French vampires, Japanese detectives, and a small French town gothic mansion all take center stage in Vol. 1 of Undead Girl Murder Farce.
Undead Girl Murder Farce, Vol. 1 takes place in a world where humans, vampires, and demons coexist, though not necessarily in harmony. Written by Yugo Aosaki and illustrated by Haruka Tomoyama, the first volume plays out like an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery, complete with lots of the same key players, games, and core assumptions. Common stories in Christie’s novels: the genius but egotistical detective protagonist, an aristocratic family, a murder victim, and a list of suspects are all confined to a single location. in a small town.
The story takes place in 19th century France, where there is a law that regulates the status and protection of vampires allied with humans – as long as they don’t attack humans. One such vampire protected under this law is Sir Godard, who lives in an opulent castle in a small French town called Givre. Godard lives peacefully with his vampire wife Hannah, his three vampire children – Claude, Raoul, and Charlotte – and two human servants at his job, a housekeeper named Alfred and a female servant. maid named Giselle. His world fell apart, however, when his wife was mysteriously murdered in the castle. He then hires a Japanese private detective named Aya Rindo and her two assistants – Tsugaru Shinuchi and Shizuku Hasei – to investigate the murder.
In terms of plot development, in true Christie style, Aosaki and Tomoyama describe their detective character, Aya, scrutinizing every detail of the crime scene, including seemingly irrelevant pieces of evidence. significantly. Aya took eyewitness accounts from those present at the castle at the time of the murder and noticed any inconsistencies in their statements. In the style of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, everyone close to the victim is a suspect in Aya’s eyes, and every action and action counts.
As the details of the murder mystery are unraveled, lots of red narratives are put forth by Aosaki and Tomoyama to keep the reader guessing who the killer might be. At the time of Vol. 1 to the climax, where every suspect is gathered in one room and all evidence is presented to reveal the identity of the killer, the reader may or may not be shocked – depending on their handling skills. However, the story doesn’t end there. It ends with a mind match that draws you to continue following the story in Vol. 2.
Illustrator Haruka Tomoyama succinctly captures a gothic aesthetic befitting a murder mystery involving a ghostly mansion occupied by vampires in a small, creepy French town. Her use of light and shadow for both the interior and exterior scenes helps set the tone, along with the design of the 19th-century castle that uses elements of gothic architecture to help convey the feeling. strange feeling. Tomoyama’s character designs are equally complete. Each character has a distinct look, unique body language, and facial expressions that fully express their personality.
Overall, Undead Girl Murder Farce Vol. 1 is an engaging, gothic murder mystery manga written in the style of a classic novel; uses a similar cast of characters and uses a lot of the same plot forms and colors to keep the reader interested in what happens next.
