Happiness, vol. 9

ハピネス [Happiness] #9

by Shuzo Oshimi, Verònica Calafell (translator)

Yûki, que ha recuperado la cordura tras un largo estupor, rescata a Gosho y Sudô, a quienes Sakurane ha dejado malheridos, y les dice a los seguidores de "La sangre de la felicidad" que él no es un dios. Sin embargo, los creyentes permanecen fieles a su maestro, quien les ordena que devoren el cuerpo y la sangre de Yûki.

El grito de desesperación de Yûki resuena en la conciencia de Okazaki, que ha estado nublada durante diez largos años...

Genres: Manga, Horror, Vampires, Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Shonen

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 9, 2018

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

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subtitled "The Feast," this is the penultimate volume of a manga series by Shūzō Oshimi I have been reading off and on for years. Though it is really well drawn, and relies on the images to carry the story in a way I like, it just gets bloodier and bloodier, even in black and white, and I couldn't spend a lot of time with it. It was just a little bit too much for me tonight. This is not your cuddly little romantic or even comic vamp story; it's real horror. I mean, sometimes when you have too much stress in your life, as I do today, you need something like My Little Ponies and not Sakurane, a vampire blood cult monster.

I know you bloodthirsty horror fans will think I'm a wimp, but there it is. Okay, I'll suck it up (pun on The Feast! Good one!) and read the last volume! Okazaki is back after several years of being drugged (for a decade?!) into oblivion. So maybe some kind of happy resolution is in store for us? Hey, maybe there will be unicorns!?

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, look, the protagonist decided to show up after being M.I.A. for several volumes. It's quite the rude awakening. And after seeing all the bloody horror that has happened in his absence, even the easygoing and ever optimistic Okazaki may finally go over the edge.

This vampire thrill-ride took me less than fifteen minutes to read, but I was quite happy for every second. I'm so glad I have the final chapter on hand. I'm going to read it right after I post this.

[Floripiquita · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 estrellas para la historia en su conjunto, una de las más perturbadoras y oscuras que he leído en mucho tiempo. Como ya ha apuntado alguien por aquí, este manga tiene un aire que recuerda a “Déjame entrar” aunque la historia bebe de un montón de referencias. La trama se sumerge en una espiral sangrienta que alcanza su cenit en un par de capítulos tan heavies que me han dejado tal que así 🤯😱🤯😱 y me han dado muy mal rollo. El final me ha gustado bastante y, más, las referencias pictóricas a Picasso y Van Gogh.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesus Christ these people get thrown through the fucking ringer.

I don't even know what to really say here without spoilers. Our main hero returns...barely. He's had enough of this bullshit. Our main female character just can't catch a break it seems. More and more the humans are ten times worse than the vampires. This volume is super intense, bloodshed, and the ending looks just as grim as the last few volumes.

Guess we'll know with the final volume soon enough.

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely the gorier volume, and now that Okazaki is back, I adore how protective he is of everyone and how eager he is to bring Nora back to life.

[Caahpinotti ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i literally flinched during some scenes. everything was so…abhorrent.

“𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀.”

TW: blood, bodily harm, mass murder, dismemberment, experimentation on human bodies, assault, and cannibalism

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy bueno. Pasó algo que no me lo esperaba y me ha gustado, a pesar que antes no había visto eso en esta temática.

[Alec Costa · Rating 4 out of 5]

apesar da nota, ainda não sei se gostei. vou decidir ao término do próximo volume

[Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grotesque. This is a frenzied massacre!

These fanatics are crazy and I swear if I can vomit virtually, I'll get the crown for it. I felt heartbroken about Saku, Nora, and Yuuki but damn this is just awesome ly horrifying, okay. Your guts knotted, your eyes bewildered, your hands may be shaking with every fast beat of your heart. Damn, if I don't get the happiness in the end I'd curse this endless torture of a series.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a digital copy of this book.

Just as a side note to this series: can we talk about how annoying it is that Volumes 1-8 are included in KU but 9 and 10 aren't?

Remember when I started this series yesterday and thought it would be a cute little coming of age/vampire horror story with a nerdy but determined main character and his loving family? That same main character we now finally get back after 4 volumes after we find out he has been drugged and medically experimented on for the past decade? Yeah. That's where this book has gone. We find out Nora has been cut up and her brain put in a jar. Yuki is ATE ALIVE by the cult. Yukito and Sudo escape with basically just their lives and honestly, barely even that.

This series really went from picking daisies to pushing them.

