Jun Kirarazaka’s new manga, Bone Collection, is set in a world where yokai are always on the prowl and often attacking humans. Into this world steps Kazami, a teenager from a long line of powerful exorcists, including his brother and father, and who has been training to fight yokai. The problem? He’s terrible at it.
He does, however, have one strong ability: Kazami can absorb and borrow the power of yokai to use in battle. So he sees yokai as less of a straight up enemy, but more as nuisance beings that may include those who could be our friends. However, this power is considered forbidden magic by exorcists. So, Kazami waits and tries other methods.
One day, a beautiful woman named Paira drops onto Kazami’s lap from out of nowhere.
Literally. She appears out of nothingness.
Kazami basically goes on a day long date with this woman who seems to understand nothing of the world. When an excessively powerful yokai attacks, Kazami is powerless to stop it until he discovers Paira is a yokai and that he can absorb her immense power for battle.
Bone Collection is setting itself up to be a potentially fun, supernatural romantic-comedy. It has it’s moments with a few lewd jokes about Kazami liking big boobs (there’s no subtlety here—he literally states as much, and to absorb Paira’s powers magically, puts his hands on her breasts), but I find myself enjoying the entire concept.
How will Kazami deal with his embrace of both yokai and humans?
Will the mangaka play on this element and show that the two can co-exist?
Will there be a love child with the childhood friend you meet in chapter one who’s an amazing exorcist and catches Kazami with Paira?
Who knows? But the series has caught my interest and I’ll see where this yokai fighting/loving series is going to take me.
You can read Bone Collection at Shonen Jump. The most current chapters are always free.
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