Jam's Reviews > After School Nightmare, Volume 3

I'm utterly biased about these books, but that's because they're excellent.

You do sometimes run up against gender issues in manga. This series works with them in a way that other manga, particularly those that deal with genderfuckery, could learn a lot from.

The main character, Mashiro, clings to identifying as male for reasons that have more to do with clinging to classical male virtues. Men are strong, cool minded, chivalrous, protective. Women are soft, in need of protection, emotional.

You read a book and a character says something that makes you wonder if the author actually knows that that's a kind of fucked up thing to believe. This series rewards your faith. It's an excellent series, surreal but coherent, twisty, dark in the right places, with beautiful art and characters that make sense. In this volume, characters grow, are called on their issues, learn from them.

And then you're still left clutching at your chest and going, "What? What just-- what does that-- does that mean he's-- And she's-- what? I need the next volume!"