Blue Exoricst #20 and Yokai Rental Shop #1
青の祓魔師 20 [Ao no Exorcist 20] by Kazue Kato
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This one had a lot going on. It's mainly some personal growth sort of filler between major arcs. It celebrates Christmas at the school and then on to Shima and Bon's hometown area for weddings and family goodness.
But underlying all of this is the fact that demonic activity is increasing and the normal populace is beginning to see it. It won't be hidden much longer.
And then without spoiling anything, Yukio is in a spiral and it is going to have major impact. It's pretty tense stuff.
View all my reviews
Yokai Rental Shop, Vol. 1 by Shin Mashiba
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Hiiragi Yasase learns of a half brother upon the passing of his mother and goes to seek him out. Karasu as it turns out runs an exotic animal store on the surface but what he actually does is rent out yokai, supernatural creatures. Karasu is covered head to toe in bandages and cuts quite a figure (not to mention himself as blood is necessary for what he does). He has no real interest in his civil servant brother. To him, siblings are 'strangers in the making' and children are merely the 'by-product of pleasure.'
But when Hiiragi interfers in a transaction, the brothers become linked whether they like it or not.
It's very well drawn (I've liked other things by this mangaka) and the story line is interesting, the monster of the week sort of thing. That said I'm not sure it's different enough for me to want to continue. Maybe. I did like it after all.
View all my reviews