Orochi: The Perfect Edition, Vol. 3: Volume 3

I have been reading Kazuo's work for quite some time now. So I understand his style of writing and art. This volume is no different except for one story that has stuck with me for a while. I'll get to that at the end. First off is Stage. Predictable and had the potential to be better—your typical revenge story. Kazuo ended Stage in such a generic and unsatisfying way. After finishing it, it left me with such a sour taste. Not going to spoil anything, but I will only say this. Forgiveness is a powerful thing and is one of the few things that differentiate us from animals.Last but not least. Combat. After finishing Stage, I didn't expect much from this. I was wrong. Combat, was captivating. Add in the fact the art pushed the story to its full potential and made it even better. Again, I won't spoil anything. But it's depressing to see a son realize his father isn't the man he thinks he is. It reminds me of a Sopranos scene between kid AJ and his father, Tony Soprano, at a funeral. And AJ's innocence is gone after finally finding out Tony is a mob boss—heartbreaking stuff.I could recommend this to anyone. The first story isn't awful by any means. I still enjoyed it. Combat has stuck with me even after finishing weeks ago. And in the end, Orochi stares at the wind and snowy mountain, waiting for someone. It made this whole experience perfect. This is how you end a story. Good job, Kazuo Umezz.

I ordered all four parts having received two of them so far.The cover is very nice, the surface is textured, the title is printed in foil giving it a nice colored shimmer, it really is the best looking release of Orochi ever. The pages are textured and have nice tint to them, and the artwork really brings out this old school manga vibe.

If you enjoyed the previous two volumes, you know what you're in for.The story 'Stage' is particularly good. It concerns a child accusing a morning TV presenter of hitting his Dad with a car.The classic Umezz air of mystery and unease is well intact. While it may lack the narrative depth of The Drifting Classroom, it more than makes up for it with its excellent concept. Watch out for 'The Morning Man!'