The journey of writing these initial reviews takes me all sorts of places in my research. In that way I have a new appreciation for what the Shogakukan editorial does in finding and serializing new talent. Which brings me to Kagurai where, well...I don't think in any of my write-ups so far that I've found a pair who haven't really had anything to do with manga before their first serialization. More after the jump!
The Writer/ Artist
Lettuce and Mashu Taro
When there's a duo involved, I tend to give each one their own section. (Obvious thing is obvious, I know) but in this case the two are for all intents and purposes a package deal. See, Lettuce and Mashu used to work at the same gaming company, and after deciding to change careers thought to themselves "Let's make a manga!" which brings us to Kagurai. That's it. There wasn't a long succession of oneshots, or a childhood dreaming of drawing (as far as I can tell?) they just used to do gaming and then made the jump to manga. I'd love to interview them someday to get more details than what is publically published (via this single interview I found), but for now it's all I've got. Lettuce-sensei doesn't have any manga or, well, any credits at all before this series. On the contrary, Mashu-sensei is/was a professional illustrator. I found their personal tumblr where you can take a look at their gallery. Warning beforehand that it's almost 90% characters from the Fate franchise, of which I shamefully know very little about, which is why I'll abstain from posting anything on this site outright. From what I've read on their socials, they're big enough that they get requests for illustrations from major companies, and for real? I get it. Their artwork is sublime in a way that defies words, and that it somehow manages to say amazing even for a weekly serial is nothing short of miraculous. The interview I found with the duo is woefully short, but essentially the series came from Lettuce's love of tall elegant women, and the duo's love of straightforward shonen manga. They don't hide that they ultimately want Kagurai to be the kind of work that spawns a franchise of anime and such, and to that end I hope that's what happens.
The Serial
Kagurai: Kagura to Raito
Starting in issue #26 of Weekly Shonen Sunday is Lettuce and Mashu Taro's first serial, Kagurai: Kagura to Raito. The blurb describes the series as a story of a duo who is searching for their own way of life. This is based off the oneshot that ran in issue #24 last year.
The Premise
I'm glad I was able to find the interview to get some idea of the thought behind this story, however it's eminent from the very start that the beating heart at the center of this story is the grand road of shonen manga storytelling. Although it isn't clearly stated, some terms like "shogunate" and fixtures of the time imply the series takes place around the 1800s, but the series plays hard and fast with ensuring it doesn't adhere to a single era. In the story, Kagura is a girl born into a prestigious samurai family, and with that comes its own trials and tribulations --she's too busy learning the way of the blade to make friends, and that in turn makes her an intimidating figure to the neighborhood children even when she does have a moment of downtime. Not that this matters since her family is thoughtlessly strict on the girl. However, in the world of Kagurai, humans live alongside non-humans --ninyou (which means something along the line of "human apparition.") and it's beyond the construct of humans befriending humans that Kagura makes her first friend, a ninyou named Raito.
However, it isn't quite as easy as opening the door and letting Raito hang out at the house --the human and non-human carry an adversarial relationship toward each other as ninyou eventually become full on monsters or youma (which is akin to "demons" or "ghosts") and the humans just can't have that. As such Kagura and Raito can only dream of a day when they grow up and leave this land of restriction and violence behind them. That alone would be a great hook for the series, but Lettuce and Mashu Taro-sensei don't dawdle on this point long. Chapter one sees Kagura grow up (way up) into a strapping 6'9 woman who's only goal in life is to reunite with Raito who leaves with his people to fight off youma. Eventually Kagura becomes so powerful that she easily takes down a demon razing Japan. She could ask for riches and status beyond her wildest dreams, but instead she simply wants to be with her friend Raito again.
She duels this guy
To see this guy again.
Though even there the shogun isn't satisfied with just letting them go, rather he demands they fight to the death --and they have an impressive bout indeed which ends with a draw. He starts to complain about the fight ending without anyone in a grave, and Kagura points out that if the Shogun is the one who makes the rules, then she'll have no choice but to take the position from him and order this duel done. It's audaciousness to the maximum, and I love her girl bossing her way not into getting the seat and ruling Japan, but just to leave.
