A sudden hasty move reshuffles the players and launches Miharu and Yoite on cross-country hike back home.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Yuhki Kamatani
Translation/Adaptation: Alethea Nibley & Athena Nibley
What They Say
As Yoite’s condition worsens, Yukimi’s mind drifts, eventually settling on the mystery of the dying Kira user’s past. Acting independently at the cost of his assigned mission, the Grey Wolves’ resident journalist sets off in search of the truth about his ward’s life with little to guide him. Left to their own devices, Yoite and Miharu break free of Hattori and the Grey Wolves when they learn that the leader of the pack knows much more about them than he has ever let on! On their own and on the run, the two do their best to stay alive and solve the puzzle of the Shinra Banshou. But in the world of shinobi, death is never very far behind…
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Nabari no Ou continues to be a highly unpredictable series. I certainly didn’t see the strangely abrupt incident that happens in this volume coming.
Miharu’s decision to join up with the Grey Wolves comes back to bite him during a strange exchange with the Grey Wolves leader, Hattori. Hattori figured out Yoite’s plan, and lectures to Miharu against using the Shinra Banshou to erase Yoite’s existence. Why did Hattori chose that moment to make such a rash move, when he could have just waited out Yoite’s death? Hattori has always come of as an egomaniac, but this seems like an odd lapse in judgement. He’s also the one who hired the Kasa group to hunt down his detractors. It makes me wonder if it’s just bad writing or if there’s some other time related issue forcing his hand. The end result of the sudden shift of alignment sends Miharu and Yoite fleeing.
Elsewhere, others are more interested in the well being of the boys. Yukimi spent the last several years being Yoite’s caretaker at the request of the Grey Wolves. Until recently he never thought to look into Yoite’s past, but those reporter instincts must have finally kicked in because he decides to set out and find the truth. It’s through Yukimi’s efforts that we get a better idea of who Yoite is, although we’re not given the full story yet. Yukimi manages to track down a boy who considers himself a brother to Yoite, or ‘Sora’ as he was once called. It paints the picture of a child wracked with guilt who constantly struggled with his identity. Yukimi’s alliance to Yoite puts him at odds with his employer, leaving his sister in an odd situation and Raikou pursuing him as a traitor.
Miharu and Yoite flee toward Banten, dodging attacks from the Kasa shinobi along the way. The tension comes not from the attacks, but from a lingering sense of dread that time is running out. They spend most of the time hitchhiking and spending little moments together against the scenery of the countryside. It’s at this moment where the last vestiges of Yoite’s original role as an antagonist are brushed aside when it’s revealed his initial threat toward Miharu’s friends was empty. Miharu doesn’t even care about that. The two kids need each other more than either is willing to admit, and this precious time spent together is all too brief. There’s a pervasive sadness to the journey, because you know that one way or another, it’s all going to come to an end.
In Summary
All of the carefully laid plans of various groups have seemingly fallen apart in this volume of Nabari no Ou. With several key players fleeing the Grey Wolves, and with Tobari still nowhere in sight, it’s anyone’s guess as to what might happen to Miharu and Yoite. Yoite’s background is starting to become clear, and makes him a much more sympathetic character to get behind. There’s a marked difference in tone in this time from the earlier, formulaic fights that made up the bulk of the earlier volumes. The fights that are here are brief and deliberate snippets of action. The chapters here stand apart, bookended by an illustration which carries the events and makes them seem almost self contained. If Miharu wants to save Yoite, or grant his wish, he’s going to have to do it soon, because time is almost up.
Content Grade: B +
Art Grade: B +
Packaging Grade: B +
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: February 28th, 2012
MSRP: $11.99
