It's the second volume of this arc, and we don't even know who all the players are yet, lol.
I could've done without the graphic alien implantation demonic serpent hatching scene in Chapter 10 (and I can argue the story can, too). Body horror, another genre I usually avoid...
I think Mirage works best when the Yasha-shuu are interacting (loved the Ayako-Kaizaki scene!), and I find it frustrating that the story is heading in a direction where that happens less and less often.
What do you think?
Chapter 13 is in, and I...I have so many questions. First of all, though, if you're confused by the naval action discussed by Irobe and Mikuriya at the end of the chapter, know that it never gets brought up again and has absolutely no impact on the rest of this arc (and most likely anything ever). It basically serves as an excuse for Mikuriya to talk about Shimabara/Amakusa and the persecution of early Japanese Christians.
Excuse me for a bit while I attempt to scrub my brain of that image of maggots.
Now for the questions:
- Speaking of naval action, whatever happened to Takaya's pirate fleet (from the Mouri arc?)
- So Kaizaki had an abducted special agent trussed up in his apartment, and he faced no legal action over this? Man, the Japanese legal system is something else.
- What the heck was the purpose of showing us the real Kaizaki when he's treated everywhere else as Naoe's fleshy robot?
- Was it really necessary for Naoe to punch Ayako so hard she couldn't get up instead of just giving her damn explanation? ("Sorry, Haruie, can't talk now, but let's get lunch later?")
- Mirage is really the anti-found-family story, isn't it?
- Gotta admit, my opinion of Chiaki tanked after translating this chapter. Was there any reason Minako had to be murdered instead of, say, sent on a nice overseas vacation?
- So Naoe actually took the time to interact with Kaizaki's co-workers while wearing him?
- What the heck is the deal with the two Julias, anyway? It's pretty much impossible that two women named Ota Julia were living in Japan at the same time in the 17 century... But if she is supposed to be the historical Julia, Kuwabara is taking huge liberties with her story to no point that I can see (except persecution of Christians = bad, which...yeah.)
At the beginning I tried to give those flying Himuka dudes the benefit of the doubt by translating it as the "Himuka faith" and "Himuka devotees" (even though Ayako calls it a cult during her investigation). But no, nope, non, they're a cult all right. So now I have to go back and correct all of my first drafts...
By the way, their name is given phonetically in the text (ヒムカ); their origins is a big plot reveal later in the arc.
Sensei starts this afterword with, "Spring thunder was booming outside until just a moment ago." She mentions that she has hay fever.
She mentions that her background music is Vow Wow, the same music she had on while she was writing Volume 1. Their song "TELL ME" from the album "MOUNTAIN TOP (1990) [a best-selling album in Japan] was her theme song at the time, which is why the image album "Blaze" is hard rock with English lyrics. Incidentally, Takaya's image song is "MOVE TO THE MUSIC", also in "MOUNTAIN TOP".
She apologizes for Lord Katou Kiyomasa turning out to be a rather strange character--it wasn't supposed to be like this. Kotarou, on the other hand, is a very handsome guy who wants to be stared at and who wants to embarrass you. Someone made a business card for him, and it reads 'Fuuma Kotarou, First Division Head, Ninja Business Department, Odawara Houjou Clan Controlling Interest'. So Kotarou's in sales, huh? But why are they located in Nihonbashi-ningyocho?
She doesn't have the Valentine tallies for this year yet, but apparently Kotarou did pretty well for himself, as did Takaya and Kousaka.
Exaudi Nos was published in March in hardcover, and she apologizes for the price, but is impressed with the binding done by Shueisha.
She says she realized that she has the support of so many people, and she feels very grateful. For her, the greatest happiness is to see someone's face when they are happy or enjoying themselves, so...that's the most fulfilling thing for her.
She mentions Mirage Tours again, asking people to retain good manners and not do tacky things, like write silly graffiti on buildings.
April 1995
Now I'm imagining fangirls writing "Naoe <3 Takaya" on a pillar at Hakone Shrine. I mean, right, bad! Never do this!
(Teehee.)