The Demon Prince of Momochi House Vol. 8by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 5 Himari searches for Aoi's past to help the Nue transform back into Aoi.This is not the first time Himari has tried to learn about Aoi's past. I'm getting a little annoyed with the piecemeal nature of the reveals and that the guys aren't very forthcoming with the information they do have. No one but Himari seems interested in the past, yet she learns one little piece and thinks that's it and that that's all she / Aoi will need for whatever problem made her search out his past. This time, at least, we seem to be getting a bigger picture, and there are hints along the way that Himari's own past is equally important. I love the unusual characters Himari meets in the spiritual realm, and I love their mix of helpfulness and dangerousness. One lets us know that Himari's true name (referring to the kanji it's written with) is important and powerful ... which makes me want to know what kanji she currently uses and why she doesn't know the original kanji her parents gave her. I struggled to enjoy this volume as much as the others, partially because the pace is slow and all reveals are incomplete and mysterious. Even the dangers are quickly and easily mitigated, making them seem less threatening than they really are. I was quite intrigued by Kasha's wager with the Nue. In particular, I'm intrigued by the "boardgame" they seemed to manipulate things through, which shows Himari in the spiritual realm as they play. Yet, we don't learn both sides of the wager, and nothing more than an introduction to the board is ever done. Did they just sit back and watch without interfering? And what is the Nue's goal / desire, and how does that compare to Aoi's? And why doesn't Himari try to find out what the Nue wants or thinks regarding this situation? There are suggestions in this volume (including one of the two extra stories) that Himari will need to choose between Aoi and the Nue ... and she doesn't have any chemistry with either yet. I'm really confused as to where this is going right now, especially since I saw Aoi / Nue as two sides of a coin rather than two separate entities. And I'm still waiting for Himari to come into her own powers more; I'm hopeful that her actions on the spiritual path, and the new information and hints about her name and parents, will begin more exploration of that side, even while she's trying to help Aoi and the Nue. It's a good thing this is volume 8 and not an earlier volume. At this point I'm invested and interested enough in the story and characters to put up with an off-volume like this and still want more. So much was touched on, glossed over, or ignored in this volume, which is frustrating. I also have faith that this plot direction will go somewhere worthwhile and even make the main plot more engaging. Written: May 7, 2017
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