The Tree of Death: Yomotsuhegui Vol. 1

[cornerofmadness]

The Tree of Death: Yomotsuhegui Vol. 1 by Masasumi Kakizaki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Let me start with the content warnings: rape on the page, rape/torture, violence against everyone, murder of a child, serial killers, suicide on page.

So yeah, this is dark AF. Nawa Kanetsugu was a police officer who is now in jail. A couple of baddies looking for him found his wife and daughter and raped/killed them. He killed one of them in revenge. Now years later, he's out. His sister has kept his house for him but otherwise wants nothing to do with him. You get the idea he'd kill himself to be with his family only he has to finish killing the men who destroyed his family.

enter two characters, the serial killer who killed his wife (who is also doing the rape murders mentioned above) and a mysterious girl, Ren, who just so happens, along with her spirit partner, to be a shinigami, a god of death. Her plan is to kill all the Undying, humans who have eaten of the Yomotsuhegui tree (sort of like Yggdrasil) as humans weren't meant to be immortal.

Bet you can guess which serial killer has eaten of it. (But what else he's done with it is creepy as hell) and Nawa himself has been exposed, another undying. He learns of 'the king of the Undying' who thinks humans should have immortality. Nawa isn't really torn between him and Ren. He doesn't much care for their agendas. He just wants his revenge.

In spite of the darkness, it works. I could have done without the rape being drawn. It could have been hinted at but it does serve its purpose. It reminds me of The Crow or Deathwish. I'm not sure if I'll read more. The art is quite good.



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