I usually like it when there’s a little bit of a recap or repeat of the previous volume as a way to remind readers of what is happening. Well, after the first color image insert, the manga drops you right into Mera French kissing Akame and groping her rear end.
Man, this series wastes no time in jumping into its sexual bits.
Mera has made Akame a deal: join her harem (okay, team), or she’ll make the eggs she’s implanted in Akame hatch. The meat-loving assassin has seen some of the darker parts of the Empire, but she doesn’t seem any closer to her eventual betrayal than before. In fact, while secretly communicating with Kurome, Akame plots Mera’s assassination, but not before picking up skills from Mera. The only time the bugmaster has her defenses down is when she’s embracing (technically sexually assaulting) Akame, so the latter decides to that’s the best time to strike.
Yes, Akame tries to use what little seduction arts she knows in order to kill her opponent. And yes, we get quite a view of this. When her plan fails, there’s still some more fanservice to be had. Let’s just say one character gets quite a view before going to the Underworld or whatever the equivalent is in this universe. “A feast for the eyes before someone dies” could be this volume’s tagline.
Unless you’re looking for girl-on-girl action, the main reason this volume is so important is the fight between Akame and Mera. (I don’t mean a pillow fight in this case.) Although we know Akame can’t fall here, she still doesn’t have Murasame, so this is not her one-cut-and-done style she would use in Akame ga KILL! Mera may be no Esdeath, but her skills are nothing to slouch at either. Even the Revolutionary Army, with whom she’s currently allied with, are unsure of how to handle her.
While their showdown is a 1v1 affair, the rest of her team also charge the Oarburghs’ headquarters. I thought the fight against Gil was quite well done, with her last moments showing her solid determination. It might have been a little more interesting to expand these fights and save the ultimate resolution for the next volume, but it’s not a dealbreaker.
In fact, the way it is here might actually be better, as there still is quite a ways to go before Zero connects with the original series. That’s what I keep waiting for: an Akame who reluctantly leaves her sister, the most important person in the world to her, and goes fights for the opposite side. But parts of this volume provide glimpses into what a non-warrior Akame might have been like, so if you want to be at least somewhat surprised by her actions, I think you’ll really like this volume. I know I never would have thought Akame would have relied on anything but her strength and wildlife survival skills even if she had her back to the wall.
Of course, I can’t neglect the art, which does seem to be a whole lot better than before. Fights are actual blows, and I can sense the fire in the character’s eyes. But this series continues to require its M rating and being shrinkwrapped, but at least the sexual scenes are saved for Akame’s attempted seduction of Mera and not in the middle of battle.
I do wish Akame ga KILL! Zero was a little less focused on bedroom advances and more on the battlefield. But in this series, this volume is about as good as it gets.