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Rasetsu #1
Rasetsu, Vol. 1
R to L (Japanese Style).
Rasetsu Hyuga works for an exorcist agency where she uses her special powers to banish evil spirits. There's a story behind the red flower mark on her chest though — it's a momento left by a powerful spirit who vowed to claim her on her 20th birthday. Unless Rasetsu can find true love by then, she is fated to become his.
Yako Hoshino, a young man with spiritual powers of his own, comes to the agency seeking help with a possessed book. He's seen a lot of strange phenomena in his day, but the last thing he expects to see is Rasetsu bearing a striking resemblance to his old love Yurura!
Rasetsu Hyuga works for an exorcist agency where she uses her special powers to banish evil spirits. There's a story behind the red flower mark on her chest though — it's a momento left by a powerful spirit who vowed to claim her on her 20th birthday. Unless Rasetsu can find true love by then, she is fated to become his.
Yako Hoshino, a young man with spiritual powers of his own, comes to the agency seeking help with a possessed book. He's seen a lot of strange phenomena in his day, but the last thing he expects to see is Rasetsu bearing a striking resemblance to his old love Yurura!
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
13 people are currently reading
2040 people want to read
About the author
Chika Shiomi
59 books100 followersChika Shiomi has an amazing talent for depicting chilling and provocative horror stories that appeal to both shojo and shonen readers. Having created manga since 1993, starting with short stories in Akita Shoten's Mystery Bonita magazine, she has had a bountiful career of publishing both long-running series and short stories that have become popular both in Japan and abroad. Shiomi-sensei loves to travel and listen to Guns 'n Roses.
See also 潮見 知佳.
See also 潮見 知佳.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 23, 2009
This is a spin-off of the series Yurara, but I already like it much better. The plotting and characters are stronger here.
June 19, 2011
I read some Chika Shiomi in scanlation and in print before - I think I tried Night of the Beasts, but the power situation always bothered me so far, although I liked her artwork and the fact that her heroines are never completely helpless.
Melinda and Michelle continue to write well about this finished series, so I got myself the first three volumes and got around to the first one today.
I enjoy the even more beautiful clean artwork that Shiomi has in here (and her sense of style for an 18-year-old beautiful girl is spot on, I'd say) and I don't miss the fact that I haven't read the linked series Yurara at all. Rasetsu is someone to admire, especially when you contrast the flashbacks of her hopeless situation with the courage and determination she shows now.
The introduction of the characters has a nice mix of mystery and comedy. The problems may be episodic but the focus is clearly on the interaction of the agency members, so that's just fine.
Melinda and Michelle continue to write well about this finished series, so I got myself the first three volumes and got around to the first one today.
I enjoy the even more beautiful clean artwork that Shiomi has in here (and her sense of style for an 18-year-old beautiful girl is spot on, I'd say) and I don't miss the fact that I haven't read the linked series Yurara at all. Rasetsu is someone to admire, especially when you contrast the flashbacks of her hopeless situation with the courage and determination she shows now.
The introduction of the characters has a nice mix of mystery and comedy. The problems may be episodic but the focus is clearly on the interaction of the agency members, so that's just fine.
February 3, 2020
4 stars . Exorcism with sassy heroine. Different.
September 23, 2024
3.5 stars
April 17, 2020
As per usual, this review will cover the series as a whole (all 9 volumes) and discuss the story at length, so there may be a variety of spoilers.
To preface things, I've never read Yurara, Vol. 1, so I don't have much to offer in terms of comparison on any front.
This is a spin off of that series, but despite that, I didn't feel like I couldn't understand or appreciate the story offered in Rasetsu (which is called "Rasetsu's Flower" or "The Flower of Rasetsu" (らせつの花) in Japanese).
Mostly what you miss out on, as far as I can tell, is Yako's backstory, which involves his time in high school, and his connection to a ghostly guardian spirit named Yurara. There are a variety of small connections between the two series (we get a cameo of Mei, a main character from Yurara, for example) and this series can be seen as an indirect continuation/sequel in that it wraps up the stories of Yako, another MC from Yurara, and the guardian spirit, but the story does still stand well on its own, cuing in readers to necessary information as it goes along. It really almost acts like you haven't read Yurara, which I can appreciate, since this story isn't so married to the former that it would need that tale as a foundation. Had it been a prerequisite despite this focusing on such a removed story-line, I would have been upset it was trying to force me to buy and read another series.
I've owned all 9 volumes since their release (I purchased each release new as it arrived on shelves back in the day--ah, what happy memories of having a local bookstore in my hometown), but it was a series that I hadn't often read through, so much of the story was lost to me prior to my reread for this review. I actually can't remember the last time I'd touched it prior to this read through for my review. I'm guessing upwards of 10 years, if I'm being honest.
