Having the ability to see ghosts and malicious spirits works both as a gift and a curse for high school student Mieruko. Allowing her to protect her friend against malicious people by seeing the spirits that haunt them, but also living in a constant state of fear in having to pretend she did not see the apparitions so they leave her alone. Consequently, ‘Meiruko-chan' struggles to find a balance and a way to keep the more malicious spirits at bay, but despite her best efforts, her gift/curse seems to be unavoidable.
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The first volume of “Mieruko-chan” acts to frame the tribulations of the titular character by introducing various different ‘hauntings' and how they shape her daily interactions. Consequently, it lacks substance to draw in the reader with little revealed about the origin or greater consequences of the young girl's gift. However, the first volume teases some deeper lore and introduces a few plot devices that could prove to inject excitement into later releases
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Mieruko's power stems from her ability to see the ghosts that haunt people, both good and bad. This is best illustrated in a sequence where Mieruko and her friend are trying to find someone to adopt an abandoned cat. The first candidate, a handsome young man surrounded by hostile animal spirits, is declined by Mieruko despite her friend being charmed. In comparison, the hardened ‘yakuza looking' man that comes after is accompanied by happy cat spirits marking him as the perfect match. It is the small moments like this that compliment the series greatly, acting to further endure readers to the struggles of the young girl.
Other elements that give the impression of a developing narrative, come from both the hint that Mieruko's powers may be tied to her family, and learning her friend's aura acts to attract ghosts. Additionally, Tomoko Izumi imbues great dark comedic moments into his work that give the series a charm that will, hopefully, carry into subsequent releases. Ultimately, the first volume's enjoyability will be measured by Tomoki Izumi's ability to add depth to a solid foundation found in subsequent releases.
While the narrative in volume 1 should leave readers cautiously optimistic, the artwork makes a strong initial impact with its ghastly renditions of spirits. The forms are morphed in a grotesque fashion that makes them a ‘curiously morbid' focal point on almost every page. Complimenting the creatures is a subtle brilliance in giving the apparitions' a degree of personality in either speech or design. This allows the reader to get an idea of the history of the ghost immediately, what tragedies befell them and what keeps them attached to the world of the living. Izumi's art on his human subjects is well executed; however, the greatest appeal rests with the monsters the mangaka crafts.
Overall, it is really hard to get behind the first volume of “Mieruko-chan” without seeing how the rest of the story begins to pan out. The series could easily fall into the episodic pieces that just keep revisiting the daily difficulties of its titular character. However, there is enough teased in the first volume to elude to the start of another great horror series from Yen Press. I will certainly come back to further volumes to see how the story develops and for more of Izumi's grotesque visual styling.
