Lucille finally has the black oratorio, but time is running out, and he still has some difficult decisions to make.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Kaori Yuki
Translation/Adaptation: Camellia Nieh
What They Say
The Grand Orchestra is wanted for the murder of Duke Rhodonite, and being on the run is causing the group to fracture. Can Lucille keep his band together, or will the rogues take this opportunity to go their own way? And if the Grand Orchestra dissolves, who is left to face Le Sénat?
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Lucille and his troupe of zombie fighting musician’s are now wanted criminals, after the assassination of the Duke in the last volume. This doesn’t phase the group much, though Lucille attempts to convince the others that maybe they should disband. Instead they move forward with their plan and make a move on Le Sénat.
On their way there we learn of Kohaku’s past. His talent for the violin is similar to Eles’ gift with the piano. Unfortunate events had lead him to becoming a resistance fighter. His past isn’t quite as shocking as the others, but seeing what lead him to become the fighter he is now completes the backstories of the group. Well, all except the finer points of Lucille’s tangled past, some more of which is detailed later when he finally decides to open up to his comrades.
Most of the groups and characters we’ve encountered during the course of the story have been portrayed as not starkly good or evil, something I appreciate. Even Le Sénat aren’t diabolical villains and they have their own motivations and reasons behind their actions. What Lucille told the others in the previous volume about the guignol virus isn’t the full story. The timeline of events becomes muddled when myth starts to collide with Lucille’s recent past, mixing weird science with fantasy. The unusual members of the Sénat quickly turn the tables on the group, and Eles is regulated back to being a damsel in distress because she fails at knowing when to stay put and listen to orders. It’s frustrating to see perceptive characters do stupid thing, no matter how well meaning. Even when those stupid decisions end up have a positive effect in the end, of course. Although at this point I shouldn’t be surprised to see another of the troupe’s plans fail miserably, they seem to have a talent for mayhem.
Berthier and his new lackey make an appearance once again, causing problems for Le Sénat and bringing more death and destruction in his wake. However, before he can arrive, Lucille is able to recover the black oratorio and we get to see what lies inside it’s pages in detail. Lucille is finally able to take the initiative to remove the queen from power, but he’s torn. She’s destroyed so many lives, but their connection is so deep, and he’s already tried to remove her by force once before. In the end, he departs for the castle, leaving Eles behind in Spinel’s care. Eles is shocked at being abandoned but is determine to follow after anyway, because she made a horrible mistake and swapped out the black oratorio with Lucille’s hymnal book. That pales in the wake of the truly shocking and dismal events of what happens right after, setting up a complicated confrontation for the final volume.
In Summary:
The truth behind the origin of the guignol virus, the phelomela, Le Sénat, and Lucille’s goals are all laid bare. Now Lucille is going to have to confront the queen and make a final decision, if he can reach her. A shocking loss at the end of this volume, and old betrayals, are only going to come back to haunt the troupe during their final confrontation against the queen and the cursed power which rules the country. There’s no telling if anyone is going to survive the encounter, and with the casualties already starting the final volume should prove to be thrilling, regardless of the outcome.
Content Grade: A –
Art Grade: B +
Packaging Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: B +
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Viz Media
Released Date: September 6th, 2011
MSRP: $9.99
