The Bottom Line
After two action-packed but somewhat confusing volumes, Black God Volume 3 clears up several mysteries and sets the stage for intriguing plot twists to come. Park's action-packed fight scenes are still the main focus, but now that the cast is established, Park and Lim delve into the personalities and relationships of their characters to give their story more emotional depth.
This volume also introduces us to Steiner and Excel, a mototsumitama / human duo from Europe. While they're interesting characters, it's a bit creepy to see the much older Steiner and the child-like Excel in an intimate relationship.
Pros
- More details about doppleliners are revealed with the arrival of Excel and Steiner
- An intriguing plot twist about Keita's mother is introduced
- After two volumes in the background, Akane gets a little more "face time"
- Includes a cute "omake" chapter about take-out food in Japan and Korea
Cons
- No matter how old they say Excel is, her relationship with Steiner seems kind of creepy
- This volume offers a slight lull in the action that's mostly setting up plot twists to come
Description
- Original Title: Kurogami (Japan)
- Author: Dall-Young Lim
Artist: Sung-Woo Park - Publishers:
Yen Press (US)
Square Enix (Japan) - ISBN: 978-0-7595-2842-0
- Cover Price: $10.99 US / $12.75 CANADA / £5.99 UK
- Age Rating:
OT – Older Teens, Age 16+
for bloody violence, strong language, partial nudity
More about content ratings. - Manga Genres:
- Seinen (Men's) Manga
- Korean Manhwa
- Action / Adventure
- Martial Arts Action
- Paranormal / Supernatural
- US Publication Date: June 2008
Japan Publication Date: 2006 - Book Description: 224 pages, black and white illustrations, 4 color pages
- More Manga by Sung-Woo Park
Guide Review - Black God Volume 3
Now that readers have made it to the third volume of Black God, some of their patience is rewarded. With the introduction of Steiner and Excel, a human / mototsumitama duo from Europe, we learn a lot more about what doppleliners are, and why they have to die after seeing their doubles. On top of that, Keita discovers a photo that links his deceased mother with a dangerous rogue mototsumitama in Okinawa.
Now that most of the main characters are in place, Lim and Park develop the personalities of their cast. After witnessing a shocking death of a doppleliner, Keita is not quite the cocky, self-centered guy we met in Volume 1. His attitude toward Kuro has softened, and the two develop a friendly repartee with each other.
Kind-hearted Akane is also given more time to shine, as we learn more about her past history with Keita. A side story sheds some light on Akane's personality and explains why she coddles a guy who treats her like an ATM.
While Park's high-intensity fight scenes are not as impressive the third time around, they're still quite a sight to see. The artwork, is as always, dynamic and action-packed. There are also a few light-hearted scenes that keep this volume from being just non-stop bone-crunching and blood splattering.
The only disturbing thing here is sexual relationship that's alluded to between Steiner, an imposing German guy and Excel, a girl who looks young enough to be his daughter. While Excel explains that she has a condition that has retarded her aging process, it's still a bit creepy to see them being so intimate.
It took a while, but Black God Volume 3 clears up a lot of mysteries from the first two installments and sets the stage for the story that's yet to unfold. I'm still not completely sold on this series, but I'm intrigued enough to stick around to see how it all ends.
