Comics / Manga

Shinshoku Kiss: Volume 1

By Leroy Douresseaux
October 6, 2007 - 07:45

Thanks to barnesandnoble.com for the image.

In the manga, Shinshoku Kiss by Kazuko Higashiyama, the co-creator of the manga tactics, an aspiring artist gets to meet her inspiration and learns that the old adage, “Be careful what you wish for” is all too true.

Kotoko Kashiwagi is a novice doll maker who dreams of one day making dolls as life-like and beautiful as the dolls her idol makes.  One day, she gets her wish to meet the extremely popular, but mysterious doll maker, known as “Fool.”  However, Fool has other plans for Kotoko; he kidnaps her and demands that she work as his lowly assistant.  When she refuses, he exposes her to an ailment that nearly drains her of life.  She relents and begins to learn the art of doll making under Fool, and while she enjoys the chance to learn under a master, she finds herself in a world of perpetual strangeness, mystery, and danger.

[This volume also includes a preview of tactics by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama.]

THE LOWDOWN:  TOKYOPOP has labeled Shinshoku Kiss as a drama/horror, and the former is certainly true.  Shinshoku Kiss has many of the characteristics of a daytime soap opera – from playful love affairs to weird and quasi-supernatural plot twists.  However, the underlying themes of vampirism and death give Shinshoku at the very least a macabre, light gothic horror feel.

As for the content, Higashiyama’s figure drawing and costume design is impeccable, not to mention that he’s composed some of the most flawless hairstyle designs you’ll see in comics.  On the other hand, even after five chapters and an “extra” story, much of this concept is undefined.  The potential is there and suggests that future volumes will be much better.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers who enjoy shojo, light horror, and beautifully drawn characters will find some love here.

B-

 

Last Updated: January 17, 2025 - 08:20