School Judgment: Volume 2 manga review

Manga
School Judgment: Volume 2 manga review
By Leroy Douresseaux
April 9, 2016 - 22:11

Viz Media
Writer(s): Nobuaki Enoki, Mari Morimoto
Penciller(s): Takeshi Obata
Letterer(s): James Gaubatz
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8567-3
$9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK, 192pp, B&W, paperback

School Judgment Volume 2 cover image

Rated “T” for “Teen”

At Tenbin Elementary School in Himawari City, Class 6-3 gets two new transfer students and both are lawyers. The first is Pine Hanzuki, and while she may be cute, she is a ruthless prosecutor. The next is Abaku Inugami; he is a superb defense attorney, and his hobby is “ronpa.” Here, all quarrels bypass the teachers and are settled by some of the best lawyers in the country, who just so happen to be elementary school students.

School Judgment: Gakkyu Hottei, Vol. 2 (entitled Civil Trial Arc; Chapters 8 to 14) opens with the trial of Miss Shiratori, a student accused of being a dealer of the addictive food additive, “Magic Powder.” It looks like she is guilty, but Abaku sees more players involved. Next, Tenbin's newest student makes a noisy arrival. He is 12-year-old Kotaro Sarutobi, ninja and lawyer, and he knows Abaku. How are they connected?

THE LOWDOWN: The School Judgment: Gakkyu Hottei manga can be a bit tedious at times. It is sometimes so dialogue-heavy that I cannot help but get bogged down in the narrative. Luckily, the series is drawn by Takeshi Obata, an artist known for some truly unique manga, especially Bakuman。and Death Note. This is why series writer Nobuaki Enoki refers to him as the “God of Drawing” and “Walking Artistic Skill.”

School Judgment: Gakkyu Hottei Volume 2 offers what is the series' standard fare, students in trouble and their legal eagle classmates either trying to convict them or save them. However, Enoki really shows off his imagination in places, especially in the “haunted swimming” pool case (“Evil Spirit 5-Meters Deep”). Obata's art, with its pitch perfect tones, moods, and storytelling, is what drives the story past some of the dryer moments. I am still curious to see where School Judgment goes, especially because, at times, the narrative is a bit too cool and aloof. It is as if it is too professionally produced.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE: Fans of off-beat shonen manga will want to try the Shonen Jump title, School Judgment: Gakkyu Hottei.

B+

Rating: B+/10