The fight against the kaiju continues in the second volume of Jun Ogino’s semelparous manga. Even knowing the consequences of killing Kaiju, Yorino remains determined to keep fighting.
This volume contains chapters five through to nine.
Black Souls and Revelations
Yorino has learned the horrifying truth behind the kaiju – that every time she kills one, a human in her world dies. Instead of letting this discourage her, she’s vowed to end the otherworldly threat once and for all so Haruka’s death will mean something. Together with Youko, she will shoulder the Bulwarks’ secret sin. But even as Yorino’s new friendships begin to deepen, her battles with the kaiju grow more intense!
This volume starts with a glimpse into Youko’s past, and then goes on to introduce a couple of new things in the present. First, new Bulwarks – one that even knows Yorino. What is also established here are the three types of kaiju – the “large-type” kaiju that we’ve seen the Bulkwarks fighting so far, the “small-type” that come in different forms and possess various abilities, and finally the “human-type” kaiju. Those are the strongest of the lot, overpowering even Bulwark captains.
If you think that sounds like a setup for the next type of kaiju to rear its ugly head: you’d be right. The main combat in this volume focuses on the Bulwarks taking on a small-type kaiju.
Going back to the new recruits, one of them, Rina Kitamura, really likes Yorino. And if you think, oh, she must admire her, you’d be right, but it actually goes beyond that – something you quickly realise when she has some solo intimate time.
On a similar note, Yorino and Youko also happen to deepen their bond in this volume. Both know all too well what happens when they defeat kaiju, but it seems that they can find comfort in each other’s arms. Yorino also gets the opportunity to just be a normal girl and hang out with her friends – things she might have taken for granted before, but she is grateful for the opportunity. If only it wasn’t such an obvious set-up, particular with what we now know about the kaiju…
This volume also delves a bit more into the kaiju lore, and reveals how the conflict began. As it turns out, Yorino is connected to the lore. Her connection makes her a key player in the fight against the kaiju; something that both side of the conflict is aware of now.
I enjoyed reading this second volume of semelparous. Yorino and Youko’s relationship is developing, the combat against the kaiju is fun to read, and we delved into the history of the conflict. Lots of interesting stuff going on here.
Rory Muses 