Invasion of the body snatchers.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Matsuri
Translation: Julie Goniwich
Lettering: Takeshi Kamura
What They Say
“The most wretched humans are those who dig their own graves…”
Murakumo Inn welcomes the troubled masses, human or otherwise. Payment is accepted in only one form-your most unfortunate secrets. And this evening’s guests of honor are…Sasaki’s classmates?!
Relish in tonight’s tale of their descent into madness as the inn transforms into a high-stakes gambling den…
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
We’ve met many characters throughout the first four volumes of Phantom Tales. Even though there has been a forward progression of events, each chapter has often felt like a standalone story in an anthology. This volume has a clear beginning, middle, and end of a tale. It also brings together all of the main secondary characters while focusing once again on Sasaki.
In the previous volume, we learned that beasts could take over the bodies of humans. Literal skin-walkers. Sasaki becomes the target of a demon fox gambling den. They collect humans that make good candidates for body snatching and deem Sasaki a perfect candidate. He’s already hollowed out, after all. The Owner comes to Sasaki’s rescue because he isn’t done letting secrets build up inside his guest.
Yet that’s not where the story ends in this volume. Sasaki isn’t the only target of the foxes. In a twist of fate, a school trip to the mountains brings together all of the side characters we’ve come to know, plus the young priest Yoshitaka. He is a friend of the man who is determined to destroy the Owner, Saejima, and represents the other side of the coin of personalities. Where Saejima is ruthless and vengeful, Yoshitaka is committed to his quest to help others.
We also meet a classmate of the trio of young students we’ve come to know. This new kid is named Youta, and he’s the typical target of the bullies in the class. He’s timid, short, out-of-shape. They play that game where they act like his friends but treat him like a punching bag. He and Sasaki start to strike up a friendship, along with Kyouko. Then things start to take a dark turn. A hike on the mountain turns into a mass spiriting away. The foxes want the students for their body gambling prizes. Back down the mountain, Yoshitaka performs an exorcism on a young woman only to discover she had been taken over by a fox spirit.
The moral of the story comes down to selfishness. Even in the western world, a person is expected to be giving and generous. To put others above yourself is noble and good. The Owner is swift to victim blame the humans for being selfish but lying to themselves and others about it. He says “be selfish, just be honest about it” and allows them to carry through with their desires. Even if those desires lead to their own deaths.
Sasaki and Yoshitaka are at odds with this outlook. They want to help others, they don’t want to see them in pain. As the Owner blames their own mortal foolishness for their failure they fight back with compassion and strive to do better. Never so much have I wanted to smack the smirk off the owner’s face as when he sneers and scoffs at the humans trying to do their best.
For extras, there are a few gag comics on the inside cover and a page of translation notes. Props to Yen for putting that notice about suicidal thoughts at the end of the translation page. I think that’s the first time I’ve seen a manga make sure that information was available for the reader, and after this volume, some people are going to need it.
In Summary
What makes up a person and what is selfishness? Who or what defines us? This volume of Phantom Tales tells a surprisingly cohesive narrative arc. Sasaki, the hollow boy, takes center stage as the narrative forms around him. We’re introduced to another sympathetic soul in Yoshitaka, and the rest of the regular cast all become involved in the events of this volume. I’m not a fan of the Owner’s unique brand of victim-blaming, but that’s kinda his shtick and he is a monster after all. I just wish the rest of the characters would realize his stake in the game and understand that he doesn’t have all the answers. Life is bleak enough without a creature that derives joy from suffering being your life coach.
Content Grade: B +
Art Grade: A
Packaging Grade: B +
Text/Translation Grade: B +
Age Rating: Older Teen
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: August 18, 2020
MSRP: $15.00 US / $19.50 CAN
