I love discovering new manga and there is a variety of series for all types of readers. When seeking out manga I decided to check out Rabbit Game by Miyoshi. Here are my thoughts on this short, but eerie horror manga from Glacier Bay Books!
Synopsis:
The perpetually winding, emotionally erotic turmoil in youth’s meddling heart… Kiritani Tooru has been haunted by strange dreams. Are they real or fake, dream or reality? Or perhaps they’re simply memories of the past?
Cults, exotic foods, riding late on the train past the edge of the world……. High school life obliterated in a mysterious, deadly game.
Review:
Rabbit Game is a short graphic novel that takes readers into a world of the strange and mysterious. Following the main character Kiritani, he develops a crush on Inaba his long-time friend. Inaba has a tendency to be an outsider and some of the things she says are perplexing and yet also unsettling. However, when she invites Kiritani to play “Rabbit Game” a seemingly unknown video game is when his life truly changes. He is transported to a world of strange things and unlimited desires. But will he be able to escape from this dream world?
This comic blends teenage love and horror in a narrative that is impactful and has the readers wanting more. Its creepy atmosphere is constant throughout the story. There is an overwhelming uncertainty about what might be waiting when you turn the next page. It’s more of a psychological horror story as the events play on the characters and reader’s mind. Kiritani wants desperately to develop a relationship with Inaba, which makes it easier for him to be pulled into the “Rabbit Game”. What seems at first like a beautiful dream, quickly becomes a story of being careful about what you wish for.
I appreciated the story’s dream-like qualities and how there were many questions left unanswered throughout the story. The speculation of what happened or the game itself makes the narrative even more powerful. Adding to this are whimsical, yet strange illustrations of the game world itself. I enjoyed the detail added to the manga making it more otherworldly and suspenseful as Kiritani makes his way through the world. While some drawings are straightforward others are warped adding to the sense of him (Kiritani) losing reality since there is so much happening in the story.
Final Verdict:
If you are looking for a horror manga that is different from the usual fare, I highly recommend Rabbit Game. The artwork is strange and beautiful while the dreamlike quality of the story will have you wanting more. This manga gets a rating of 4 out of 5 stars for me!
*I received this manga from Glacier Bay Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.