The death toll is like 90%, there's so much violence and gore and torture and I'm no wimp, I love a good horror book but not when it's unexpected like this. I mean, I do like this series overall but I also feel like I'd love a hug too.

[Oksana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shit is W I L D

[Sarah ♡ (let’s interact!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happiness: Vol 9 is ”a complete reversal in setting. From frenzied violence, to eerie silence”.
Makoto learns just how immortal vampires truly are..
🧛🏻‍♂️🖤

[Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the strongest volumes so far. All out action and horror! I actually flinched at a specific scene, which is more than I can say for most horror. One volume left!

[Zian B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I really hope this psycho doesn’t actually become a vampire in the next/last volume.

[Sha Mohamed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kegilaan Sakurane dalam mengejar untuk menjadi vampire hampir mengorbankan Gosho.. Namun rayuan meminta tolong Gosho telah menyebabkan Okazaki muncul membantu.. Otak Yuki yang dimakan Sakurane telah menyebabkan Sakurane memancarkan kehendak Yuki yang ingin Okazaki membunuh Sakurane..

[Alice4170 🌙 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️

[Vex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series has way more gore than I’d anticipated. I’m not complaining, but damn.

[cynne★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLEASE JUST DIE BRO🙏🏻🙏🏻

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

[x.finalgirl_readsbooks.x · Rating 4 out of 5]

With our main hero finally returning, we can see his response to all of the carnage that has happened since his capture. I enjoyed this volume, the art is absolutely my favorite part of this manga and I think this one in particular really portrays how good the art style is and how well it drives the story.

[Doc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inhumane Feast

Unhappy that Yuuki refuses to grant his wish to be a vampire Sakurane turns his cult members against their "god" as they overpower him and devour him to take in his essence. How dark does a person have to be to worship an entity and take part in not only tearing him to pieces before eating him in hope of becoming gods themselves? The twisted tale continues as Gosho and Sudo are still around for the ghoulish acolytes and their high priest.

Thankfully Okazaki is awoken from his decade long sleep after being captured (and probably experimented on by) the organization that caught him and Nora by the anguished screams of his friend giving him a chance to escape and possibly put an end to a real monster.

[Joshua Jonah · Rating 5 out of 5]

So first off, this being the second to the last volume in the series bums me out, because there’s so much more fun to be had. Secondly, the art style still impresses me even this far out and the detail makes you feel the dread like Blood On The Tracks. Lastly, although a cliche twist happens at the end, I feel like this entire series not only speaks on what it’s like to be a vampire but the fact we can also see how maturity and growing up plays a part in the story absolutely astounds me, it’s woven in just enough to not be in your face but just enough to be there without it taking over everything.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a year or so since I read volume 8 and I just jumped back in without any rereading. I remember the last few volumes before this had me completely obsessed and this one wasn't quite LOVE. But...it was a compulsive read...felt like I finished it in no time because I was so caught up in the story. It probably would have been better had I not had a year or more in between volumes...so that's on me. Definitely recommend the series overall...i remember the first few volumes were just ok for me but then they amped up fast and I can confidently say I have enjoyed the ride.

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My plan was to read a few pages before going to sleep but from the moment you start to read a volume of this series, Oshimi has your soul, and he won't let go until you finish reading.

I don't remember ever flipping pages so fast.

The tension in the air is so strong that you keep pushing page after page wanting to know how things will end.

I don't know if "Happiness" is Ohshimi's best work but it definitely has very strong moments.

One of my favorite manga series, ever. Without a doubt.

1 volume to go.

[Rachel Kathryn Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️
This book was so heartbreaking, all the characters we love are put through the ringer. It was nice to see Okazaki again and I can’t wait to see him more in the next volume. Saku is a surprising character to see again but it was welcomed and I hope that he is seen again in the next volume because of how he ended in this one. And Yuuki, so depressing, he was my favorite character. Every page makes you so emotional, where you want to cry or you get so angry at the antagonist.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeper than the twilight is the darkness within humans.

Wow. I was not expecting to be this gripped by a vampire series- nor to feel such sympathy for some very disturbed people. The twists and turns here are like no other (though parts did remind me of the first poppy war book, so maybe tpw fans could also enjoy this?). No idea how this will be wrapped up in just one volume.

[Irene ➰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8/5

And we are back to follow both the storylines.
After a while we have the comeback of Makoto's story and we finally progress with his plot as well.

Meanwhile on the other one there's absolute craziness going on buuuuuut...
I'm not saying anything more than that the art is beautiful, the tension is extreme and we are reaching the end of this journey.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Estrella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ums.. Se está alargando demasiado la historia, este volumen no me ha convencido demasiado