[Categories: Manga Reviews]
Lament of the Lamb volume 7 and final thoughts
The optimism that Chizuna and Kazuna felt upon their return to school and relative normality is, perhaps inevitably, short-lived. Chizuna’s flashbacks finally reveal to her the terrible secret she has carried all these years, while Kazuna’s bloodlust attacks return with a vengeance. It’s dark, it’s depressing, and there are some surprising twists and revelations before the story draws to a close. We find out the truth behind the majority of the main issues raised, as the characters finally confront the problems they’ve faced all along.
Perhaps surprisingly it is Chizuna who seems to give in to her illness: as strong as she’s been from the start, her memories are now complete and her fatalistic outlook overtakes her will to survive. It is a saddening sight to see her descend into illness and resignation like this but fortunately the explanations and Kazuna’s dramatic experiences lift the mood into high tension.
The possibility that their mother is not dead is raised by Kazami’s investigations, which means that there is uncertainty hanging over the whole affair right until the end - just when we think that we’ve got to the bottom of the Takashiros and their curse, there’s one more mystery to be solved. Apart from one or two standout scenes the pace too is slow-but-steady but of course there are moments that really get the pages turning. Without giving too much away the final scenes offer some resolution but leave enough details open to leave the reader guessing about how things will turn out - they could get better but could just as easily get worse. Fortunately there are no especially glaring out-of-character moments or plot devices that come out of the blue so the conclusion is a fairly satisfactory one.
Final Thoughts
I’ve enjoyed reading Lament of the Lamb, not as a blood-soaked horror (a term I don’t use in describing films and stories; it’s a stance that takes more space than is available here to explain) but as a grim and compelling character-driven drama. The incenstuous overtones are not introduced to shock but are an integral part of the story; unsettling perhaps but justifiable in the context of the characters and their situations. Learning more about their personalities and motives holds much of the appeal for me plot-wise, although the true nature of the Takashiro family’s condition kept me guessing throughout. It is an interesting study into how a life-threatening illness can affect the way in which the sufferer interacts with those around them, as well as how those who share a potentially dangerous state of mind isolate themselves to protect others.
The contrasting attitudes that Chizuna and Kazuna take towards their illness says a lot about their outlook on life in general, without making use of the issues normally raised in stories concerning vampires. In fact, the ‘vampiric’ side to the condition is quite underplayed; the effects on their lives are more the focus. That said, there is a superbly gloomy and pessimistic atmosphere to the piece overall and by the end I took a real liking to Kei Toume’s artwork. One of my favourite images of the entire series is a double page spread pencil drawing in volume #7; I won’t publish any scans here because it is too spoilerish but it sums up the relationship between the two Takashiro siblings perfectly.
Although Minase is possibly my favourite member of the supporting cast I can’t help but feel sorry for poor little Yeagashi. Both of them are utterly devoted to their friends but for the most part are unable to help them in any way; it is the barrier that Chizuna and Kazuna build around themselves that is the saddest thing for all concerned.
Before wrapping this article up completely I ought to mention a couple of pics, the latter of which I hope I’ll have the time and inclination to post up since it left me with such a deep impression. The first is the cover of volume #5 with Chizuna staring out wearing a crimson kimono; the other is a portrait of her on the inside cover. Toume captures a side of her that is at the same time distant, beautiful, dangerous and quite lonely. It is one of several images that are published in the series of volumes that really stay in the memory.
Posted on October 4th, 2006 @ 3:35 am
>>> The possibility that their mother is not dead is raised by Kazami’s investigations,
Actually it is not a mystery. Their father hid the death of their mother to not be bothered with police.
>>> Both of them are utterly devoted to their friends but for the most part are unable to help them in any way;
No. They have given Kazuna another chance.
Posted on October 4th, 2006 @ 3:50 am
Most contrived ending ever… I’m sorry but “let’s erase memory” is a lazy way to resolve this kind of issue.
Posted on October 4th, 2006 @ 5:04 am
>>> I’m sorry but “let’s erase memory” is a lazy way to resolve this kind of issue.
I disagree. Death is even easier way to resolve the issue. The author has given Kazuna a fighting chance, but no way do any of the character has easy road to future. The whole incidence has given the characters strength to persevere when the surse reappears, thus in keeping with the main theme, perseverance despite difficulties and despair.
Posted on October 4th, 2006 @ 5:06 am
Correction: Death is even LAZIER way to resolve the issues.
Posted on October 4th, 2006 @ 8:07 pm
Interesting comments there, people. Granted, the ‘memory loss’ thing is a little convenient but recovery of memory isn’t ruled out - Yaegashi, the Edas and Minase are fully aware that Kazuna could have flashbacks in the same way that Chizuna did, possibly with similar results.
“>>> Both of them are utterly devoted to their friends but for the most part are unable to help them in any way;
No. They have given Kazuna another chance.”
True. However, Kazuna makes a conscious effort to return to his normal life. Maybe I was a little hasty in saying his family and friends could do nothing at all, but in the end Kazuna has to decide for himself whether to shut himself away or not. Only then will he be able to make use of their support to look ahead.
The ending could have been better but it leaves a suitable amount of uncertainty but hope as well. The whole series (for me at least) poses the question of how individuals face up to adversity, which the ending does reasonably well.
Thanks for the feedback!
Posted on October 12th, 2006 @ 11:22 pm
umm……..Who’s to say Chizuna died? No one actually dies like that in a few hours. Remember terry schiavo? It took her 13 days to die- without nourishment of any kind. I’ve seen heart patients give up, too; the final hours take forever. Besides, Toume says nothing of a funeral, and Minase wanted Kazuna gone anyway. For all we know, Chizuna is on life support in the Takashiro clinic. He did call pretty early in the morning………hey, come on! I’m trying to be optimistic here!