The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service: Book Two Omnibus

Description

It's weird enough work, just trying everyday to turn corpses into cash when they're connected to mysterious UFO crashes, modern-day mummies, and stiffs turned to soap. But the secrets of the Kurosagi's crew past continue to haunt them as well, as they meet the exorcist Reiji Akira from Mail , who photograps the familiar spirit haunting Karatsu, and a flashback story takes us to early 20th-century Japan to meet the ancestors (?) of our cast, as they hunt the ripper stalking the streets of Meiji-era Tokyo! And now there's sinister competition in the future for them in the body trade, as they encounter a rival firm, the Shirosagi Corpse Cleaning Service... This is the second volume in the value-priced Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Omnibus series from Dark Horse Manga! Review: Excellent Manga for Those With a Strong Stomach - Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service is quickly becoming one of my favorite manga. The art is beautiful and detailed, even when the subject matter is completely grotesque, and has a really wonderful uniqueness to it. (If anything, the style reminds me a little bit of Naoki Urasawa, the guy behind Monster, though not quite so detailed.) One of my favorite things about the manga is its willingness to go from comedic to horrifying at the drop of a hat--a story featuring a possessed space monkey is immediately followed by one about WWII-era human rights atrocities. It makes it a little hard to classify, but in a good way; is it horror? Black humor? Something else entirely? Despite the dark turns the story line often takes, the manga as a whole actually comes off as pretty lighthearted thanks to the central cast; they're all charming and quirky and very deadpan about the weird situations thy get themselves into. Another thing I love is the translation quality. The translator's notes at the end of each book are packed to the brim with historical information, explanations of Japanese pop culture, and even personal anecdotes. Sounds dry, maybe, but it's actually immensely fun to read. I devoured the first omnibus for this manga and had been eagerly awaiting the second ever since. It definitely did not disappoint! The only thing I'm sad about is that it ended on a cliffhanger--it feels like it's going to take forever for three to finally come out. (Fair warning, though: I am NOT KIDDING about the strong stomach thing. This one's actually less nasty than the first volume, but it still has tons of drawings of gore, decay, insect-infested bodies, open wounds, etc. It's not for the squeamish.) Review: Continues to be one of the best manga out there - This second collected work in the Kurosagi saga continues to explore the group and their various abilities. Again, the writing and story continues to be extremely well done. The art is amazing. As with the first collected volume, the editor's notes are a huge added bonus that helps bring a deeper understanding to what is happening throughout. It gives a look at Japan's culture and history for those who might be unfamiliar with it. Even though I studied Japanese language, history and culture in college the editor still manages to educate with tidbits of information that isn't commonly taught or known. Even though this is a 'horror' manga and not for the squeamish, the story is multi-dimensional and while each 'volume' within is it's own story arc, the entire series has an overarching story that keeps you wanting more.