Summertime rendering

Here's a horror series for Junji Ito fans who want a more sustained story line. Shinpei returns to his home island to attend the funeral of his friend and adopted sister, Ushio, who drowned in the ocean after saving a young girl. But there are way more dark and mysterious forces at work on this island, and Shinpei gets tangled right into the middle of it. An old folktale of the island tells of shadows who can take the form of a person and replace the original version by murdering them. Shinpei discovers the truth about this local legend when shadows of his friends and townspeople start appearing and trying to kill their originals, starting with Ushio's younger sister, Mio. Then Shinpei discovers something even stranger happening to him--if he dies, he is sent back to days before to relive everything and try again. Through this time loop, Shinpei finds who his allies are and who he can count on to help him fight against the shadows taking over the entire island and possibly the world. This dark series brings together action, body horror, and time travel in a masterful way. Tanaka spends a decent amount of time building characters and relationships before really diving into the horror, but he continues to build fascinating characters through volume two while driving the plot forward through flashbacks and doling out clues. There is some gore, gun violence, and a lot of focus on grief and death. This series is definitely engrossing, and mysterious elements would definitely warrant rereads.

Gr 10 Up--It's been a long time since Shinpei has visited his island hometown of Awajishima, and sadly, he is returning for the funeral of his close family friend, Ushio. Ushio's family practically raised Shinpei after his own parents died, making this occasion all the harder. However, a lot of strange things have been happening on Awajishima. Ushio's cause of death (drowning) is being brought into question by strange marks on her neck. And when folks on the island are vanishing, and rumors of a "shadow sickness" start cropping up, it's clear this visit back home is going to be full of twists. This story is dynamite from the first chapter. It's definitely a title for older teens, with strong language and murder, but one that they'll enjoy. The pacing is quick and fun, as is the story, and this book is sure to satisfy fans of mystery, suspense, thriller, and horror with ease. The artwork is outstanding, particularly the color pages. The island setting of Awajishima (the epicenter of the Kobe earthquake of 1995) adds a layer of creepiness to an already eerie story (think Umineko: When They Cry). Shinpei is a likable protagonist who truly wants to avenge his fallen friend and do right by all, and readers will be rooting for him. With Udon Entertainment set to release all six omnibuses in two waves of three, fans will undoubtedly fall in love with Tanaka's series (those cliff-hangers!) and won't have to wait too long to see whether or not Awajishima can be saved. VERDICT An easy recommendation, particularly for reluctant manga readers. A turbulent ride, and a blast from cover to cover.--Joe Pascullo