Part of why I reread this was to determine whether I'd keep the volumes or bulk list them on eBay.
The story focuses on a 18 year old girl named Rasetsu, a powerful psychic working as sort of ghost-hunting exorcist whose days are numbered because, at the age of 15, a malevolent spirit attacked her and promised to claim her for his own on her 20th birthday, leaving a rose-shaped mark on her chest as a reminder of his promise. The story follows her over the course of two years as she battles ghosts, eats cake, faces her fears, prepares for her 20th birthday, finds love, and grows into her strongest self.
Although this series only clocks in at 9 volumes, it very effectively utilized its space to tell a rather complete story. Usually manga of this length feel somewhat rushed or overly simplified in order to jam everything into a visual medium contained in so few pages (manga volumes tend to hover around 120-150 pages), but Rasetsu has a clear understanding of what needs to be included and what doesn't, so it doesn't drag in places or rush in others. The relationships felt developed, it had a good balance of seriousness and comedy, the story had a clear overarching goal, there were ample characters to explore and work with... I suppose I might only say that things could have had more conflict or dug a little deeper, but it still works out very nicely as it is.
Although the art didn't initially strike me as the most beautiful I"d ever seen, while reading, I found myself very impressed by how clean the lines are and how well tones and shading are utilized in the series--I never once felt like the lines were drowning in a visually chaotic mess or that something wasn't clear to the eye due to lack of effective use of shade work. The art does a fantastic job of portraying things while looking aesthetically pleasing. There are, of course, some areas where the anatomy was a little odd (like Yako's ears being covered by his long hair could make his head look a little too much like a Q-tip shape or a profile was too centered on a body to be realistic) but generally the artist nailed things. I'm really blown away by how effectively the shading and tones work amongst the clean lines. It's very dynamic despite being monotone. This is like the ideal example of how to apply shading to manga--a far from from the mess that was Kiss of the Rose Princess, Vol. 1.
The romance angle does feature an age gap between Rasetsu and the guys (there is a slight love triangle situation, but it works out nicely without being more of the typical annoying sort you tend to see in shoujo) but she is 18 at the start and is 20 by the end so, it's definitely not as bad as it could have been, all things considered with the way manga usually ends up going. I'm not sure of Yako's age, but I believe he's something like 22-24, since the events of Yurara took place while he was in high school and he's been graduated for a bit, while Kuryu is listed as being 26.
I did tear up a bit while reading the final volume, so the series does get points for having enough emotional bite to it to affect me. I like it when a story can make me feel something--it's a positive sign in the work's favor.
Overall, I would give this a good recommendation! It has a good story, good art, nothing negative worth commenting about, and should have great appeal to most manga readers for its digestible 9 volume length. Of all the series I own in physical format currently, this is probably the second most wholesome and least problematic, right after Kamisama Hajimemashita.
I might have to look into reading Yurara someday because this ended up being quite a nice read, though looking at it being the author's older work, I am somewhat turned off by the art not being quite as polished...
To preface things, I've never read Yurara, Vol. 1, so I don't have much to offer in terms of comparison on any front.
This is a spin off of that series, but despite that, I didn't feel like I couldn't understand or appreciate the story offered in Rasetsu (which is called "Rasetsu's Flower" or "The Flower of Rasetsu" (らせつの花) in Japanese).
Mostly what you miss out on, as far as I can tell, is Yako's backstory, which involves his time in high school, and his connection to a ghostly guardian spirit named Yurara. There are a variety of small connections between the two series (we get a cameo of Mei, a main character from Yurara, for example) and this series can be seen as an indirect continuation/sequel in that it wraps up the stories of Yako, another MC from Yurara, and the guardian spirit, but the story does still stand well on its own, cuing in readers to necessary information as it goes along. It really almost acts like you haven't read Yurara, which I can appreciate, since this story isn't so married to the former that it would need that tale as a foundation. Had it been a prerequisite despite this focusing on such a removed story-line, I would have been upset it was trying to force me to buy and read another series.
I've owned all 9 volumes since their release (I purchased each release new as it arrived on shelves back in the day--ah, what happy memories of having a local bookstore in my hometown), but it was a series that I hadn't often read through, so much of the story was lost to me prior to my reread for this review. I actually can't remember the last time I'd touched it prior to this read through for my review. I'm guessing upwards of 10 years, if I'm being honest.
Part of why I reread this was to determine whether I'd keep the volumes or bulk list them on eBay.
