To be frank, Kasane was a lot different than I expected. Based on its genre, premise, and rating, I imagined a bloody revenge story where a crazy girl ripped off people’s faces. It wasn’t anything like that, though. Not in the least. Instead, Kasane was a surprising, refreshing page-turner that lacked the melodrama or violence that many other horror series possess.
This manga takes its name from the main character: Kasane Fuchi. She is a young girl with a “hideous” face, although the audience never fully sees it. Cursed with an ugly exterior, Kasane is relentlessly bullied and hates herself. To make matters worse, Kasane’s mother was a famous actress known for her beauty, making both the bullying and Kasane’s self-esteem issues more intense.
One day, Kasane remembers something her deceased mother told her — she said to wear a special lipstick if Kasane was ever going through a rough time. Kasane discovers that when she puts on this lipstick, she can swap faces with anyone. In my head, I wrongly assumed Kasane was going to use this ability to wreak havoc on those who wronged her and enjoy all of the privileges of being “beautiful.”
But she doesn’t, at least not in Volume 1. Instead, Kasane wears the lipstick sparingly, and when she does wear it, she uses it to act. Not “acting” as in pretending to be someone else – “acting” as in performing on stage as an actress, something she could normally never do. Kasane loves the theater and acting, partly because of her mother, partly because it lets her live out a fantasy. With someone else’s face, she can experience her passion, feel closer to her mother, and relish in praise for a short time.
The lipstick brings up multiple questions about Kasane’s mother. Was she also “ugly”? Did she use the lipstick to make herself more attractive? If so, whose face did she steal and for how long? How did her mother die? A mystery starts to form, and it’s very enticing. Kasane is kind of mysterious herself. Her actions are never really what I anticipate. She is a complex character that you can’t help but pity, even if you don’t condone her behavior. I was not 100% sure what exactly was going to happen next while reading the manga. That’s saying something because I’m usually good at predicting plots. It also adds to the suspense of the story.
Of course, no story is flawless. I found the situation with the Cinderella play a little unbelievable. In the beginning of the story, Kasane got the lead role of Cinderella in the fifth-grade play (which was actually a cruel trick on the part of her classmates). However, her classmates did not allow her to join any practice sessions, up until the day of the real performance. I’m aware that bullying is a huge problem in Japan, but I find it hard to believe that this could go on with no teacher or adult intervention. Even if it was a student-run play, I’d assume a teacher would check in at some point and see what was happening to Kasane. Additionally, some of the transitions in the story were a little confusing. At one point, it skips from Kasane being in elementary school to high school. I didn’t realize the transition right away and became puzzled – especially since the jump was made directly after a significant event had happened.
Despite some weak points and common tropes (bullying, etc.), Kasane was very strong and original overall. Like I said, it did not have to rely on tactics that horror series like to use. I’m not against gore or bloodshed – for reference, Elfen Lied is one of my favorite anime – but it was nice to see something different. Whether or not you like bloody horror, I recommend this manga for anyone who wants to sit at the edge of their seat. Don’t hesitate to read it like I did at first; I’m grateful I pushed past my initial apprehension. It was worth it.