Animehouse

There’s something that always ends up a little surreal with monthly series when you read in a volume format. With Dai Dark volume 7, it’s been about 8 months since I last read the series. Of course, a re-read is taken before each volume so that the series is fresh, but leaving it hanging for that long ends up making for a decidedly unique experience when you read so much manga. Of course, the main attraction is still very much the latest volume, as is the case here. On the heels of a precarious situation with Zaha at the mercy of Big Sparkles, Dai Dark volume 7 inevitably has to prove to readers just how Zaha works his way out of this situation, and where the series might go next.

In truth, no proving is really required when in the hands of Hayashida. Be it a volume of Dorohedoro or Dai Dark, much like a certain NBA team’s philosophy, “trust the process” is always something that lingers on the minds of readers for these series. The idea of a connection appearing from thin air is always lurking while the truth hides in plain sight. An interesting possibility in regards to this is the exposition about the existence of Zolar, an entity long posited to exist. Zaha gets the slightest of tips from Big Sparkles after the great Luminary croaks, and it brings with it some interesting questions. Sparkles himself very specifically says, “the dreadful depths” of the universe.

Immediately, images of Dark- Zaha’s hometown, if you will- spring to mind, and with it a picture of Misetani Box. A peddler of mystical merchandise (and mouth-watering manju), the travelling saleswoman shares a vague bit with Zolar- primarily the idea of “accessing” Misetani anywhere…. under the right conditions, just like Zolar. Though, the theme of bones that also connects the pair makes for quite a clear-cut comparison. Misetani Box “could” be Zolar, but it’s more likely that whatever type of entity Misetani herself is, Zolar is a part of that genus.

Alongside those bits about Zolar and Misetani though, Hayashida slips in what you might coin as her “trademark” for a narrative- multiple, and possibly concurrent iterations of our main character. While it’s not necessarily going to turn out like Caiman’s dissociative identity disorder and psychological trip of a story, Zaha Sanko very much has multiple selves that he is now aware of. It’s a twist that helps separate Dai Dark volume 7 from Dorohedoro, and plays a bit more into the absurd science fiction of the series rather than the more magical and psychedelic absurdity of Hayashida’s previous manga.

Dai Dark does have other characters in its roster though, and specifically with volume 7 we’re reminded of Damemaru’s inclusion in the Four Little Shits. It’s very easy to settle into the status quo and go with the flow, but when your flow is with Shimada Death and the boy whose bones can grant any wish, there’s obviously a reason you might want to make a fast exit. It’s surprisingly refreshing to see that sentiment with Damemaru, rather than allowing him to simply settle in with these quite literally otherworldly existences. Though, the poor boy can have nothing go right, as the attempt to recover his hidden ship leads the quartet right into a trap. The poor (16 year old) guy just can’t catch a break, but it’s nice to see them return to relevancy so quickly. With their involvement in recent volumes it would be very easy to write off Damemaru to the background for a bit, but Hayashida definitely makes full use of his character as we pivot from Lighthead Order into Photosfere directly.

… so, I might have said that Dai Dark volume 7 spends some good time with Damemaru, but I do want to go back to Zaha for just a little bit. Typically, we get a flashback a chapter, and that remains true with this latest volume. However, rather than being from Zaha’s school days, it’s in his infancy in Dark. A very important distinction that should help contextualize Zaha’s story, but it leaves more questions than answers. When Zaha was just a little kid he still had Avakian, was still hell bent on collecting bones, and was still a relative menace to people who got in his way. It does not answer where Zaha came from, it does not answer how Avakian came to be with Zaha, and it does not answer how Photosfere knew of the prophesy that told of their existence. It’s quite literally a black box, and that makes things exciting, doesn’t it? The mystery builds and builds as we desperately gnaw at the bars containing our curiosity.

Dai Dark volume 7, thanks to the separation between it and the previous volume, is a great reminder as to how tense a ball of information, violence, and ridiculousness Hayashida can provide. Describing it as a whirlwind doesn’t even begin to really scratch the surface. A hot mess might do it justice, but that ignores the charm of the humor and the fervor that three of the Four Little Shits tackle this world with. Whatever way you may want to present it, it’s damn good and more great work from Hayashida. While the proposition to compare it to Dorohedoro does rear its head when trying to contextualize the series, reading each volume helps stave off those feelings. There’s a lot that you can connect between the two series, but there’s this fundamental shift at their basest layer that keeps them from existing on the same plane. Violence, gore, and absurdity are the hinge of Hayashida’s style, but Dai Dark presents as a more excitingly disengaged work. Stakes never quite feel sky-high, humor diffuses plenty, and the story while less driven is more direct. That’s all to say, Dai Dark volume 7 is a great read and addition to the series, and continues to confidently separate itself from Dorohedoro (though, you should read that as well).