The story focuses on a 18 year old girl named Rasetsu, a powerful psychic working as sort of ghost-hunting exorcist whose days are numbered because, at the age of 15, a malevolent spirit attacked her and promised to claim her for his own on her 20th birthday, leaving a rose-shaped mark on her chest as a reminder of his promise. The story follows her over the course of two years as she battles ghosts, eats cake, faces her fears, prepares for her 20th birthday, finds love, and grows into her strongest self.
Although this series only clocks in at 9 volumes, it very effectively utilized its space to tell a rather complete story. Usually manga of this length feel somewhat rushed or overly simplified in order to jam everything into a visual medium contained in so few pages (manga volumes tend to hover around 120-150 pages), but Rasetsu has a clear understanding of what needs to be included and what doesn't, so it doesn't drag in places or rush in others. The relationships felt developed, it had a good balance of seriousness and comedy, the story had a clear overarching goal, there were ample characters to explore and work with... I suppose I might only say that things could have had more conflict or dug a little deeper, but it still works out very nicely as it is.
Although the art didn't initially strike me as the most beautiful I"d ever seen, while reading, I found myself very impressed by how clean the lines are and how well tones and shading are utilized in the series--I never once felt like the lines were drowning in a visually chaotic mess or that something wasn't clear to the eye due to lack of effective use of shade work. The art does a fantastic job of portraying things while looking aesthetically pleasing. There are, of course, some areas where the anatomy was a little odd (like Yako's ears being covered by his long hair could make his head look a little too much like a Q-tip shape or a profile was too centered on a body to be realistic) but generally the artist nailed things. I'm really blown away by how effectively the shading and tones work amongst the clean lines. It's very dynamic despite being monotone. This is like the ideal example of how to apply shading to manga--a far from from the mess that was Kiss of the Rose Princess, Vol. 1.
The romance angle does feature an age gap between Rasetsu and the guys (there is a slight love triangle situation, but it works out nicely without being more of the typical annoying sort you tend to see in shoujo) but she is 18 at the start and is 20 by the end so, it's definitely not as bad as it could have been, all things considered with the way manga usually ends up going. I'm not sure of Yako's age, but I believe he's something like 22-24, since the events of Yurara took place while he was in high school and he's been graduated for a bit, while Kuryu is listed as being 26.
I did tear up a bit while reading the final volume, so the series does get points for having enough emotional bite to it to affect me. I like it when a story can make me feel something--it's a positive sign in the work's favor.
Overall, I would give this a good recommendation! It has a good story, good art, nothing negative worth commenting about, and should have great appeal to most manga readers for its digestible 9 volume length. Of all the series I own in physical format currently, this is probably the second most wholesome and least problematic, right after Kamisama Hajimemashita.
I might have to look into reading Yurara someday because this ended up being quite a nice read, though looking at it being the author's older work, I am somewhat turned off by the art not being quite as polished...
April 29, 2013
I took my sweet time getting to set aside time to read this one. Would have been my loss if I had not. Rasetsu is an interesting character. I like her, but her sweet tooth. My teeth hurt just at the thought of it. Yako was my favorite in Yurara, so I am glad to see him in this series. Rasetsu's colleague Kuryu and her boss are interesting characters too. Aoi, another colleague, didn't quite impress me yet. Yako's facial reactions to all of them is funny. Volume one introduced them and Rasetsu's history a little. I have to know more about them, see how the story continues. Chapter three was my favorite. That's as much as I will say.
March 16, 2013
I'm glad I took a risk on this series. It's just a good balance of fun, hilarity, and character. Not to mention one sultry, bad ass heroine who really does kick ass, takes names, and still manages to be flawed and vulnerable enough for me to want to take care of her.
Her obsession with cake is also giving me some fun clay cafe ideas, which you know is always important :P
I could paint a cake with the characters on it! Stop it Carissa you're insane.
I've found a new series to gush over. Love it.
5/5
Her obsession with cake is also giving me some fun clay cafe ideas, which you know is always important :P
I've found a new series to gush over. Love it.
5/5
September 25, 2013
I rate this 4.5 stars.
I love this manga!
My book Blog: nazishreads.net
Sorry I didn't post the review here a few months ago, I just forgot. I thought I already posted it here, but apparently I didn't.
I never heard of this manga before. I was just searching the local library for some interesting books, and I discovered this series, from reading the back, it certainly did sound interesting, so I got it. I already requested the next two books in this series.
As you guys might know, I love strong independent heroines, and that's exactly what Rasetsu is, although she wasn't always like that.
I hope to learn more about this mysterious evil ghost that marked Rasetsu.
To view the full post and other reviews, click here Rasetsu volume 1 by Chika Shiomi
I read this book a few days ago, and I've read volume 2 as well, and started on volume 3, so I know what's going to happen next. The review for volume 2 will be up later this week.
