So much for a peaceful return to a normal school life!
Creative Staff:
Art/Story: Tsuyoshi Watanabe
Translation: Christine Dashiell
What They Say:
Rintaro is back for his second semester, and all hell’s broken loose! It’s Nangokuren High School’s annual “Battle Royal”, where upperclassmen compete for a seal rumored to grant the winner a devastating secret technique. Rintaro wants nothing to do with it, but fate conspires against him – by placing the seal right in his locker! Can Rintaro fend off the school’s throngs of battle-hardened babes? And could this be what leads him down the path to becoming one of the Dragons of Nangokuren …?
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Summer break is finally over and his father’s rigorous training regimen has allowed Rintaro more control over his condition. However, as he prepares to attend the opening ceremony for a new semester, something is terribly wrong as Ayane greets her master at the front gate. True this academy is known for its policy that the strong prey on the weak, but what awaits them is something strange … even for Nangokuren – a campus is in ruins. Buildings are crumbling, limp bodies start to fall from the sky, and then they see the cause of the destruction. It is then they sight the Dragon of Storming Jade Rino surrounded by a cadre of students, determined to prove their superiority against the lone swordswoman; however, within the blink of an eye, the small army is easily dispatched, proving the strength of one of the Dragons.
Still confused by the actions of his fellow classmates, it is not until Kosuke and Tamao explain that Rintaro understands the tradition called Battle Royal. At the beginning of September, upperclassmen participate in a hunt for a Seal hidden somewhere within the school, plus the need to secure it for three days, by any means necessary. The prize is rumored to be a spectacular martial arts technique, and that is when the problems arise … none of the students know the meaning of restraint. Therefore, once the contest starts, the girls wreck havoc on anyone and anything so they can earn the award, but so far no one has ever won the tournament, and luckily freshmen are exempt. So for the time being, it is best if the three guys stay out the way and let their bloodthirsty seniors fight it out.
With a sigh of relief, Rintaro is astonished by the destruction caused on the first day, however he is still curious as to the prize for this wild fiasco. As he ponders the award, the dazed boy opens his shoe locker and is surprised to find a stylized dragon statue, reminiscent to a Chinese royal symbol. But as he picks it up, a note attached notifies the startled student that he has found the Seal … and wishes the winner good luck in retaining it. Shaking his head, Rintaro closes the door, blinks and reopens it, amazed to find out that it wasn’t a dream. Why does he, a freshmen, have the Seal that everyone is looking for? Since he can’t participate in this contest, what purpose is there to paint a target on his back? Terrified beyond belief, his first instinct is to panic but once he comes face to face with Ayane, even that reaction is not enough to soothe his frayed nerves. How is Rintaro going to survive three days when even his own disciple causes such severe trauma? Will he be all alone or can he somehow find someone who can cheer up his spirit to help combat the ridiculous strength of the Dragon of Gleaming Might Kyoka and the Dragon of Storming Jade Rino? Or is there another way out of this precarious predicament?
In Summary:
Ever since Rintaro became drastically desensitized to his Hentai Syndrome, one of the major topics from Dragons Rioting has been wiped away from the manga – outrageous humor. And now with Ayane almost completely gone from this volume, there would seem to be not much to keep the reader attached to this story. But if that is your thinking, then you would be sincerely wrong, all thanks to Watanabe-sensei’s skillful manipulation of the true underlying themes for this series: loyalty, friendship and a strong sense of moral justice. While gratuitous fan service still ranks high for the reason why most males pick up this book, and it still has a noticeable impact on Rintaro’s reactions and actions, the comical effect has been lessened in lieu for more meaningful relationships and drama.
I find this new departure a pleasing change from the first time I picked up this book, of course attracted by the alluring portrait of one of the amazing women from series. While there is still some reason for the Parental Advisory Warning Explicit Content label tacked upon the front cover, the meaning for this sign seems to have been ignored by readers who have become used to the constant exposure of half naked women and violence. But even within this caustic environment, Watanabe-sensei still manages to slip in embarrassing jokes at our hero’s expense while keeping the main themes of friendship and justice relevant to the core of the story, and this is especially true to this volume. To be quite honest, this issue is my favorite of the series so far, escalating Rintaro’s need to understand the truth behind Nangokuren and its brutal need of might means strength over all. While his martial arts discipline is the key to keeping his disease under control, at the same time, it has also opened his mind to the fact that power is not needed to keep it in check: All he needs is self control.
And as he begins to rationalize that meaning in his own life and thus the effects of his Hentai Syndrome begin to lessen, so too does he develop the insight behind his attendance of this institution. But of course, the introduction of Honori of the Cheer Squad helps him to realize his true strength and eventually that the ways of Nangokuren may be wrong. I love how Watanabe-sensei is able to bring all of these concepts in focus against the perception that men are not the only violent sex of the species; of course, it also helps that fan service from ample cleavage, panty shots, half naked girls in hot springs and eel jokes lighten the mood of this volume, while at the same time allowing the audience to grasp what Rintaro is now just beginning to understand, even with all of his years of martial arts discipline.
Dragons Rioting is proudly evolving from what it was first appeared to be when I first picked up this book: a martial arts manga sprinkled with ecchi elements to lure in a curious male audience. Of course while the copious amounts of eye candy may have kept most of the readers attracted to the series, if you stay long enough and begin to understand the premise behind that fan service, a deeper story will be your true reward. Rintaro may have seemed like an unlikely hero surrounded by his unwanted harem of buxom beauties, but now that he has decided to take a stand for his own meaning of Nangokuren’s truth, I cannot wait to see how this unwilling savior will rise to the occasion.
Content Grade: A+
Art Grade: A
Packaging Grade: A
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: Mature
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: March 21, 2017
MSRP: $13.00