Sunday, October 9, 2011

“Sibling Rivalry” – Ibitsu (manga) – 10/10 Black Cats


Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there. ~Amy Li

Mangaka: Haruka Ryou

Genre: Horror, Seinen

Review Status: Complete (2 Volumes/2 Volumes)

Licensed: No, this manga isn’t licensed in the US

Art: Under normal circumstances they wouldn’t be that memorable- under these ones, you can’t forget them. The Lolita girl herself sticks in the mind long after the story has ended. It’s also very expressive.

Summary: A boy went to take his trash out late one night, and found a strange, creepy, lolita woman sitting amongst the garbage bags. She asked if he had a little sister, and he answered her, hurrying afterwards back to his apartment. When he looked out the window, she was gone. Who is the strange woman, and why does she give him such a bad feeling? (MAL.net)

Review: The reason Urban Legends survive so long is because deep down, there’s a little part of us that thinks that maybe, just maybe, it could be true. Too bad Kazuki hasn’t heard about this particular urban legend until he’s already encountered it- and by then, it’s already far too late. She’s looking for an older brother, and thinks she’s found it in Kazuki. Little Miss Lolita weasles her way into his life in the most horrifying ways possible. Cleaning his room, fooling the landlady, and eventually going after his own little sister, Kazuki discovers that she’s twisted to the core.

Both these characters end up being surprisingly memorable. Lolita Girl is one of the most psychotic creatures to grace the pages of manga. She isn’t afraid to kill anyone who gets in her way of a good sibling relationship, or even anyone who happens to be peripherally involved in her plans. Kazuki finds himself being drawn into the madness that another man she knew succumbed to.

While a few horror clichés grace these pages, this manages to be fresh and twisted, and horrifying for it. Madness and obsession mix in terrible ways.

A special note must be made for the side stories- both manage to be just as terrifying, even though one isn’t as unique or memorable as the other or the main story.

Overall, this is a manga that will leave you awake at night. Remember- don’t talk to strangers!

Recommended:
YES! 18+. While this has no language that I noted, there is a lot of violence. While nothing is ever done outright, you will see the outlines and some of the implications of what happened will be very clear. There is also a brief scene of almost-fanservice… that is, Kazuki’s little sister wets herself from fear (understandable), and Lolita Girl goes to ‘clean her up’ with an iron. You do see panties in about 4 panels. Kazuki’s friend does give him a porno dvd to watch, but he just throws it in the trash.

Other titles you might enjoy:
Higurashi (anime and manga)
Tomie (manga)
Bizenghast (manga)

1 comment:

  1. Sounds interesting! Horror is a genre that I haven't read much of, but would like to.

    ReplyDelete