Bloody Mary – Vols. 1-3 (Manga Series)
Written by Akaza Samamiya
Illustrated by Akaza Samamiya
Published by VIZ Media
Suitable for ages 13+
A long while back we mentioned a new manga series coming from VIZ Media called Bloody Mary. At the time, all we knew was what that it features an unusual partnership between a vampire and a priest. Now we’ve gotten a chance to take a closer look at it, and fill you in on what you’re missing!
Bloody Mary is a series about a vampire named Bloody “Mary” who has lived for more than 400 years. He’s grown tired of immortality and wants nothing to do with this world anymore. Everything he tries doesn’t work: throwing himself off roofs, stabbing a stake through his heart, and being burnt at the stake. Absolutely nothing kills him. At this point Mary is obsessed with the idea of suicide. He wants to die. For hundreds of years he’s searched for an exorcist with the Blood of Maria, a priest named Yzak Rosario di Maria. This man alone holds the power to kill him. When Mary thinks he has finally found Yzak, he realizes he has located one of his descendants instead, Ichiro Rosario di Maria. Throughout this revelation, Mary effectively protects Maria from other vampires who want his blood. Yet, it turns out Ichiro does not have the power to exorcise vampires. After some debate, Maria decides to have Mary act as his bodyguard until he discovers the power to kill him. Mary agrees to kill any vampires that get in Maria’s way so long as he kills him as soon as possible.
While this all sounds incredibly serious (and is at times), Bloody Mary infuses plenty of humor into everything. Mary is always whining that he wishes he was dead. Maria always teases him, and treats him poorly. Bloody Mary also has a tendency to venture into shounen-ai land. In case you’re unfamiliar with this term, it translates roughly to “boys love.” It’s gay romance in other words. The scenes where Mary drinks Maria’s blood are rife with sexual tension. It’s worth it to mention since this might be a turnoff for some readers. But then again, if you’re reading a series about vampires there’s always bound to be some sexual tension somewhere, right?
These first three volumes of Bloody Mary introduce the main cast of characters almost completely. For three short books, it’s amazing the amount of plot they packed in without it feeling rushed. Throughout the series thus far it becomes apparent that Bloody “Mary” is not quite who he seems. There are others who remember things he has done that he himself doesn’t. As it turns out, Bloody “Mary” has an alternate personality named, yup, Mary. Fortunately enough, it’s easy to separate Bloody Mary from his other personality Mary. Bloody is quirky, he whines a lot, and is only focused on dying. Mary is ruthless. We don’t know much about him past that yet, but it’s sure to spice things up in the coming volumes. There are two other major revelations in the first three volumes of Bloody Mary, but we’d rather not spoil it all for you! Suffice it to say though, this series packs a punch so far.
Past the plot there is of course the art in Bloody Mary. The color cover art on each of the volumes has a soft, watercolor look to them. Each features a different color palette, so it’s sure to brighten up any collector’s book shelves. Within the manga themselves, Bloody Mary makes fantastic use of shadows and light. It’s easy to tell the mood of a page depending on the use of background shading. Another unique part of Bloody Mary is the use of different font types. It’s not uncommon for as many as five different font types to be used in a single chapter. Depending on where they’re used, the fonts can indicate shouting, or speaking in a different tone than normal. This inclusion of different lettering keeps visual interest high in Bloody Mary.
The only negative thing to say about Bloody Mary so far is truly a nitpick. When Mary first meets Maria he asks him if he is Isaac Rosario di Maria. In the entire first volume, Maria’s ancestor is always referred to as Isaac. But then right away in Volume Two, and subsequently in Volume Three, he is called Yzak. This could of course have been a miscommunication between the translator and the rest of the staff in the first volume that was fixed in the later ones. As we said, a very small negative to the series.
If you’re a vampire fan, and love to absorb anything you can on the subject, Bloody Mary will be a great addition to your collection. If you like twisted love stories, you’ll also enjoy Bloody Mary. If you’re a fan of both, we’ve found your match! In an age where vampire tales are everywhere, Bloody Mary brings something new to the table. A centuries old vampire who would do anything to die meets a vampire hunter who doesn’t know how to kill them. Hilarity ensues, along with some dark secrets from the past. A grab bag of emotions, Bloody Mary is sure to appeal to all sorts of readers.
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Manga
Categorized:Reviews
