A good follow-up, even if it lacks the punch of last volume
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Go Ikeyamada
Translation/Adaptation: Tomo Kimura
What They Say
The earthquake is over, but the aftermath is still devastating the region. Mitsuru and Azusa try to put the power of the Tokugawa Group to good use while others, including Megumu and her mom, rush to Sendai to look for their missing loved ones. Megumu wants to hold on to hope, but Aoi still isn’t picking up his phone…
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
We start the volume dealing with the aftermath of the quake, which starts quite literally with the aftershocks as we find out that Azusa is terrified of them. But fortunately she isn’t just stuck with that vulnerable moment for long, as we soon find her just straight up taking charge in her father’s company, making sure that they’re doing everything they can to help.
The core of the volume comes up afterward, though, as Megumu decides to go to Sendai (alongside her mom) hoping to find Aoi, as they’ve been unable to get in contact with him. Now, this one plot point is the one that feels a tad weak overall. I mean, they find him without showing all that much effort on that point, and he himself is relatively unharmed. So in a way, it really feels like this one bit, in particular, is just there too jerk the reader around, with all the foreshadowing and the danger he’s placed in, which just ends in an abrupt “he’s okay”. Though I won’t harp on that fact, as it’s more used to show the devastation to the area itself and the people living there, and I’d say that’s done both tastefully and well.
The emotional center of the book, though, is actually about Aoi’s mom and her fate. The way it’s set up is that ultimately she realizes who he is and how precious he is to her right at the end and goes back for him, but loses her life in the process. It’s an interesting scene as it’s not a straightforward redemption of the character, but more a muddled one. It’s made clear that she’s a flawed character, but one that seemingly regained her humanity in the end. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but I do think it’s ultimately pretty well done and certainly makes for a powerful moment. And that’s all the more true when you add in the fact that she’s leaving a son behind, and there’s the hint of Aoi instead using this as a chance to form a relationship with this child who is now without a mother.
In Summary
This volume is an interesting one, as it follows up on the seriously shocking twist of last time. And I’d say it largely succeeds, though with some minor issues here or there. Most notably, there’s what feels like a tad bit of a cheap fake-out to create drama, which I’d prefer had been played differently. Fortunately, though, that’s not the core of the book, which instead does a very nice job of looking into the aftermath of such a disaster, displaying its tragedy in a way that brings a strong emotional impact while also feeling tasteful. And ultimately, that’s what matters here, and makes for another great read.
Content Grade: A-
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: A-
Age Rating: 18+
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: August 1st, 2017
MSRP: $9.99
