In Wolf God, the leader of the Inugami pack is dying from old age, and it's up to Kyonousuke to find the next Alpha, his long lost brother. The wolf blood in his veins gives him heightened senses and strength, but he gets stuck when he makes it to the city. Then comes Koyuki, a high school girl that carries his brother's scent. Can she help Kyonousuke find his brother? Wolf God volume 1 by Ai Tenkawa was released by Digital Manga July 21, 2010. The supernatural manga was printed under the publisher's DokiDoki imprint.
Characters in Digital Manga's Wolf God
Kyonousuke is frail and sickly, and quick to tears when he hears of his brother's supposed death, but he doesn't come across as a giant wuss, either. Finding that kind of a balance in sensitivity in a male character without making him overly delicate is difficult, but Ai Tenkawa seems to have pulled it off in her manga.
Koyuki comes in as Kyonousuke's "benefactress," taking care of him while he's ill and offering to help find his brother. Readers wait to see Koyuki's importance play out in the manga... and are disappointed. Koyuki doesn't seem to be of much use outside of giving him medicine, and she's never even met his brother!
It's apparent early on that Koyuki is meant to take the reader's place in Wolf God, an innocuous character learning about the strange story. She still has her interesting moments: the dead pan way she speaks to her teacher ("I'll be a monster hunter.") is good for a chuckle. But she's more of an observer than an aggregator for the manga's plot.
At least she's more fun than her friends. Her best friend is utterly bland, and her suitor is entirely annoying and useless to the story - even Koyuki blatantly ignores him throughout the manga.
The rest of the cast is made up of members of the Inugami clan. Though readers get a glimpse into some of these characters, like Kyonousuke's cousin Kanosuke, most haven't been sufficiently fleshed out. Hopefully that's something to be remedied in future volumes.
One big problem with the manga is the names – to a Western ear all the "K" names sound similar, and it becomes difficult to keep track of characters.
Supernatural Manga Wolf God – Turns Into a High School Drama?
Once the manga gets rolling, it falls into formulae. Koyuki is captured periodically, and Kyonousuke strengthens when he needs to protect her. Then the end comes, and Kyonousuke is enrolling in her school! Readers through they were picking up a fantasy manga, only to find out it's a high school drama with a supernatural twist. It's a dirty trick.
Even with the predictable turns, Wolf God can be a fun read. There may not be a lot of character depth, but aside from a from a couple no one grates against the reader. And while the reader can see every plot turn from a mile away, the manga is still enjoyable with a decent mythology to make up the supernatural aspect.
Ai Tenkawa's Art in Wolf God Manga
Backgrounds are uncomplicated to the point that rooms and cityscapes lack personality. But this benefits the manga's action scenes, with uncluttered panels making it easy to pay attention to the well choreographed fights.
Like the backgrounds everyone looks simplistic, with clean round lines making appealing character designs. Tenkawa spices it up by adding accessories, like Kanosuke's arm bands. This makes more a more interesting asymmetrical look, even if it makes him look like a stereotypical punk.
Wolf God Volume 1
Readers who thought they were picking up dark supernatural werewolf story - put this manga back down. Wolf God is serious to a point, but it is overall a lighthearted manga and won't satisfy those looking for a thoughtful read. But the manga is earnest and straightforward, and that can be relieving in the midst of heavier manga. The ending is worrisome – will the manga become a boring high school love story? – but here's to hoping that Wolf God continues to be enjoyable.
Wolf God volume 1 gets 3/5.
- ISBN: 978-1-56970-080-8
- Released June 21, 2010
- MSRP: $12.95
- Rated for ages 13+
Related Articles:
Join the Conversation