2005-10-29 Upon the river's edge...

'Yami no Matsuei' (I use the romanized title merely because I like the sound of it) is something far darker, much more serious, and far closer to horror then most ?Shoujo? titles appear to be. However, it at first appears to follow a not-especially original ?bishounen and magic? premise. For all those who die, not all souls go quietly to their next lives, or willingly cross the river, so to speak. So, these ?unquiet dead? are summoned to stand trial in the Ministry of Hades. The people charged with the retrieval of those condemned/saved, are known as Shinigami (the ?Guardians of Death?). They themselves are firstly ?dead?, but secondly are similar to their clients in clinging onto life through their own selfish and cynical motivations. Apparently the first time around wasn?t good enough for them, and they all have regrets about their time on the mortal plane. This is the one thing which all the Shinigami have in common, for various reasons yet to be discovered.

The Summons Department of the Ministry of Hades proves that bureaucracy will outlast us all, and indeed that it does rather well in Hell. One of its long-time employees ?70 years without a promotion? is Asato Tsuzuki (died age 27). Many rumours surround this indigo-eyed, trench-coat wearing man. He is on the one hand a slacker, a joker, a nightmare to work with. On the other, he has somehow gained a reputation in the Ministry for being notoriously adept at ?Fuda? magic, and a force to be reckoned with in the field. As the main character of the story, Tsuzuki seems to be a mysterious one, but it is not his past alone which makes this series promising?

This first volume is split into four chapters ? three stories, and one comic epilogue detailing the nagging little details you didn?t really need to know.

Ch. 1 ? ?Two Upon the River?s Edge?: Tsuzuki is partnered with Kimura Asuka, and the pair are assigned to collect the soul of a girl summoned to trial in the Ministry. Tsuzuki runs into unexpected complications, however, when there arises a mystery in his partner?s past.

Ch. 2 ? ?Descendants of Darkness?: Where the real fun begins. Tsuzuki and his new partner Hisoka, travel to Nagasaki to investigate the ?unscheduled? deaths of people found drained of their blood. In the process, Tsuzuki meets a man called Dr. Muraki, who is far more then he seems. Hisoka hides a secret of his own, and just as the partnership between him and the elder Shinigami is called into question, things take a turn for the worse in a decidedly bizarre fashion...

Ch. 3 ? ?A Fairy Tale?: ?is just that. A small piece on a boy?s relationship with fairies. (But nothing to the previous chapter as, say, ?Crystal Heart? was to the whole of ?Demon Diary? (sorry, just had to get that off my chest)).

Ch. 4 ? ?Orientation?: A short epilogue you?ll either find interesting or irrelevant. Chief Kanoe?s assistant Tatsumi gives the Shinigami (and us) the lowdown on the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Hades. This also introduces Watari (the bloke with the bird on his shoulder), Shinigami for the sixth sector. (As you might tell, I?m one who likes details.)

The main downside to it all is that its not the most original of works. Bring on the English version of 'Death Note', whomsoever may publish it.

All things considered 'Descendants of Darkness' is a lot of fun. At many points it walks a fine line between ludicrous comedy and rather serious drama, but unlike other manga generally manages to draw a line between one and the next. Tsuzuki being a clown is moderately funny. Tsuzuki finding out the sheer depravity of Dr. Muraki is genuinely disturbing. (And when I say ?depraved?, I mean pay attention to the rating.)

One distinction I would like to raise is on the matter of this series being considered ?shounen-ai?. On the one hand we have the ?suggestions? early on in Tsuzuki and Hisoka?s relationship which can be safely called shounen-ai. On the other we have the interaction of the two with Dr. Muraki, which is not so much ?deliberate? as an obvious yaoi theme, and one which might offend. It should certainly disturb.

Two parts comfortable genre familiarity to one part supernatural horror and angst, Yami no Matsuei is a series with the potential to interest, amuse and disquiet the reader. And that?s no bad thing at all.