It's been a while since I last reviewed manga, so this might be a bit different than my other manga reviews, I don't know, maybe.
Gore: No (just gross looking ghosts)
Magic: Yes
Romance: Not yet
Action: I'm not really sure what to rate this
Pacing: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Drawings/Art: 4 stars (some of the drawings of Rasetsu looked weird, like the one on the back cover).
Warning, Spoilers
(All my manga reviews contain some spoilers, it can't really be avoided, but it's not too bad, that you would not enjoy reading the book if you read my reviews. There are some things that happen, that I don't mention.
It starts out with 18 year-old Rasetsu Hyuga and her colleague Kuryu doing their job, which is exorcising ghosts. Apparently, Rasetsu does most of the work, since her spiritual powers are stronger for fighting ghosts than her co-worker's. The client asks her out and asks her name, before she can answer, the ghost that haunts the house appears and Rasetsu quickly excorcises it. Unfortunately for her, the client is now scared of her. Something like this happens every time she goes to exorcise those pesky ghosts. She looked kind of creepy when she told the man her name.
When they go back to the agency, Rasetsu just wants to sleep, unfortunately, a client walks in. His name is Yako Hoshino. He's the guy that's on the cover with Ratetsu. He's strong enough to sense how strong people's spiritual powers are (kind of reminds me of Bleach and a few other mangas). He can smell the scent of an evil spirit on Rasetsu, which is why he thinks that she's not strong. And of course that shocks and angers her. She's about to tell him why that is, but then she calls him a pervert (you'll understand why if you read it or have read it). Yako thinks she's a wannabe psychic. The chief's power is that when he hugs the client, he can understand what the problem is, it's faster than the client telling him why they came there (kind of creepy, though).
Yako is a librarian and he loves to read. Because of that, I kind of liked him already. You don't see many guys admit they love reading, often, at least I don't. Yako learns that Rasetsu' way of recharging her powers is... to eat sweets. They go to a bakery before they vanquish the ghost. First, Rasetsu drinks coffee with lots of suger, then she eats a whole cake. Kuryu warns Yako that it will make him sick looking at her when she's eating, but he can't look away even though he's about to vomit. I love it when characters love eating to the extreme, especially when it's a girl, mangakas don't do that very often. I also love it when characters in mangas, books, tv shows, etc, have a short temper, it's so funny.
We find out that Rasetsu's only 18 even though she looks like she's in her 20s (she's 2 years younger than me, I'm not exactly 20 yet, going to be nest month), while Kuryu is 26. He's pretty tall.I wonder how old Yako is, he's obviouls in his 20s since he doesn't go to school anymore and that he mentions in one chapter that Rasetsu's younger than him. Rasetsu tells him why she dropped out of high school. Kuryu tells Yako to shut up, and Yako can't speak, it's because Kuryu's power is something called kotodama, which is spiritual power that is manifested through the use of words. Rasetsu tells Yako why she has the scent of an evil spirit on her. It has to do with the red flower mark on her chest. After that Yako can speak again.
The group arrives to Yako's workplace and they see that Yako can make water barriers. One thing confuses me, how can Rasetsu get work like this done in heels, you need sensible shoes for fighting spirits, even if it is business. Yako thinks that Rasetsu's still the scared little girl she used to be, that she'll get scared easily and won't be able to get rid of the ghost, but he's so wrong. She easily purifies the ghost and it passes on. The next few days, Rasetsu keeps going to the library where Yako works because she wants him to join their exorcist agency since he has such strong spiritual powers, he refuses every time. Somehow they get Yako fired and he's now working at the agency, all because of Rasetsu, she's so persistent and persuasive. I wish it was that simple to get a job in the real world, but nope, they had to make it so hard and tedious.
In the next chapter, i'm guessing a day or so went by, because they just finished getting rid of ghosts for a company, and she's eating candy again. Rasetsu eats a whole cake and then falls asleep on the couch, the others makes excuses about sorting files so that they don't end up watching her eat, like Yako did again, he's still not used to her crazy appetite. His reactions are kind of funny, but thinking about it, I guess it would be gross to see someone eat so much sugary food in one sitting. Even though I love chocolate and cake, I would never be able to eat that much. The chief tells Yako why Rasetsu's working as an exorcist even though she was so scared and damaged three years ago, basically the job made her stronger and not so scared anymore. Then she wakes up.
