Behind the Scenes: Volume 3 manga review

Manga
Behind the Scenes: Volume 3 manga review
By Leroy Douresseaux
January 11, 2017 - 11:12

Viz Media
Writer(s): Bisco Hatori, John Werry
Penciller(s): Bisco Hatori
Letterer(s): Sabrina Heep
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9049-3
$9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK, 192pp, B&W, paperback
Rating: T (Teen)

Behind the Scenes Volume 3 cover image

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Ranmaru Kurisu is an 18-year-old who blames himself for everything. As an outcast from a village of fisherman, Ranmaru is not crazy about people and is not crazy about being around them. He is now a first year student as Shichikoku University (“Shichi U”), and while he initially planned on trying to find a group into which he could fit, he is back to being his old isolated self. Then, fate brings him into contact with “The Art Squad.”

As Behind the Scenes!!, Vol. 3 (Chapters 11 to 15) opens, the Art Squad is asked to provide special effects for a horror movie being produced by one of the college's film studies clubs. The star of that student film is actually a child actor, Rin Debito, who turns out to be both a brat and a diva. However, there is more to Debito's hateful ways than the students realize.

[This volume includes bonus manga, “Behind the Scenes!! Daily Life.”]

THE LOWDOWN: As I've said previously, I am a movie buff with an interest in film-making, so I am attracted to the Behind the Scenes!! manga. Still, this series moves beyond film making and looks at the lives of the characters.

Behind the Scenes!! Volume 3 is kid-centric, as the Art Squad finds itself working with children. Honestly, I was not crazy about all of these “kids' adventures,” although the child actor story is quite nice. I enjoyed the “haunted house” story and hope that the series runs long enough to give it another go. Volume 3 is the least, in terms of quality, of the graphic novels released thus far. Gradually, the drama in Behind the Scenes!! is increasing; I think the next volume will be hot.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Bisco Hatori's work will want to try the Shojo Beat title, Behind the Scenes!!

B

Rating: B/10