Mujina: Into the Deep vol. 3

Mujina may not have rights, but that’s not going to stop the police from looking into them.  That’s where Special Safety members, easygoing veteran Kashio and straightlaced newbie Lin, come in as they’ve been tasked with tracking down some very sensitive information that’s connected to Ubume’s former boyfriend Nozuchi.  You know, the guy she killed at the very start of the series.  If she helps them, then they may be able to prevent her murder of the Megidos from ever becoming an issue.  But how trustworthy are these guys – especially the one who’s banging Tenko?  Still, it’s something to keep the happy family life she’s got going, up until the really bad guys show up.

I wouldn’t call “Mujina” uninteresting at this point – there’s a decent amount of action here, some solid police procedural stuff, and mangaka Inio Asano’s typically excellent character work to keep you interested.  Yet it still feels like it’s waiting for the right development to get really good, much in the same way that “Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction” did.  To this volume’s credit, there are indications that this could be right around the corner:  Possibly with the plot thread involving Ubume’s history with a sex trafficking ring that sounds very similar to the one run by a guy whose name rhymes with Beffrey Jepstein, or the violent incident that closes out this volume.  That does mean vol. 3 is entirely a slow burn, but one that still captivates as its embers ignite.