with his child and Tsurumi is using her as leverage to get Tanigaki to turn on Asirpa and Sugimoto. Ogata is retraining himself to only use one eye by hunting (more strange foods!) There's a Jack the Ripper in Sapporo. Arisaka gave Nikaido meth (no you didn't read that wrong). And Sugimoto gets lost.
Basically, this volumes is kinda disjointed, since it's following five different storylines all at once and almost none of it is moving the plot forward. It's like a bunch of short stories for a filler arc. Which, I guess, if you need those in-between bits, it's good to get them all out of the way at once. Still a good series.
Also, I knew Tokishige was crazy... but this puts his crazy at a scary level.