Once again, we come to the end of the longest-running girl-gang manga series. I say “again,” because this series has ended several times before. This first time when the final gaiden volume of the original series, Hana no Asuka-gumi (花のあすか組！, which began in 1985, was published in 1992 (Wiki says ’95, but I looked up the date in the edition I have and it says ’92.) This was followed by the completion of Shin Hana no Asuka-gumi! (新・花のあすか組！) which ran from 2003-2009 – which I have spoken about at length for doing something inexplicable and wonderful.
Hana no Asuka-gumi! BS (Black School) (花のあすか組! BS(ブラックスクール)編) ran for two volumes in 2018. I have long guessed that those two volumes were a test run for the longer, more epic Hana no Asuka-gumi! ∞Infinity (花のあすか組! ∞インフィニティ) of which this is the final volume. In Volume 8, the School Wars have ended, but the battle of the gods has begun and once again Asuka is the target.
If you are new to this series, you may wonder why the head of the girl gangs in Tokyo, the melodramatic gothic spider at the center of the web, Hibari-sama, has been pursuing a single girl for nearly 40 years in our time. Well..it’s because Asuka walked away from her. Hibari offered her power (and what passes for in Hibari’s weird little heart) love and lust, and Asuka rejected her. A woman spurned indeed. You’d think the gangs might question what the fuck, but no one does, because the way to power in the Zenchuu Ura organization is taking down Kuraku Asuka.
Which almost happens.
The gods and their henchgangs are all out fighting – each other, the Area Masters, whoever gets in their way. Phantom, with her drones (both actual mechanical ones and her fighters,) and Jesus and her disciples are having a all-out war to see who is the best fighter. When Shibun, the head of Phantom takes the lead, she and Asuka duke it out. For a while it looks Phantom will win and Asuka will finally be defeated. But.
In that moment, a young women Asuka had saved – much against her will – steps back into the story. Mamaharu is a girl who was starving herself in order to become a pop idol. Asuka saw that world and asked Mamaharu to reject it. In this volume, Asuka drags Mamaharu to see her world, something she has never done before with a damsel in distress. In a pivotal moment, Mamaharu distracts Shibun and saves Asuka. The battle concludes with Asuka walking away once again from the Zenchuu Ura and it’s leader.
Back in Zenchuu Ura HQ, Hibari releases the rankings and, for the very first time, Asuka’s self-proclaimed arch enemy, Kurenai, is not on it. Hibari shuns Kurenai completely. Almost 40 real-years, maybe two in-story years, after Asuka scarred her face and took her crow (yes, that crow on the cover,) Kurenai is outta here. Buh-bye~!
There a are a ton of old-series pairs that show up to provide greek chorus commentary – Saishuu and Baba from the Ranjuku Detention Center (I was so excited I recognized them, but they were named and so was Ranjuku, since that was a lot of decades ago.) Kiryuu and Bara no Miya make a late appearance, together, just to remind us that they still come as a matched set – they are my favorite headcanon ship, both so jaded from street fighting back in the 80s. ^_^
Asuka walks away with her bestie (and late lover/mentor/abuser, Yohko’s, half-sister) Miko along the river bank as they have done so many times before.
Will there be more fights in Asuka’s future? No idea. If so…I’ll be there, like Dead Yohko haunting Asuka’s thoughts.
Ratings:
Overall – 9
This series is one of the most toxic and bizarre series I have ever loved. And so, so gay, for having no non-violent relationships.
Reprieving my notes from Volume 7 of this series for context:
My reviews here about this series have been sporadic and mostly incoherent as I try to explain the complicated structure of the Zenchuu Ura and the whole series, but there is a category for it: Hana no Asuka-gumi. Of these reviews, let me suggest these two for fun.
2006 – Drama CD: Hana no Asuka-gumi Gaiden (花のあすか組外伝) – this was one of two Drama CDs for the series. I still haven’t found time to listen to the other, but this one is one of my prize possessions for reasons that will become obvious if you read the review.
2011 – Yuri Artbook: Kuraku Asuka Mairu! (九楽あすか参る!). This was another item that absolutely centered my obsession with Yohko and Asuka’s relationship, in a literal sense. As well as giving space for Hibari-sama to be a complete freak.
So, look, I know none of you are running out and reading 52 volumes of an untranslated 40 year old gang girl series…but IF you want to read a 40 year old gang girl series with 52 volumes of manga, two movies, a live-action TV show, 2 anime OVAs, 2 Drama CDs and 2 novels, make it Hana no Asuka-gumi!.