Then Rasetsu, Kuryu, and Yako have another case. Rasetsu sees chocolate at the guy's house and she wants it, apparently the cake she had a while ago wasn't enough and she's still hungry. I'm not too shocked since I've read many mangas and seen many animes where the characters have crazy appetites. The ghost that they have to get rid of commited suicide by jumping from the balcony and she doesn't know that she's dead, so she keeps doing it. Rasetsu tries to calm her down, because she felt the same way three years ago. But she runs away, they catch her after a few problems and Rasetsu purifies her soul and the ghost moves on. Yako decides to stop trying to quit, even though he feels like he's the only normal one. Kuryu seems like he's a lot stronger than he's letting on and Yako's suspicious about that. I wonder why he makes himself seem like he has weak spiritual powers. After the job is done, Rasetsu wants more sweets.
After a few days, Rasetsu are fighting about the fact that Rasetsu spends too much money sweets, $200 on cake, that's crazy. (I'm guessing that it was actually in yens but the translators changed it so that readers can understand, which means it must have been way over 2000 yen. While they're arguing, the others are playing cards since there's nothing to do (Yako took over the paperwork and stuff). Lucky them that they're boss is so lazy and lenient.
They get a new client, it's Yako's old high school. Rasetsu ends up wearing the school uniform in order to catch the ghost that's been haunting the school. We learn a little about Yako's past.
This volume ends with Rasetsu eating a bag of sugar, since Yako and her had that argument that suger is more affordable than dessert (she uses the agency's money, not her own to buy snacks). Yako shows up with cake, Rasetsu eats it and three minutes later, she wants more, lol.
I wonder why I haven't heard of this manga before, it's better than many other shojo mangas I've read (I don't like it when the main character is passive and so obedient that they don't ever speak their own feelings, it's so annoying). One of the reasons why I like this manga series is because the main character is so strong and not a pushover.
I like Rasetsu because as I said above, she's no pushover, and even though she was traumatized three years ago, she managed to get stronger and to try to move on with her life instead of running away, like hiding in her room all the time or committing suicide. Plus, I love her obsession with sweets, it's hilarious, and I love chocolate too.
I like the other members of the agency as well, although we don't know much about Aoi or the chief yet.
Overall, I like this manga, it's funny, has great characters, and the plot is pretty interesting. I'm not sure who I would recommend this manga to, so if you're curious and like strong female leads, then give it a try and see if you like it or not.
Reading this manga a few days ago and now reviewing it, made me hungry, I'm going to get somethig sweet to eat after I post this, even though I should go to sleep now. But I can't sleep on an empty stomach.
If I hadn't read the next two volumes, I would have said that after the ending, I really want to read the next chapter.
I love this manga!
My book Blog: nazishreads.net
Sorry I didn't post the review here a few months ago, I just forgot. I thought I already posted it here, but apparently I didn't.
I never heard of this manga before. I was just searching the local library for some interesting books, and I discovered this series, from reading the back, it certainly did sound interesting, so I got it. I already requested the next two books in this series.
As you guys might know, I love strong independent heroines, and that's exactly what Rasetsu is, although she wasn't always like that.
I hope to learn more about this mysterious evil ghost that marked Rasetsu.
To view the full post and other reviews, click here Rasetsu volume 1 by Chika Shiomi
I read this book a few days ago, and I've read volume 2 as well, and started on volume 3, so I know what's going to happen next. The review for volume 2 will be up later this week.
It's been a while since I last reviewed manga, so this might be a bit different than my other manga reviews, I don't know, maybe.
Gore: No (just gross looking ghosts)
Magic: Yes
Romance: Not yet
Action: I'm not really sure what to rate this
Pacing: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Drawings/Art: 4 stars (some of the drawings of Rasetsu looked weird, like the one on the back cover).
Warning, Spoilers
(All my manga reviews contain some spoilers, it can't really be avoided, but it's not too bad, that you would not enjoy reading the book if you read my reviews. There are some things that happen, that I don't mention.
It starts out with 18 year-old Rasetsu Hyuga and her colleague Kuryu doing their job, which is exorcising ghosts. Apparently, Rasetsu does most of the work, since her spiritual powers are stronger for fighting ghosts than her co-worker's. The client asks her out and asks her name, before she can answer, the ghost that haunts the house appears and Rasetsu quickly excorcises it. Unfortunately for her, the client is now scared of her. Something like this happens every time she goes to exorcise those pesky ghosts. She looked kind of creepy when she told the man her name.
When they go back to the agency, Rasetsu just wants to sleep, unfortunately, a client walks in. His name is Yako Hoshino. He's the guy that's on the cover with Ratetsu. He's strong enough to sense how strong people's spiritual powers are (kind of reminds me of Bleach and a few other mangas). He can smell the scent of an evil spirit on Rasetsu, which is why he thinks that she's not strong. And of course that shocks and angers her. She's about to tell him why that is, but then she calls him a pervert (you'll understand why if you read it or have read it). Yako thinks she's a wannabe psychic. The chief's power is that when he hugs the client, he can understand what the problem is, it's faster than the client telling him why they came there (kind of creepy, though).
