KUROHIME
VOL. 1: Gun of Justice
VIZ MEDIA
CARTOONIST: Masanori Ookamigumi Katakura
TRANSLATION: Joe Yamazaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Lance Caselman
ISBN: 978-1-4215-1366-9; paperback, Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
184 pp., B&W, $7.99
Zero is a highly skilled young gunslinger who travels the land helping people. His motto is “My gun is a sword of justice.” His other mission is to find Kurohime, the legendary witch-gunslinger. A firearm of a witch-gunslinger shoots “witch bullets,” which in turn fire projectiles called “witch beasts,” magical beasts and creatures that do the real destruction. When Zero was a small boy, Kurohime saved his life, and now, the young master gunslinger wants to honor the woman who taught him the importance of justice and helping others.
During his quest, Zero comes across a petulant girl named Himeko, who is on the run from the gang leader Onimaru and his crew. Zero protects Himeko without knowing that this girl child is really Kurohime. Because she was a vain (but super duper gorgeous) wretch, the gods have cursed Kurohime, transforming her into the little girl named Himeko. She can only break the curse by falling in love – which is not so easy when you think every man in the world should be your dog.
THE LOWDOWN: There’s not much that really separates the shonen manga, Kurohime by Masanori Ookamigumi Katakura, from most shonen titles aimed at 9 to 14-year-old boys, except that the title character is presented in such a highly sexualized fashion. The concept itself is a hybrid of cowboy westerns and samurai movies with the combat scenes working out like card-playing manga.
However, it isn’t so much the concept that works, but the execution. Kurohime is a funny, sexy romp with a colorful supporting cast and a gaudy collection of powerful witch, demons, and assorted all-powerful villains. Katakura’s interpretation of the adult Kurohime is an adventure in pin-up illustration and good girl art. The machine precision of the toning on Kurohime’s body is a friend to the imagination.
POSSIBLE AUDIENCE: Kurohime is part of VIZ Media’s “Shonen Jump Advanced” line, which means its shonen for big boys, and the lovely drawings of Kurohime (and the gorgeous art in general) make this a pin-up book must-have.
B+
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