Murcielago vol. 21

The mystery of the Yamatsukami family is finally unraveled in this volume and there’s plenty of violence, blood, and sexual creepiness to be had in the process.  It starts off with Hinako, Narumi, and Chiyo investigating a previously unexplored part of the mountain at night at Kuroko’s request.  What they find there is a field of flowers that have some historical significance to this series, as well as the killer herself.  Even though she’s super-strong, and nigh-unkillable, she winds up being no match for Hinako when she gets angry.  In the end, the stage is set for Kuroko to explain it all and to serve up her own brand of justice in the process.

This is a serviceable wrap-up to the current arc as the aforementioned violence, blood, and sexual creepiness displayed here at least managed to echo the kind that the series used to thrive on in its early days.  I don’t know if mangaka Yoshimurakana is planning to ramp this stuff up in subsequent volumes, but I wouldn’t mind.  Especially since it looks like the series is creeping ever closer to some kind of conclusion.  There are a lot of callbacks to previous storylines in this volume, so I’m wondering if the end is in sight for “Murcielago.”  Better sooner rather than later, considering how things have been going for this title.  Even as the next storyline gets off to an intriguingly bloody start.