Yako is a librarian and he loves to read. Because of that, I kind of liked him already. You don't see many guys admit they love reading, often, at least I don't. Yako learns that Rasetsu' way of recharging her powers is... to eat sweets. They go to a bakery before they vanquish the ghost. First, Rasetsu drinks coffee with lots of suger, then she eats a whole cake. Kuryu warns Yako that it will make him sick looking at her when she's eating, but he can't look away even though he's about to vomit. I love it when characters love eating to the extreme, especially when it's a girl, mangakas don't do that very often. I also love it when characters in mangas, books, tv shows, etc, have a short temper, it's so funny.
We find out that Rasetsu's only 18 even though she looks like she's in her 20s (she's 2 years younger than me, I'm not exactly 20 yet, going to be nest month), while Kuryu is 26. He's pretty tall.I wonder how old Yako is, he's obviouls in his 20s since he doesn't go to school anymore and that he mentions in one chapter that Rasetsu's younger than him. Rasetsu tells him why she dropped out of high school. Kuryu tells Yako to shut up, and Yako can't speak, it's because Kuryu's power is something called kotodama, which is spiritual power that is manifested through the use of words. Rasetsu tells Yako why she has the scent of an evil spirit on her. It has to do with the red flower mark on her chest. After that Yako can speak again.
The group arrives to Yako's workplace and they see that Yako can make water barriers. One thing confuses me, how can Rasetsu get work like this done in heels, you need sensible shoes for fighting spirits, even if it is business. Yako thinks that Rasetsu's still the scared little girl she used to be, that she'll get scared easily and won't be able to get rid of the ghost, but he's so wrong. She easily purifies the ghost and it passes on. The next few days, Rasetsu keeps going to the library where Yako works because she wants him to join their exorcist agency since he has such strong spiritual powers, he refuses every time. Somehow they get Yako fired and he's now working at the agency, all because of Rasetsu, she's so persistent and persuasive. I wish it was that simple to get a job in the real world, but nope, they had to make it so hard and tedious.
In the next chapter, i'm guessing a day or so went by, because they just finished getting rid of ghosts for a company, and she's eating candy again. Rasetsu eats a whole cake and then falls asleep on the couch, the others makes excuses about sorting files so that they don't end up watching her eat, like Yako did again, he's still not used to her crazy appetite. His reactions are kind of funny, but thinking about it, I guess it would be gross to see someone eat so much sugary food in one sitting. Even though I love chocolate and cake, I would never be able to eat that much. The chief tells Yako why Rasetsu's working as an exorcist even though she was so scared and damaged three years ago, basically the job made her stronger and not so scared anymore. Then she wakes up.
Then Rasetsu, Kuryu, and Yako have another case. Rasetsu sees chocolate at the guy's house and she wants it, apparently the cake she had a while ago wasn't enough and she's still hungry. I'm not too shocked since I've read many mangas and seen many animes where the characters have crazy appetites. The ghost that they have to get rid of commited suicide by jumping from the balcony and she doesn't know that she's dead, so she keeps doing it. Rasetsu tries to calm her down, because she felt the same way three years ago. But she runs away, they catch her after a few problems and Rasetsu purifies her soul and the ghost moves on. Yako decides to stop trying to quit, even though he feels like he's the only normal one. Kuryu seems like he's a lot stronger than he's letting on and Yako's suspicious about that. I wonder why he makes himself seem like he has weak spiritual powers. After the job is done, Rasetsu wants more sweets.
After a few days, Rasetsu are fighting about the fact that Rasetsu spends too much money sweets, $200 on cake, that's crazy. (I'm guessing that it was actually in yens but the translators changed it so that readers can understand, which means it must have been way over 2000 yen. While they're arguing, the others are playing cards since there's nothing to do (Yako took over the paperwork and stuff). Lucky them that they're boss is so lazy and lenient.
They get a new client, it's Yako's old high school. Rasetsu ends up wearing the school uniform in order to catch the ghost that's been haunting the school. We learn a little about Yako's past.
This volume ends with Rasetsu eating a bag of sugar, since Yako and her had that argument that suger is more affordable than dessert (she uses the agency's money, not her own to buy snacks). Yako shows up with cake, Rasetsu eats it and three minutes later, she wants more, lol.
I wonder why I haven't heard of this manga before, it's better than many other shojo mangas I've read (I don't like it when the main character is passive and so obedient that they don't ever speak their own feelings, it's so annoying). One of the reasons why I like this manga series is because the main character is so strong and not a pushover.
