I meant to do a “manga backlog” theme this time around, but Deadly Manga Minis has a neat ring to it. From high stakes survival games to wheelchair assassins to killer sharks, this installment features some dangerously great manga titles! Let’s check them out, shall we?
(Also note, I WILL try and do a manga backlog manga minis column this month, so stay tuned for that! The first review here was supposed to follow that theme, may as well post it here.)
Disney Twisted-Wonderland the Manga: Book of Heartslabyul Volume 1 (VIZ Media)
An interesting look at the gacha mobile game, Twisted-Wonderland Book of Heartslabyul follows the adventures of Yuken Enma (known as Yuu, like in the main game) as he is whisked away to Night Raven College, a magical school inspired by the villains of Disney lore. As he can’t use magic, Yuu is forced to stay enrolled as Professor Crowley tries to find a way to return him back to his world.
In the meantime, he creates an unwitting companion in Grim, a cat who wishes to enroll in the Night Raven College as well. Partnering with Ace Trappola and Deuce Spade to retrieve a Magestone in order to fix a magical chandelier, the group is ambushed by a daunting foe. Thankfully, Yuu’s skill as Kendo assistant captain helps him immensely, as he survives the supernatural creatures through brute strength. However, even if Yuu and his buddies survive this task, they have to face off against an equally dismal threat: The housewarden Riddle Rosehearts, the Rose-Red Tyrant!
As this is based off a gacha game, this first volume does a good job introducing readers to the cast. It might not do much for those who aren’t interested in the source material, but the art style is nice enough for those picking up the manga. Yuu isn’t that appealing of a main character (which makes sense, as he’s supposed to be an avatar of the player), but I did enjoy the references to the Disney villain lore (reminiscent of something like The Descendants). As the whole first arc is now available in the west, fans of the mobile Twisted-Wonderland should definitely pick this up! Everyone else might be better waiting on something else, however.
Rating: 3 out of 5 UwUs
Killer Shark in Another World Volume 1 (Seven Seas Entertainment)
Deadly manga minis come back with a vengeance. Another manga review, another opportunity to explain my love-hate relationship with Isekai. I’m going back to warming up to the concept, and there’s a ton of series subverting my expectations. One manga is Killer Shark in Another World, which takes its one-note premise and goes in for the kill.
Shiromi is your below-average summoner who just wants to save her world from the demon lord. After unsuccessfully summoning a familiar, she gets distracted and watches a shark B-movie. At her next session, she ends up calling forth an adorable aquatic animal…
Its name is Sharkiller.
Almost immediately, Sharkiller goes wild in the crowd, absolutely murdering every couple in sight (as he cannot stand the sight of couples in heat). Ostracized by her school, Shiromi reluctantly goes on an adventure with Sharkiller in order to protect the land from evil creatures. However, what will the duo find, and is the land worth saving anyways?
First off, the series is literally what it says on the tin. Murderous shark will kill anyone that isn’t his summoner. What’s so great about the series though? The fact that it takes its schlocky premise and goes up to 11 with gore and self-deprecating humor. It helps that almost every victim of Sharkiller basically deserves their fate, which makes the takedowns very satisfying.
That said, it’s a shame that other than Sharkiller himself (who’s vaguely reminiscent of Marvel’s Jeff the Baby Land Shark on a good day), there’s nobody likeable in the cast. Everyone from demons to villagers hate the girl and her shark, which highlights the bleakness of the setting. Even Shiromi, as well-meaning as she is, becomes a sniveling wreck who can’t stand up for herself. However, the whole story feels like a B-movie, and it becomes more entertaining because of that.
The art is amazing (specifically any action sequence that involves a ton of dismemberment), and the shark designs are innovative, giving tons of homages from movies like Jaws and Sharknado. This one isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you’re looking for a darkly humorous gorefest of an Isekai, you’ll love this one!
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
Tank Chair Volume 1 (Kodansha) – Deadly Manga Minis Early Review!
Since we’re going with a killer theme this time around, let’s head somewhere grittier. Tank Chair features a raging Japanese wasteland where only the strongest survive, so what happens when an unassuming schoolgirl takes intense assassin jobs?
In reality, Shizuka Nagino sends the most murderous hit requests to her brother, Nagi Taira. Nagi is wheelchair-bound and mostly braindead due to an accident that left him in this condition. Most of his life is living in an unresponsive vegetative state with his sister.
However, when faced with murderous intent, his consciousness rebirths and he becomes a skilled assassin. His wheelchair also helps him get through tricky situations, as it acts as a transformative piece of armor for him. With this in mind, it’s up to Shizuka to find someone with the will to kill so strong, it might help Nagi recover permanently.
Tank Chair was a surprisingly bloody good time! Those looking for Fist of the North Star vibes will find a great time. The action sequences work well, and the artist does a great job fitting Nagi’s handicaps into battles.
I enjoyed how the fight scenes were diverse as well, with the last opponent of the volume figuring out his weaknesses quickly before fleeing. I did appreciate the brother/sister dynamic of the main duo, and while Nagi doesn’t have much going in terms of personality, the murderous switch helps set him aside from other protagonists.
Rating: 4 out of 5 UwUs
Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table Volume 1 (Yen Press)
Finally, to wrap up our deadly manga minis roundup, we have the first volume of an interesting light novel. As the epilogue states, Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table is not for everyone. However, the light novel’s interesting critique on the genre makes this a special treat for those who can stomach the subject matter.
Yuki is a girl who wakes up in a mysterious room while dressed up as a maid. With a group of fellow girls, she must investigate what happened and how to survive.
Except this isn’t her first rodeo; in fact, this isn’t even her second one. A 27-time veteran of death games, Yuki is making a 28th attempt at surviving to earn money (alongside some other motivation revealed later). The light novel drops readers into this death game as Yuki tries to console the others. I liked how the prose also implies that Yuki’s veteran nature means that she knows what to expect but is still shocked at the death that envelops the setting.
For example, she knows that the organization hosting these games put girls under the “Preservation Treatment”, which means they will not undergo blood and gore. Chopped arms? No problem! As long as the contestant doesn’t die, the organization patches them up for the next game. This also means that the light novel doesn’t linger on gory descriptions (though they do occur in-game, especially in the second half depicting Yuki’s 9th experience). There are some scenes that do lose their shock value due to this, but it works most of the time.
It’s this callous yet pragmatic way that the light novel looks at the business of survival that hooks me. Much like Dead Company or Battle Royale before it, there’s a cynicism drenched in these deadly survival games. However, Yuki is a protagonist that finds no greater joy than surviving, and has a strict moral code to save as many people as possible.
However, she won’t hesitate to kill if needed, and there’s something about that which makes her a dynamic protagonist. It’s this characterization that’s polarizing for some, but I think it makes her characterization complex and endearing. The whole discussion on sanitization of death games through the Preservation Treatment is also an interesting take.
This debut volume is a perfect blend of thrilling action and biting commentary, and I’m dying to read more (pun intended).
Rating: 4 out 5 UwUs
And that’s it for our deadly manga minis! We’ll have more killer manga reviews coming to you here on Miso!
