A review by saramarie08
Kagurabachi Vol 2 by Takeru Hokazono

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

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Chihiro begins a fierce battle with Sojo, and the two with their enchanted blades are very evenly matched. They take turns exchanging powerful magical attacks while Sojo goads Chihiro about his father's selfishness to keep the swords hidden for the time he had, even though he admires the craftsmanship it took to make such beautiful weapons. Elsewhere on the battlefield, things are very perilous for the Anti-Cloud Gouger special forces. Later, Char reveals a bit about her time when she was imprisoned with her mother, especially how she was able to escape. 

This is a very emotionally gripping and surprising story, and it's captivating and satisfying for many readers. Pages are filled with fight scenes but they're not overly gratuitous; Hokazono has made me care about characters within two volumes only to rip them from me and make me upset; and there's a sprinkle of comedic relief to keep it a little refreshing. The one thing that has disappointed me this volume is that the quality of the illustrations has suffered compared to volume one. There were some gorgeous moments with Chihiro's introduction and the magic of the enchanted swords, but we really didn't get very much of that this volume. Instead, we are leaning more towards the rough, sparse illustrations of Chainsaw Man that kind of irk me. Most shōnen fans at this point in time will probably be just fine, so if you have readers enjoying the series, keep on supplying them with more volumes.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12