One against one against one.
Creative Staff
Story: Kafka Asagiri
Art: Sango Harukawa
Translation/Adaptation: Kevin Gifford
What They Say
The American group of ability users known as the “Guild” appears, led by the wealthy Francis Scott Fitzgerald, who has his sights set on the Armed Detective Agency! Can Agency president Fukuzawa stop him…!? Not if Guild member Lucy Montgomery and can help it!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Kyouka is at the Armed Detective Agency and is immediately taken into the folds with Atsushi looking over. Atsushi is given even more responsible and is given his own case with Kenji to help out. While they work on solving the case, Atsushi quickly realizes that he can hardly keep with up Kenji’s optimistic attitude and case solving methods.
With Akutagawa unconscious and gravely injured, Higuchi struggles with his condition and the change in how the Port Mafia treats her now that her partner is out of commission. While she wallows in self-pity, Akutagawa is kidnapped. She realizes that the meaning of her existence, the reason why she stays in the Port Mafia is all because of Akutagawa. Despite being warned it’s a suicide mission to go after him even though she is powerless, she goes anyway. When things get back, other Port Mafia officers come and help out saving both her and Akutagawa.
Dazai is back in action and The Guild makes an elaborate entrance on Armed Detective Agency. Fitzgerald offers to buy the Agency and its “license to operate a company using special skills”. Fukuzawa instantly declines the offer. Fitzgerald walks away, but issues a warning on his way out. The next day, splashed all over the news, an entire building disappears along with some of the Agency’s staff. When Atsushi is abducted too, it turns out he is trapped into one of The Guild’s skill, Montgomery, in a sealed room with Anne of Abyssal Red. Atsushi and Tanizaki are forced to play a game of tag with Anne with the goal of getting the agents out.
Tanizaki is capture instantly and Atsushi does a good job evading Anne. However, Atsushi finds out that Montgomery was also from an orphanage, but picked up by The Guild. However, her situation is grim compared to his and she’s not happy about it. If she messes up her mission, she’s finished. Atsushi is captured, but not for long, because Tanizaki and him have been working together from the beginning and force Montgomery to release them from her skill. It’s also revealed that the Port Mafia still have a very active role in the situation at hand.
In Summary
This volume was filled with small snippets exploring specific characters while moving the story along and introducing the next with The Guild. What’s awesome about this manga up to this point is how the art and story consistently blends together to create characters that the readers can feel themselves become attached to. It’s probably the foundation of the manga’s popularity. While I did watch the anime in the entirety, I’m really enjoying getting to know the characters in better detail.
As always, Yen Press does a fantastic production job with front and back inside covers with mini-comics and color inserts. However, there were several pages with words cut off from top. Overall, the series is a good story for manga fans across the board.
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: A-
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: Older Teen
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: September 19, 2017
MSRP: $13.00
