Monster Hunter Orage Volume 3

Manga
Monster Hunter Orage Volume 3
By Chris Zimmerman
March 13, 2012 - 13:48

Kodansha Comics
Writer(s): Hiro Mashima
Penciller(s): Hiro Mashima
Letterer(s): Wilson Ramos Jr
ISBN: 978-1-935-42951-7
$10.99 US

Fanservice? Check.

An abundance of action? Check.

A naïve hero whose sole focus is adventure? Double Check.

Yep, this is definitely a Hiro Mashima series. While there is no denying the formulaic nature Mashima employs in nearly all his works, it is impossible to not find at least a sliver of fun to be had. Volume three finds Shiki and crew searching for the ice beast Naco Agul. While Ailee’s top concern is capturing the beast for money, Shiki is busy lamenting the cold weather, not having enough brains to dress in attire appropriate to the climate. Our heroes soon do battle with the beast, leading into a flashback depicting Shiki’s first meeting with his mentor Greylee, and the circumstances that lead to him adopting the former as his apprentice. With that memory in mind, Shiki once again prevails, gaining the troupe some new duds to better show off Ailee’s assets.

Meanwhile, Mashima decides to shed some light on the villain of the piece, Curlon and his benefactor Shadow. No longer is Curlon the jealous and boisterous pretty boy, having transformed himself into a formidable seal hunter. While the buildup of Curlon is executed well enough, throwing a curve out of left field at the tail end of his progression, that same curve falls flat in resolving his story with Shadow. After all the ominous hints revolving around Shadow’s grudge against Shiki falls deflates the story considerably.

Fortunately Mashima’s art is what keeps this series from falling to far. The character designs continue to evolve to showcase his flare for fantasy chic, while the monsters that populate the world are demonstrative of his knack for creativity and detail.

Though there probably won’t be many comparisons drawn to his more successful works, Monster Hunter Orage is a perfectly acceptable entry in the library of any fan of Hiro Mashima. Like most of his work, it is a pretty straightforward fantasy adventure, with just the right amount of charm, humor, a buxom babes to keep his fans invested for another volume.

Rating: 7/10