Kekkaishi, Vol. 3

by Yellow Tanabe

Book Overview

Students by day, demon hunters by night

By night, teenager Yoshimori Sumimura is a "kekkaishi"--a demon-hunter who specializes in creating magical barriers around his prey. By day, Yoshimori's got other demons to battle: an addiction to sweets and a seriously crotchety grandfather Yoshimori's pretty neighbor and childhood friend, Tokine Yukimura, is also a kekkaishi, but their families are feuding over who is the true practitioner...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1421500671
• ISBN13: 9781421500676
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Viz Media
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 14 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Ice and fur

We don't really know much about Madararo except that he's a dog-demon ghost, and that he's gay. But more of his past comes to light in the third volume of "Kekkaishi," where Yellow Tanabe fleshes out Madarao's backstory and introduces another chilling villain -- as well as showing how hard Yoshimori is working on his training, and how scarily powerful he might become. First there's a brief story showing Tokine and Yoshimori's strengths -- she is adept at creating kekkai exactly where and in what form she wants, while he's got the raw power, and has vowed to destroy one of the steel-filled training boulders in a week. And they have to combine their powers when they encounter an ice-type creature that is strong enough to punch holes in kekkai barriers... Then Yoshimori and Madarao are assaulted by three small-fry demons on their nightly rounds, and imprison them without any effort. But they are only the minions of a far more terrible creature -- Koma, a savage dog-spirit from Madarao's past. The only way to destroy Koma is to unleash Madarao's terrible, devastating powers by removing his restraining collar -- but can he defeat Koma? And can Yoshimori somehow put the collar back on him when it's all over? Then there's a little one-off story -- a freaked-out Tokine shows up at Yoshimori's house with a certain extermination request, and extremely strict guidelines. To destroy her little black scuttling monster, he'll call upon all his supernatural powers -- shikigami, kekkai, and his wits! The big reveal in "Kekkaishi Volume 3" is the background for Madarao, the gay dog-demon who usually follows Yoshimori everywhere and helps him exterminate small nasty creatures. He's actually quite impressive in his power once the collar is removed -- enormous, nasty, and potentially toxic -- and we get to see how he died (it's very sad), how he met Yoshimori's ancestor, and how he lived before (and after) his death. And we see how his old friend became so psychotic about humans, to the point of wanting to kill 'em all. Tanabe also takes some time out to show the varying skills of the kekkaishi, and how freakily powerful Yoshimori is becoming as he gains greater skill and precision -- including the nenshi, a useful little skill related to the kekkai. And he spins up some funny elements as well, such as Yoshimori's little Shikigami squad, which are so bloody cute that you wanna squish them. But he's brilliant with the supernatural fight scenes -- they're intense, precise, and ferociously simple, with some wonderfully detailed artwork and an overhanging sense of menace. Better yet, they are matches of intelligence and quick wits as much as magical power, which is something you don't see in many manga. "Kekkaishi Volume 3" explores Madarao's tragic past, as well as exploring our laid-back hero's rapidly growing powers. Not exactly an arc story, but a good solid character-development volume.