I like Rasetsu because as I said above, she's no pushover, and even though she was traumatized three years ago, she managed to get stronger and to try to move on with her life instead of running away, like hiding in her room all the time or committing suicide. Plus, I love her obsession with sweets, it's hilarious, and I love chocolate too.
I like the other members of the agency as well, although we don't know much about Aoi or the chief yet.
Overall, I like this manga, it's funny, has great characters, and the plot is pretty interesting. I'm not sure who I would recommend this manga to, so if you're curious and like strong female leads, then give it a try and see if you like it or not.
Reading this manga a few days ago and now reviewing it, made me hungry, I'm going to get somethig sweet to eat after I post this, even though I should go to sleep now. But I can't sleep on an empty stomach.
If I hadn't read the next two volumes, I would have said that after the ending, I really want to read the next chapter.
July 18, 2020
*3 Generic Stars*
What can I say about this series? It's not bad?
This one could have pushed the envelope more. The artwork is great and the plotline is solid, but the repetitive nature of the story got old fast. The eat-cake-slay-ghost-eat-more-cake formula was fine for the first book, but five books later? I was over it. The exorcisms were much too fast, and not nearly dark enough.
I got so excited when the ultra-evil spirit showed up, but then it ended and I was left with this empty "wait, that's it?" feeling. The author could have taken a page out of Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom or Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1's work and gone darker, but they pulled up too early each time, and ruined the overall effect.
What can I say about this series? It's not bad?
This one could have pushed the envelope more. The artwork is great and the plotline is solid, but the repetitive nature of the story got old fast. The eat-cake-slay-ghost-eat-more-cake formula was fine for the first book, but five books later? I was over it. The exorcisms were much too fast, and not nearly dark enough.
I got so excited when the ultra-evil spirit showed up, but then it ended and I was left with this empty "wait, that's it?" feeling. The author could have taken a page out of Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom or Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1's work and gone darker, but they pulled up too early each time, and ruined the overall effect.
February 17, 2018
A sequel/spin-off of Yurara in which we meet Yako again. He becomes entangled with an agency that specializes in exorcisms. Recognizing his own spiritual aptitude, they recruit him. He's still stiff and serious, and he's convinced he's working with a bunch of weirdos, but he's also intrigued by his Rasetsu, a young woman who bears a striking resemblance to his first love. She's been cursed by a monstrous ghost who will come to claim her unless she can find true love before she turns twenty. Two years to go.
Loving the quirky new cast. Interesting interplay and a light, teasing tension. Expecting more fun!
Loving the quirky new cast. Interesting interplay and a light, teasing tension. Expecting more fun!
January 6, 2020
2020 Read #31
Reread in 2020
I read Rasetsu back when the first volume came out in the US, but for some reason I never went beyond volume 2. At that point, I hadn’t read Yurara — but, rereading Yurara this year, it’s obvious which is the superior series. Rasetsu boasts better art, more depth, and more interesting characters. You don’t have to read Yurara before starting this series, but Yako’s character makes more sense if you read Yurara first. I really hope the rest of the series is as good!!
Reread in 2020
I read Rasetsu back when the first volume came out in the US, but for some reason I never went beyond volume 2. At that point, I hadn’t read Yurara — but, rereading Yurara this year, it’s obvious which is the superior series. Rasetsu boasts better art, more depth, and more interesting characters. You don’t have to read Yurara before starting this series, but Yako’s character makes more sense if you read Yurara first. I really hope the rest of the series is as good!!
November 26, 2017
The artwork is solid, and the initial premise is entertaining. I felt that the plot became a tad bit too repetitive in the middle, what with the repetition of a "boss has a job, we go to a place, eat cake, exorcise bad guy, eat more cake" formula. The last two or so tankobon spice up the romantic elements quite a bit and the ending of the series is much more satisfying in terms of plot detail than the beginning or the middle. Overall, the manga is just okay.
July 28, 2025
I'm not familiar with the original source material this series spins off of but I enjoyed this first volume. It does a good job of setting up the characters and plot, and I love Rasetsu's sassy attitude. Since I'm not familiar with Yako, I would've liked a little bit more info on his powers, which could have been addressed early on. Minor issue.
June 28, 2021
Good set up to a supernatural/romance series. The characters are really likable, so I might go and read Yurara first and come back to this sequel run (I wasn't as bothered about Yurara at first because it's set in high school, but now I'm intrigued!)
January 19, 2025
this is actually so fun! rasetsu is scary and hilarious and ghosts and demons claiming innocent girls for there own but one thing can save her, true love! this might have been written for me actually…
January 21, 2018
Yurara's Moon series gave me a better impression than this one.
