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meganbmooreIt’s unfortunate that I don’t find the individual stories about Hiruko’s various customers particularly interesting (though it may be more accurate to say that, at this point, their stories and nightmares are starting to run together), given how much I like the setting, art (the linework for the characters is fairly common, but the imagery and backgrounds are lovely) and the main characters and what’s going on with them.
Actually, the mangaka seems to be striving for new nightmares, as several of the ones here are rather uninspired, and there are several sections here that could be summed up as “Hifumi messes up and causes trouble for Hiruko.”
When the book shines, however, is when it focuses on the tragedy and mystery of Azusa and Hiruko, and their relationships with Mizuki. Both of which are kept just on the right side of depressing by Hifumi and his…Hifumi-ness. We finally get some real answers regarding Azusa and Hiruko, and a good indication of what’s happened to Azusa. We also meet another, less-nice Baku, and, maybe most importantly, get a look at Mizuki’s thoughts on the whole situation, and on Azusa, from before Azusa’s illness.
Actually, the mangaka seems to be striving for new nightmares, as several of the ones here are rather uninspired, and there are several sections here that could be summed up as “Hifumi messes up and causes trouble for Hiruko.”
When the book shines, however, is when it focuses on the tragedy and mystery of Azusa and Hiruko, and their relationships with Mizuki. Both of which are kept just on the right side of depressing by Hifumi and his…Hifumi-ness. We finally get some real answers regarding Azusa and Hiruko, and a good indication of what’s happened to Azusa. We also meet another, less-nice Baku, and, maybe most importantly, get a look at Mizuki’s thoughts on the whole situation, and on Azusa, from before Azusa’s illness.