[REVIEW] Lament of the Lamb (Hitsuji no Uta) by Toume Kei
Title: Lament of the Lamb (Hitsuji no Uta)
By: TOUME Kei
Genre: Seinen
Serialized in: Comic Birz
Status: Completed: 7 volumes, 47 chapters
Warning: Scenes with slight blood, death
Overall rating: 8 out of 10
Summary
All of those who hold the name Takashiro share a disease: a lust for blood that only human blood can satiate. After the death of his mother, Takashiro Kazuna is sent away to live with close friends of his father, and Kazuna lives peacefully with no signs of the said disease.
One day, though, Kazuna’s uncontrollable thirst for blood emerges. He suddenly has an urge to go back to his old home, and when he does, he meets a girl named Chizuna, who suddenly reveals that she is his sister. Bit by bit, Kazuna’s past unravels before him, his thirst for blood becoming more frequent. Together, Chizuna and Kazuna struggle with their fate as Takashiros, for there is a horrible outcome for every member of their lineage.
Main Characters
Kazuna Takashiro: The protagonist of Lament of the Lamb. He is not very active with his studies, and isn’t as familiar with the Takashiro curse as Chizuna is. He resembles his father greatly to the point that Chizuna sometimes mistakes one for the other.
Chizuna Takashiro: Kazuna’s sister, and a fellow Takashiro. Having dealt with symptoms of the curse all her life, she frequently takes custom medicine prescribed by her father’s accomplice, Doctor Minase.
My Rating
Story: 8:10
Although this may seem like another vampire story (the characters even refer to themselves as vampires at times), it’s more complex than a usual one. When you expect something to happen, the story always twists that expectation in a really interesting way. Overall, Lament of the Lamb is appealing and a complex horror series, for it ties mysterious events with real life issues.
Characters: 8:10
The characters are all very interesting in their own way. Though most of their personalities are common, they all have something unique about them (whether it be a talent or attitude) that makes them uncommon and even more likable. I also like how they all interact with each other in a more... realistic way than most series.
Art: 9:10
Kei Toume’s art style is quite appealing, for she combines grungy lines with clean and simple styles. The character designs fit their personalities, and the artwork is uniquely coloured, though the art can be a bit messy at times. The drawings really fit the mood of the events in Lament of the Lamb.
Overall: 8:10
Lament of the Lamb is a great read, though fans of happy series should avoid it. Some parts of the story were mind-boggling, and some were to be expected. Being a fan of Kei Toume’s works, I easily got attached to Lament of the Lamb, and the unpredictable twists and turns intrigued me.
Download Links
Volume 1 [001-006]
Volume 2 [007-012]
Volume 3 [013-020]
Volume 4 [021-027]
Volume 5 [028-034]
Volume 6 [035-040]
Volume 7 [041-047]
Other Notes
Lament of the Lamb has an OVA called Hitsuji no Uta.