Warning: The following contains spoilers forYokai Buster Murakami chapter #1!!
Summary
It should come as no surprise that I initially stopped readingShonen Jumpbecause of Shueisha’s unrelenting practice of axing manga for ostensibly failing to meet certain monetary thresholds at critical milestones. There was just an overabundance of series I’d gotten heavily invested in and spent time writing about extensively, such asCandy Flurry,The Hunters Guild: Red Hood, andPPPPPP, only for the publisher to rip them away. Although the recent announcement ofShonen JumpEditor-in-Chief Hiroyuki Nakano’s departure could spell the end of this practice, a new series calledYokai Buster Murakamimight be the key to bringing me back for good.
I may have briefly returned toShonen Jumpbefore to review the new vault series from Manga PLUSYou And I Are Total Oppositesbecause it’s harder for me to resist shonen that are influenced by shojo, but I did decide recently to read the first chapter of the new non-romance mangaYokai Buster Murakamito see if it would be worth reading in spite of the looming prospect that it would likely get canceled. I ended up being very impressed to the point where I decided to come back every week to read a new chapter – and that’s becauseYokai Buster Murakamiis educational but with an entertaining twist.
Interestingly, I don’t feel like I will be as devastated when the series in question inevitably joins the ranks of those who have fallen victim toShonen Jump’s axing policy.
Yokai Buster Murakami Educates on Mythology But With The Added Joy Of Satire
Original series by Daiki Ihara
Yokai Buster Murakamiis such a ridiculous comedy that it minimizes the appeal of its characters, and it’s unlikely that they will grow on me any time soon. Remarkably, this doesn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the series, forYokai Buster Murakami’s focus is strong enough to keep me heavily invested for months.
Yokai Buster Murakamiisan unparalleled satire of Japanese yokai mythologythat masterfully deconstructs every myth, leaving nothing behind except for their most ridiculous aspects that the eponymous yokai buster then proceeds to relentlessly tear down in stunning fashion. What this practice exposes and yields are somerather intuitive interpretations of each yokai legend.
Yokai Buster Murakamiis an unparalleled satire of Japanese yokai mythology that masterfully deconstructs every myth, leaving nothing behind except for their most ridiculous aspects that the eponymous yokai buster then proceeds to relentlessly tear down in stunning fashion.
In what only solidifies the series' theme, a kappa who Murakami accuses of having certain affinities based on what he learns from mythology actually confirms and then unabashedly embraces them, thus confirming Ihara’s accusations. True to its name, Murakami is understandably the true driver of the series, since it’s his ruthless matter-of-fact directness and skepticism that leaves each yokai completely ridiculed and defamed. Ironically, Murakami might be the protagonist, but he isn’t necessarily a hero.
Is Yokai Buster More Than a Satire Series?
While the manga currently seems like a bit of a gag, could the story extend beyond what it’s presented to be?
The one with the actual powers who ostensibly exorcises these yokai is Kuin. Murakami is only there to help her because she’s a coward. That’s Kuin’s main role – to embellish Murakami’s savage remarks through her obvious cowardly shtick. Interestingly, these descriptions alone might seem to contradict the aforementioned claim that both characters aren’t the main appeal.
However,Kuin and Murakami so far only serve as agents to share the historical aspects of each yokai they encounterbefore deconstructing them, much to Kuin’s horror. This dynamic will likely change, however, and when that happens, it will be that much harder to recover if it’s prematurely canceled.
For now, what will be keeping me coming every week is the educational aspect of the series, where I, along with other readers, will learn about each yokai like the aforementioned kappa from Japanese culture, while enjoying the hilarious deconstruction and brutal commentary that later ensues. OneShonen Jumpuser commenting on the replies ofYokai Buster Murakamichapter #1 said it best: “Wait… You mean to tell me that the plate on top of a kappa’s head ISN’T actually a bald spot?! Well, I’ll be…”
