While there are clearly oodles of series for which a side story is merely a way to extend a franchise (i.e., squeeze more money out of series fandom) there are some stories the world needs.
The sex and violence-filled side story MURCIÉLAGO BYPRODUCT – Araña (ムルシエラゴ- BYPRODUCT -アラーニァ-) that follows crazy-eyed sniper, Kuchiba Reiko, is absolutely a story the universe needs. By universe, I mean me, obviously. ^_^
Reiko and her business partner, user of questionable martial arts Momo, are contracted by a Chinese syndicate run by Long and Fu (Dragon and Tiger) to fight other Chinese syndicates and their disposable henchmen. And they do, while bodies and heads explode outward in showers of blood and guts from Reiko’s gun, whose bullet caliber seems to magically transform as circumstances require. Since the point of this side story seems to be the violence and sex, it’s not like you’d be expected to tune in for the complex writing.
In between these fights, Reiko turns out to be very accommodating to women who need sex. Reiko and her lovers have sex which is not at all as bizarre and grotesque as that portrayed in MURCIÉLAGO proper, but she does seem to be quite the stone butch.
It is nice to see that Reiko has a lover with whom she lives; the young lady whose life she saved. And they certainly seem happy enough.
Ratings:
Art – 7 It may never be “good,” but it certainly is creative.
Story – 7 Ditto
Characters – 7 Ridiculous to absurd.
Service – 7
Yuri – 10
Overall – 8
Like MURCIÉLAGO, MURCIÉLAGO BYPRODUCT – Araña is “messy and gross and violent and gay.” I love it.
Favorite side character gets their own story.
Favorite side character is as gay as I’d hoped.
Favorite side character is a stone butch.
WOW I this sounds like something that I would never think would happen in my wildest dreams. I am getting this as soon as possible.
Exactly my thoughts, as well.
I love when you review a MURCIÉLAGO book, because there’s usually going to be at least one sentence that comes out of left field for me :) I hope this comes out in English, I might try and check this one out.
I hope the unexpected bit was about the bullet’s caliber. ^_^
I want to read it so bad. I hope it gets translated one day, she is somewhere in my top 3 characters.
Me too. Crazy-eyed snipers in suits who have not-ugly lesbian sex are definitely right up there. ^_^