by Nanae Chrono, 181 pagesPolitical machinations and personal vendettas vie for panel-time in this historical drama touched with the supernatural.
With persistent foreign interests knocking on Japan's isolationist door, the elite police force known as the Shinsengumi finds itself in a destructive tug-of-war between the supporters of the Emperor and those of the Shogunate. Meanwhile, one young man's twisted hatred threatens to tear apart both sides and throw the country into chaos.
Tetsu, having originally joined the Shinsengumi to avenge his parents' deaths, has gradually found a future to fight for rather than the past. But his one-time friend, Suzu, cannot let go of their own shared history, however misconstrued, and has allied himself with some unpleasantly dark forces in order to take Tetsu down.
Following on the heels of Peace Maker, this sequel series plummets into more consistently dark territory with the once-frequent giggles now few and far between. The politics can be hard to follow, even if you're a fan of the period, and knowing a little about the fates of the real-life people most of these characters are modeled after is both a comfort and a curse (Hey, I recognize that cool guy!--oh, wait, he's gonna bite it...); but I love most anything Shinsengumi-related if it's done well, and Chrono's attractive, darkly fantastical take on history succeeds in making me care, even if I am consciously stocking up on as many warm-fuzzies as possible in order to counter the ever-greater doom and gloom.
Manga Master, I bow to you!
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