Inukami! volume 1 will feel instantly familiar to any fan of InuYasha. Inukami are doglike, tails, mystical being’s that contract with a human tamer to form a team that hunts demons who prey on humans. One such would-be tamer Keita Kawahira, is a shame to his family. He was unable to attract an Inukami when he came of age and went into the mountain where they reside. That was until the Inukami Yoko shows up. She is both attractive and very docile … until the contract is struck. Keita thought he would be getting a maid, servant, submissive servant, instead he has a rowdy and wild Inukami to deal with, one that even makes him wear a collar as a sign of their contract (she waits till his life is on the line to finalize the contract and force him to wear collar). As a new relationship begins one can only wonder how this new pair will do as they begin to take on assignments hunting demons and dealing with each other.
The duo of Mari Matsuzawa (art) and Mamizu Arisawa (story) really clicks in Inukami! The art is beautifully drawn, perfect for poster, pencil boards with an immature hero (loosely used) and a very attractive if not immature mystical creature in Yoko. The style will feel very anime, meaning it looks like what most fans would expect anime/manga to look like, big eyes and all. The lead characters are well drawn but don’t hold nay out of the ordinary traits beyond the collar worn by Keita and Yoko’s large tail. The story of hunting demons in modern Japan does not break new ground but serves well for this story. The duo, besides meeting each other, also deal with some hotel demons a wandering cat demon as well as the assignment of a new Inukami, temporarily, named Nadeshiko, which ends the volume and speaks to more zaniness and possible secret feelings for ones master. The story is fun and really shines thanks to the art.
Earlier I mentioned a comparison to InuYasha, here is why. First you’ve got a school age kid in Keita, and a dog demon. There is a collar worn, they fight demons and there is some kind of feelings going on between the two. It’s a twist as gender is reversed and everything is in modern day but otherwise I feel very safe saying InuYasha fans will enjoy Inukami! and vice-versa. A good manga from a lesser known manga publisher (Tor) but worth the purchase.
The duo of Mari Matsuzawa (art) and Mamizu Arisawa (story) really clicks in Inukami! The art is beautifully drawn, perfect for poster, pencil boards with an immature hero (loosely used) and a very attractive if not immature mystical creature in Yoko. The style will feel very anime, meaning it looks like what most fans would expect anime/manga to look like, big eyes and all. The lead characters are well drawn but don’t hold nay out of the ordinary traits beyond the collar worn by Keita and Yoko’s large tail. The story of hunting demons in modern Japan does not break new ground but serves well for this story. The duo, besides meeting each other, also deal with some hotel demons a wandering cat demon as well as the assignment of a new Inukami, temporarily, named Nadeshiko, which ends the volume and speaks to more zaniness and possible secret feelings for ones master. The story is fun and really shines thanks to the art.
Earlier I mentioned a comparison to InuYasha, here is why. First you’ve got a school age kid in Keita, and a dog demon. There is a collar worn, they fight demons and there is some kind of feelings going on between the two. It’s a twist as gender is reversed and everything is in modern day but otherwise I feel very safe saying InuYasha fans will enjoy Inukami! and vice-versa. A good manga from a lesser known manga publisher (Tor) but worth the purchase.
