Mugen Spiral & Remember - Manga Review
The balance between long form and abstract inspiration draws from the personal experience of the artist. Two arenas in diametric opposites function in the ideals of these two outlays. Both those navigate within the structures of the inner self.
Mugen Spiral The aspect of double negative standards within manga is usually less subtle in its ability to be perceived than one would like. Despite this, the way this tale of demons encroaching on Earth seems to benefit from a light touch in lieu of some darker back stories bodes well. The essential plot angle has a girl who is host to 108 spirits whose power she can call on at opportune moments being pursued by a demon who wants to consume her gifts so that he can make his way to become a demon king. She effectively for alot of the two-volume manga turns him into a cat where he curses the day she was born. As with most relationships of these sorts, he begins to be protective and falls in love with her despite his best efforts. With responsive and jealous repurcussions still coming from the spirit world in the form of his cousin and his brother, the demon must fight off the urge to bring her down to save his father. This, of course, involves outings to the beach which ends in him rescuing the girl drenched in water that would point to any "Twilight" fantasy as well as the humorous interaction of his feline self discussing the aspects of loyalty with alley cats. The bonus story involves a time travel aspect of the pair going back to before her parents were murdered which motivates the current story. The dark underpinings and emotional structure give the preceding story credence especially when the mother, who taught her daughter the spiritiualist ways, recognizes but hardly reveals that her mysterious visitor is actually her daughter who younger self resides only a few feet away. It allows the manga to operates on multiple levels for different age brackets.
Remember Benjamin as an artist can capture visions that very few graphic novel artisans can. His images are a blend of the dreamlike and emotion which is what makes them all the more appealing. His stories are decidedly unfettered with the paranormal using instead the real to instill the second guessing of life. His men are jagged perceptions of falibility while his women, replete with luminous smiles and engaging eyes, lure the reader speaking volumes through mystery. "No One Can Fly/No One Can Remember" speaks of forelorn love where the pursuee doesn't realize the true gift he was given until its passes him by. This is done in colored emotional tones which engages with our perception of sight. The caricature of the tortured artist is a bit overdone for dramatic effect despite illustrating the obvious. "That Year/That Summer" speaks more in gray essence of the fright and viciousness that can betray the youth because their ideas are inevitably skjewed. Her the ideal is of an outcast who doesn't understand that his sheer being offends and incites a certain violence. The art is more retreivable simply at times for its rage despite being overwrought. The last zip is a preview of "Orange" which had been read before. The dreamlike quality of its suicide themes still rings true even more so than "Remember" simply because of its nature of distance.