Secrets are revealed and threats build as we explore a more dangerous world for the characters.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Akaza Samamiya
Translation/Adaptation: Katherine Schilling
What They Say
“Mary” finally appears before Maria, who can’t bring himself to ask about what happened on the night his father died. While Maria is unable to face the truth, “Mary” offers him a deal: if Maria can get Mary to recall the forgotten memories of Mary’s past, “Mary” will reveal how his father died. Meanwhile, Hydra, who has also come to England, has a reunion with the skeleton of “Mary” in an old castle…
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
I’ve grown fond of this strange vampire manga. Over the course of the first five volumes, the mangaka has developed the most basic fantasy world where vampires seem to be a well established race hidden in the night. Because the focus of the story has remained on the central characters, there has never been a messy attempt at world building to try to make sense of what vampires are to the larger society. In other words, we see the world through a group of privileged characters who themselves only marginally understand everything around them. This lack of “facts-about-the-world” has allowed the story to reach volume 6 where memories return and knowledge is gained. Now everything seems more dangerous. Suspense has been built, now the momentum of the story has been shifted into fifth.
Ichiro and Mary have found their way back England where Mary first became a vampire. Mary’s inner self has started to come out and has told Ichiro that Mary’s outer personality had his memories sealed. Inner Mary promised Maria that if he could unseal the memories, he would tell him his father’s last words. Maria then takes Mary out into the world to see if the surroundings will cause memories to return. Somewhere in all of this, we learn Hydra, who had a relationship with the inner Mary, has set into motion her own plan.
While they are out, the old expert on vampires has returned to England. He explains some of the lore around Mary’s inner personality, and then he tells Ichiro he must return to Japan on a mission to have his power of exorcism returned. This sets up a unique moment where we can currently question Mary and Ichiro’s relationship. I don’t mean that in the yaoi-like way Ichiro feeds Mary, even though that aspect also appears more suspect than in past chapters.
Back in Japan, Takumi Sakuraba tries to find out some of the secrets his grandfather and Yzak have that would help explain how things have come to this. He finds much more than he would like to know.
While much of the early series has been focused on creating characters with questions, this second half begins with an energy of those same characters confronting answers that may be too heavy for them to carry. I think I recognize at least five possible story lines that are all beginning to vibrate with the tolling drum of characters marching to unhappy resolutions. Things are beginning to get interesting.
In Summary:
Bloody Mary ended in Japan at volume 10, and now with volume 6 released in translation, we get an idea of where the story will be going. Suddenly, Akaza Samamiya has divulged some smoldering secrets and opened the story for action and intrigue. Ichiro will soon need to confront Yzak for the power needed to protect himself and kill Mary, so the tone of the story now settles into one where we question how cold Ichiro’s feelings for Mary really are.
Better than the story, readers can guess what might occur over the next four volumes, but expectations continue to be broken with subtle twists and quiet explanations. Bloody Mary, like any good mystery, continues to force the reader to reexamine everyone while we wait for the climax to explode.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: A-
Age Rating: Teen
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: March 7th, 2017
MSRP: $9.99