As such, their journey outside begins --with them as criminals, hah. Though, as Kagura puts it, if you're going to be audacious, might as well do it all the way. This would be a great oneshot (and is pretty similar to the one that ran last year), but we're reading a full-fledged serialization. Now that the two are out, what now?
Isn't it obvious? If Japan has them branded as wanted criminals, then they've gotta take their show on the road --or overseas! Now, this is a turn I didn't expect for the series to take --that it'd take both western and eastern influences and create a whole new story out of them. Kagurai could have settled to be another series about samurai and the monsters they slay, but going to what seems to be Europe instead is certainly unique and allows for the series to stand out amongst its demon slaying peers. Especially since one of the very first things they do upon reaching a new land is to end up in a barroom brawl with the natives. To be fair, they started it by being insensitive (and racist against ninyou) jerks, so they had it coming. Their adventures really begin afterward when they're requested to take on a youma tree, which is equal parts terrifying as it is cool looking.
But I've recapped enough. How is the actual series itself? So far it's definitely entertaining, and I like that the basis for the setting is eastern demon slayers against western demons. Though perhaps it is because the authors have said they want to do a straightforward shonen series that it feels as if it's artwork, storytelling and ambition are mismatched. Of course a simplistic shonen can have a majestic art style, and there are stories that have simpler art but take on complex themes, but, and I'm not sure whether I'm conveying myself well when I say this --I think Kagurai could and should aim higher. As of current writing, the series is following the plot beats of other exorcists' series before it, from the monster of the week format to being recruited by other exorcists. Maybe it's because Lettuce and Mashu taro's experience is outside the normal confines of manga publication that I expected something else from them, and I don't necessarily think that the choices so far in Kagurai's storytelling render it unreadable, but I can't help but think the duo's ambitions are holding them back from telling a story that pays homage to the classics while also being a unique story that can stand on its own merits. However, the character narrative front is more interesting in that Kagura and Raito are searching for a means of preventing the latter from fully succumbing to his youma transformation. While this isn't a new trope in story telling, it does encourage brisk pacing, and give a sense of lore to the series that could have ended up being a mindless hack and slash. I'm most interested in seeing how Lettuce and Mashu taro-sensei handle this element, as I think it'll be what will determine whether Kagurai lives long enough to get that anime they want.
The Japanese Connection.
A lot of the comments are regarding Kagura's height --which hey, it is the biggest part of the series. (I'll see myself out) but aside from those the reception for the series is positive. However, some people take issue with the main theme (aka preventing Raito from becoming a monster) only really being touched upon in the third chapter and up until then the story being aimless. I think that's being a little harsh, since this was (admittedly only briefly) touched upon in the first chapter. So it's not as if this development came out of nowhere. There is also a ton of praise for Mashu Taro's artwork, which yes, totally agreed. However, of note is that the commentary for each chapter decreases a little more even if they're mostly praising the work. I don't know how that'll translate to buying the first volume when it releases in September, however. That being said, there are definitely factions of people who prefer reading volumes as they come out, reading chapters online or reading them in the physical magazine. I hope that all of these factions can come together and keep this series going, as I think it has lots of potential. Potential Shogakukan sees, as recently the series had consecutive color pages over two issues. That's not something they do for a series that's only doing fine, so I have high hopes.
The Verdict
Lettuce and Masu Taro-sensei having a relationship and coming from gaming rather than having a manga background is intriguing, and I want them to leverage more of that in the future. For right now, Kagurai wears its inspirations on it sleeves as a straightforward but beautifully illustrated shonen manga. This is often said in sardonic jest, however this series' strength is the characters. Kagura and Raito have great chemistry together, and the storytelling as simple as it is never forgets to highlight how important they are to one another, as they travel the wider world. While I do want to see the series take on slightly more complex matters during it's run, if Kagura and Raito's bond stays the central focus, even when it stumbles it'll have a strong foundation to keep itself Raito-ed. Jokes aside, I hope this series succeeds as I'd love to see more manga from parties who aren't manga coded in big magazines like this as they'd offer a perspective that one can only get by being on the outside looking in.
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