posts tagged “Lament of the Lamb”
[OAVs, Movies and Full Series]
30 Aug 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
Kei Toume’s manga series is one of the finest pieces of vampire fiction I’ve ever seen - it examines the emotional fallout from the affliction in detail, from the vampire’s perspective in a similar way that Anne Rice did with Interview with the Vampire; it also takes place in a modern setting, which adds some realism and makes the vampire’s situation a little easier to relate to. There’s no sign of Kiefer Sutherland or that kid from The Goonies though, sadly.
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Reading stats: 745 words & 4 images; estimated reading time 2:59 mins
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[Manga Reviews]
03 Oct 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
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.
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Reading stats: 721 words & 1 image; estimated reading time 2:53 mins
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[Manga Reviews]
20 Sep 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
The penultimate instalment sees the entrance of Shinobu Kazami, a nurse who worked for the father of Chizuna and Kazuna, and is now looking for answers concerning his tragic death. She crosses paths with not only his two children but the Edas and Minase; at every turn she is greeted with suspicion as her search for answers makes slow progress.
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Reading stats: 362 words & 1 image; estimated reading time 1:27 mins
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[Manga Reviews]
03 Aug 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
Lament of the Lamb is proving to be a bit of a slow-burner and as a result fans of more action-packed vampire fare will probably have already decided that it’s not for them. This volume mostly concerns itself with highlighting existing situations while adding some minor developments.
The recurring theme of Kazuna withdrawing from his old life and the anguish that results is reiterated, as both aunt Haruka and would-be romantic interest Yaegashi try to talk him into returning to his old life. This time he’s not as abrupt with Haruka and although she doesn’t change his mind in the slightest, they part on better terms. Yaegashi on the other hand is still desparate to be by his side despite knowing full well what the consequences may be.
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Reading stats: 404 words & 1 image; estimated reading time 1:37 mins
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[Manga Reviews]
07 Jul 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
Kazuna’s life becomes progressively more miserable as the focus of the story shifts a little towards the situation of his sister Chizuna. The slightly, well, unsettling vibes that were lurking below the surface are much more obvious now: Chizuna is one troubled lass and no mistake.
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Reading stats: 451 words & 1 image; estimated reading time 1:48 mins
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[Manga Reviews]
08 Jun 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
Blood, as they say, is thicker than water. I’ve always thought that it’s a nonsensical saying but it neatly sums up a central theme of Lament of the Lamb. In the past I’ve used words such as dark, brooding, angsty and the like to desribe Kei Toume’s vampire tale and the third instalment is no exception.
Kazuna has begun to sever ties with his family and friends to protect them from the terrible disease that has gripped him; don’t expect any fast plotting or much graphic violence here, this is strictly character-driven stuff. His classmate Yaegashi now knows the reasons behind his strange and worrying beaviour but her reaction is unexpected and highlights how difficult it will be for Kazuna’s self-induced withdrawal from his present life.
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Reading stats: 360 words & 1 image; estimated reading time 1:26 mins
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[Manga Reviews]
02 Jun 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
The first volume was quite an intense experience: it introduced virtually the entire cast of the story and the general themes. The second instalment slows the pace down a little to look more closely at Kazuna’s new situation and how his condition affects both him and those around him. Volume 2 of Lament of the Lamb paints a bleak picture.
The first main problem is the condition itself: Kazuna is struck down by painful and terrifying bouts of blood-lust that he can neither control nor understand; the second is that as a result of his mysterious disease he has to keep it secret from his friends and adoptive family.
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Reading stats: 424 words & 1 image; estimated reading time 1:42 mins
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[Manga Reviews]
19 May 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
I’m not a very prolific manga reader (as you might have guessed from the number of entries in this category) but I have a soft spot for vampire stories. For this reason Lament of the Lamb seemed to be a logical choice to add to my modest manga collection.
There are quite a few vampire tales in anime and manga, such as Hellsing, Vampire Hunter D and Blood: The Last Vampire. However, while the action-orientated ones are good in their own way I’ve always been more interested in the emotional drama rather than blood-soaked action. Arcueid from Tsukihime and the iconic D are good examples of vampires who have human emotions and show the condition of being an immortal from the inside; while this is often downbeat and tragic it is often the most interesting. This is where Lament of the Lamb comes in.
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Reading stats: 645 words & 1 image; estimated reading time 2:35 mins
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