A marine dragon from the otherworld wreaks havoc in the Pacific Ocean.
Creative Staff
Story: Buncololi
Art: Kantoku
Translation/Adaptation: Alice Prowse
What They Say
OCTODRAGON, HORROR OF THE DEEP!
Thanks to Peeps getting a little lost in the sauce, the whole world has found out about the base where Sasaki and Futarishizuka were keeping Lady Elsa. When Sasaki’s various acquaintances show up there looking for him, bullets and magic fly as the carefully built boundaries in his life come crashing down. Meanwhile, Sasaki gets a new assignment—dealing with a giant sea monster in the North Pacific! Between this rampaging octodragon(?) and distressing new developments in the proxy war, can Peeps and his exhausted owner manage to save Japan and—more importantly—get some rest?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
For a guy whose goal is a slow, relaxing life, Sasaki’s working pretty hard in both the modern and the otherworld. And things get particularly chaotic in Tokyo when individuals representing all four supernatural groups stumble into each other in Sasaki’s hotel suite.
So much for the secrets he’s been trying so hard to hide. Passing off their superhuman damage as an “unidentified gas explosion” is one thing; keeping all those parties–two of which are sworn enemies and one who’s really unhinged when it comes to Sasaki–is another thing.
Interestingly, a bigger problem explodes onto the scene to force the four factions to cooperate, if only temporarily. Yet another inhabitant of the otherworld appears in the Pacific Ocean: a kaiju-sized octodragon. And there’s no time to wonder about how it crossed over – the powerful beast is on a swift trajectory toward Japan! Most of this volume is a lengthy set up for the cooperative effort, and it includes a show of force by five Magical Girls, a Demon/Angel skirmish that destroys Sasaki’s apartment, and the most suspiciously extravagant employee welcome party ever. Buncololi keeps things interesting, all the while seamlessly weaving the details that compel the four-way collaboration.
My main complaint is–as Sasaki’s neighbor observes–that Sasaki’s constantly surrounded by underage and ostensibly underage females. Their personalities and characterizations make the book’s brand of fan service particularly distasteful. Sasaki’s 13-year-old neighbor is especially bothersome in this respect. As in previous volumes, the POV occasionally switches to her, and her obsessive thoughts are disturbing to be frank.
With the marine monster causing so much trouble, the events in Japan take up the lion’s share of this volume. And to be honest, things are relatively quiet in the otherworld – except for a sudden visit to Sasaki’s not-yet-complete estate by Prince Lewis. The encounter provides a better picture of Prince Adonis’ rival for the throne, and though Prince Lewis’ attempts to ensnare Sasaki are not nearly as formidable as a dragon that can destroy nations, they’re probably a hint of headaches to come for Baron Sasaki.
The first eight pages, which contain illustrations and a thread from Futarishizuka’s social media, are printed in full color. Extras also include a summary of events thus far, ten black-and-white insert illustrations, afterword, and original cover material.
In Summary
What happens when you put otherworld inhabitants, a Demon and his Disciple, psychics, and a Magical Girl in a hotel room? Pandemonium at its most destructive! Fortunately (or unfortunately?) for Sasaki, a gargantuan otherworldly octodragon swims onto the scene, forcing all parties to cooperate for the sake of the planet. Meanwhile, Sasaki’s carefully kept secrets get exposed one after the other. Hopes of a quiet life seem to be drifting further away as supernatural disasters keep him working overtime!
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: B-
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: May 23rd, 2023
MSRP: $15.00