July 15, 2019
That's right, this author is great
September 29, 2020
Great start!
I like the characters already. I really like Rasetsu’s playful personality... And her going back and forth with Yako... I really like that!
I can’t wait to see where this story goes!
I like the characters already. I really like Rasetsu’s playful personality... And her going back and forth with Yako... I really like that!
I can’t wait to see where this story goes!
December 24, 2020
-7/10
-If you like xxxHolic you will LOVE this series
-Likable characters
-The art isn't the best
-Honestly just a very average series, nothing special but not bad
-If you like xxxHolic you will LOVE this series
-Likable characters
-The art isn't the best
-Honestly just a very average series, nothing special but not bad
September 18, 2021
Hmm, I'm not sure what to make of this or if I'll continue the series. It did make me feel as if I was watching an episode of Supernatural which was pretty cool. But still, unsure.
September 28, 2021
Can't pinpoint why but I really love this Manga so far. The style, story, and pacing all feel good to me. Love it!
December 12, 2021
It is alright. I guess. Man the amount of sugar eater woah just ugh. I do not mind the lead so much she is independent but sanctimonious.
June 4, 2022
This one makes all the other manga I rated 5 stars look more like 4. Oh my goodness. This was… perfection
August 16, 2022
I think I need to read the first series, but I love the sugar-loving main character!
March 15, 2023
Adorable short manga!!
May 19, 2023
Love this series. Bought the first one because it stood out to me in a sea of manga. Read it and was hooked from the beginning. 100% recommend if you like the enemy’s to lovers dynamic and mystery!
September 25, 2025
I love this Manga! I never heard of it until I was roaming around Half Price book Store and this one caught my eyes. It funny, romantic and dark all in one. I can’t want to read the rest.
October 8, 2025
6/10 Much better than the first series in terms of themes and romance. There was still some cringey parts though. The ending had a good message.
April 21, 2021
(I haven't read the prequel series to this one, so I can't say if any of the characters, or which ones, join in the story.)
I highly enjoyed this first volume! The action never stops, quickly moving from one exorcism to the next. Rasetsu is a strong protagonist that I could appreciate and was like a breath of fresh air when compared to the meek and mild female leads of most shojo published today. It's a little sexier and darker, and I loved it!
I highly enjoyed this first volume! The action never stops, quickly moving from one exorcism to the next. Rasetsu is a strong protagonist that I could appreciate and was like a breath of fresh air when compared to the meek and mild female leads of most shojo published today. It's a little sexier and darker, and I loved it!
read-seq-art
February 10, 2011Related to a previous series, Yurara, which I haven't read; new main character; stands alone fine, although spoils some things about the earlier series.
I love a bunch of medium/exorcist/spiritualist encounters ghosts/spirits/fairies manga, but lately all of them have revolved around boys or men: XXXHolic, Mushishi, Natsume's Book of Friends,Time and Again. The last ones I can remember featuring a girl are Her Majesty's Dog and Dokebi Bride. So I am the look-out for girls who see Things.
Rasetsu doesn't have quite the focus on traditional Japanese (or Korean or Chinese or etc.) folklore I wanted, but it does have a kick-ass girl protagonist who exorcises ghosts and has a Tragic Past and Cursed Future. She handles this by becoming tough as nails. I like.
The reaction of the men around Rasetsu to her fondness for sweets may be triggering for food disorders/fatphobia, although I read it as much more about the taste of sweetness (which Japanese men are supposed to dislike, there is a lot of gender stuff around this) than about quantity of food. So it reads to me sort of like Rasetsu is flaunting an exaggerated femininity in the face of disapproval.
I love a bunch of medium/exorcist/spiritualist encounters ghosts/spirits/fairies manga, but lately all of them have revolved around boys or men: XXXHolic, Mushishi, Natsume's Book of Friends,Time and Again. The last ones I can remember featuring a girl are Her Majesty's Dog and Dokebi Bride. So I am the look-out for girls who see Things.
Rasetsu doesn't have quite the focus on traditional Japanese (or Korean or Chinese or etc.) folklore I wanted, but it does have a kick-ass girl protagonist who exorcises ghosts and has a Tragic Past and Cursed Future. She handles this by becoming tough as nails. I like.
The reaction of the men around Rasetsu to her fondness for sweets may be triggering for food disorders/fatphobia, although I read it as much more about the taste of sweetness (which Japanese men are supposed to dislike, there is a lot of gender stuff around this) than about quantity of food. So it reads to me sort of like Rasetsu is flaunting an exaggerated femininity in the face of disapproval.
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