I really enjoy a book that finds a way to surprise the reader by making small changes to our standard expectations. I was delighted by the turns this story took and the way it managed to confound expectations early on. This was fun, intriguing, and quick to read.
Ryudo Konosuke is a samurai down on his luck and struggling to get by. He goes to the unemployment office and we learn everyone thinks he’s simply afraid of blades and he’s a local joke. At his lowest and ready to give up, he allows some locals who are picking on him to start a fight. He believes they will give him the honorable death he seeks to end his misery, only for us to find out that his skin turns their blades away. He cannot be killed by the sword and even though he has the skill, he cannot handle one himself. One of the men kicks him into the water and as he is drowning we see a flashback to his mother being killed in front of him as a child. A woman tells him he cannot die as they have not met yet and he wakes up in his home with no memory of how he got there. That night he receives a letter which is a marriage proposal from a woman he’s never met, and THAT is just the first chapter.
Ryudo has a hard time believing any of this is real, as the proposal comes with a 100 Ryo dowry. He is ready to believe it’s a trap; she’s beautiful, kind and helpful—why would she choose him? Otsuki says she knows all about his “curse” and that she doesn’t measure a man by his ability to hold a sword; she picked him because of this. He is a tortured man though, as he swore to his father to be an honorable samurai and he feels his failure every day. Otsuki has come to save him and to do that she will have to win him over.
Fate intervenes on the day she finally convinces him to leave the house. Ryudo has to defend Otsuki from the same guy who broke his sword fighting him in the first chapter. Ryudo’s skill is real: he wins and they share a quiet moment where he finally feels some self worth, as she has only gratitude for him risking his life. When they look to be happy and things are going well, a mysterious stranger appears and puts a hex upon the house. The stranger has the ability to control water and he will remove the water from their bodies if Otsuki does not come with him. She tells Ryudo to live on for her and she knows they will meet again, but they cannot fight this type of occult power. She says it is like his power to control metal, but we do not know what her power is, only that she’s involved with things far beyond his understanding. He tries to fight this stranger only to find himself losing and drowning once again.
The cliffhanger ending is a really great button to where the story is and I’m not even mad at where it leaves us. This book keeps you turning pages and investing in the people as much as the plot. The art feels familiar to a lot of shonen manga, but there are moments, especially with Otsuki, where instead of heavy lines, the art becomes more delicate and detailed. It is used sparingly, but to great effect. There is some violence, no bad language, and exactly one exposed breast. Viz Media has this labeled for a Teen Plus audience, but I didn’t think there was anything prohibitive here and most Teen sections would be fine with this book. I am certainly looking forward to the next volume and will be recommending this often!
Steel of the Celestial Shadows, Vol. 1
By Daruma Matsuura
VIZ Signature, 2024
ISBN: 9781974742745
Publisher Age Rating: T+
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16)
