Wild Adapter, vol. 4 (Kazuya Minekura)

[chomiji]

I guess Wild Adapter is right on schedule for a manga series ... vol. 4 is about when both Saiyuki and Samurai Deeper Kyo really got going.

When Kubota is running an errand for the Chinese herb doctor, Kou, he ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time and is taken into police custody on suspicion of involvement in a grave crime with some peripheral connection to the Wild Adapter drug situation. Meanwhile, Tokito, whom Kubota had warned away from their apartment, is roaming homeless, desperately searching for clues about what happened to his only friend. While Kubota maintains a stubborn silence, Tokito manages to force himself to seek help from Kou and from reporter Takizawa Ryouji, as well as from a mysterious young woman with a long-ago connection to Kubota.

The overall plot of the series isn't any more coherent at this point, but the relationships are starting to gel. Kou and Takizawa both seem to be emerging as proper parts of an ensemble cast, and Kubo and Tokito's partnership is becoming both stronger and more clear. There are some very affecting scenes in this one, especially near the end.

Wild Adapter, vol. 4 (review)

Anna is rather nice as a character, but I can't tell whether she's actually going to become part of the ensemble cast or is being set up for a tragic end. I like her reactions to Tokito. In fact, many of the interactions in this volume are beautifully realistic in the telegraphic brevity of what's spoken, and the way a good deal of the communication is by nonverbal means: gestures, glances, body posture. I also loved Tokito's bold declaration of what he and Kubo mean to each other: " Kubo-chan belongs to Kubo-chan. But everything that belongs to Kubo-chan also belongs to me."

I like Kou and Taki more each time I see them. I hope I'm right, that they're becoming proper characters - we'll know if and when they start having scenes on their own, I suppose. Taki has some Gojyo in him, in his kindness and generosity, and in his social skills. I love when he comforts Tokito: "Do you really think Kubochi would kick you out for no reason?" and Tokito says "You're actually a good person," and Taki goes "Heh. What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Kou is starting to show some subtle emotion behind his impassive exterior - the way he's staring down at the counter as he says to Tokito "He's a very loyal man, our Kubota," silently shrieks "Guilt!" to me.

And the scene near the end really gets me, where the newly-released Kubota's reaction to Tokito's excited relief is simply to lean his head on his friend's shoulder - not holding him with his arms, nothing so blatant. It's as though he's finally able to give in to all the weariness and misery that he's accumulated during his several days of imprisonment, and just can't stand upright anymore now that Tokito's there to catch him when he falls.

The little afterward was kind of a shocker ... it looked really sweet until the last three frames.

Question for sanada: Takizawa uses the same kind of goofy nicknames that Makino in Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service uses - Kubochi for Kubota, just like Numacchi for Numata. In Japanese, does he use Japanese teenager slang, like I think you once told me Gojyo does?

• Oyceter's writeup of this

Comments

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

Naw, I guess I'd just seen "anta" as a casual version used by a female before, and it stuck in my brain that way. :)