“Salt, useless. Prayer beads, no dice. Disinfectant—mildly effective. Miko's fruitless attempts at warding off horrific spirits leave her with one option…keep pretending these grotesque specters don't exist. But Miko hasn't given up yet! One day, she'll be free. Until then, she just has to survive changing-room phantoms and ghost-infested tunnels and…a girl named Yuria?” (Yen Press)
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The second volume of “Mieruko-Chan” does not depart much from the first, continuing the set-up of the titular character struggling to keep her aloof friend safe from the incoming demons. The second chapter does introduce a new antagonist, a young girl looking to learn from Mieruko and spurned from her initial indifference. In addition, the reader is introduced to a possible force of good in the demon realm. However, despite the new characters introduced, the secret of Mieurko's power is still shrouded in mystery, and chapters feel like segments instead of building towards a deeper narrative. Thankfully, all the components that made the first release a delightful experience for horror fans feel further refined and keep the series fresh and exciting.
Notably, the art of Tomoki Izumi in creature design continues to evolve, resulting in even more wonderfully ghastly creations. Perhaps best exemplified in an odd crab-like creature that appears as remains spilling out of an old metal drum. Pure nightmare fuel, the monsters that the mangaka crafts feel more broken, ghastly and tragic then the first volume. Ultimately, the series feels like the creator began to deeper embrace the morbidity of their art and focused heavier on creating ghastly visions.
The relationship between Mieruko and her friend Hana stays endearing despite the same set of up of the protagonist having to keep having to protect and exorcise the surrounding demons attracted to her carefree friend. The newer character of Yuria acts as a misguided antagonist whose ability to only see minor demons gives the series a needed layer of conflict. However, one of the best cameos comes from the cat loving Yakuza that appeared in the first volume. Only given a few panels at the end of this release, his story raises some intriguing questions about how others may be interacting with the mysterious otherworldly creatures. Even though the narrative still remains stagnant, the cast offer interesting personas to push the conflict
At this point, it does seem unlikely that the series will offer too much depth and likely to keep the same set-up of singular conflicts while adding a few new characters. However, the creature design of Tomoki Izumi ensures the series will appease horror fans and the light comedic touches and strong characters will appeal to a fan base beyond the genre. Undeniably, Mieruko-chan is one of the best horror series currently running thanks to the deliriously macabre visions of Tomoki Izumi.
