Mermaid's Scar, Vol. 2 (Viz Graphic Novel) [Paperback]

Rumiko Takahashi (Author, Illustrator)

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 1 edition (February 5, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569310831
• ISBN-13: 978-1569310830
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,878,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The spotlight on Rumiko Takahashi's career began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan's annual New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular in their own right. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another--Maison Ikkoku ran from 1980 to 1987, Ranma 1/2 from 1987 to 1996, and Inuyasha from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include Mermaid Saga, Rumic Theater, and One-Pound Gospel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much "deeper" than some other manga, January 12, 2000

By 

"chibischala" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mermaid's Scar, Vol. 2 (Viz Graphic Novel) (Paperback)

I was wary of this series at first because of its dark nature, but that's what so appealing. It does get violent, but the best part about the mermaid's series is its philosophical and psychological angle. For those who haven't read other Rumiko Takahashi works, she has a simple but intense drawing style that draws you in and is easier to follow than some other manga. What's also great is that since this deals with immortality, the stories can range from 500 years ago to present day. It's a very intriguing, deep series that you'll enjoy, no matter which graphic novel you buy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dark glory, February 12, 2004

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mermaid's Scar, Vol. 2 (Viz Graphic Novel) (Paperback)

Rumiko Takahashi is better known for her romantic comedies than for dark fantasies. But her brief Mermaid series is an excellent display of Takahashi's dark side, in a world where a handful of humans who eat mermaid flesh become immortal, and the rest turn into fishlike, monstrous creatures called "lost souls."

Like the other two collections of Mermaid stories, "Mermaid's Scar" focuses on the immortal duo Mana and Yuta. In "Dream's End," Mana encounters a lost soul who has somehow retained his human soul, turning him into a tormented monster. "Mermaid's Promise" brings Yuta back to where he once met a young girl who fell in love with him -- and who has somehow been brought back to life as a soulless creature. "Mermaid's Scar" brings Mana and Yuta to a town where a woman somehow recovered from deadly burns -- and discovers an immortal boy with a horrifying secret. "The Ash Princess" goes back to 17th-century Japan, when Yuta was still wandering alone. Here, he finds a travelling old man and his young daughter -- a girl brought to life with a mermaid's liver.

Perhaps the most common comparison to the Mermaid series is the action/fantasy/romance series "Inuyasha." However, the Mermaid stories have none of the humor and goofiness that pop up in "Inuyasha" (although the story of the undead, tormented ex-girlfriend is quite familiar). The tone is melancholy, sometimes outright macabre, with a few sweet scenes of romance between the two immortals. Perhaps the best scene is the hauntingly lovely last moments with Nae and Yuta.

The relationship between Yuta and Mana is pure Takahashi -- they love each other but somehow won't admit it (and Mana gets pretty jealous at times). They stick with one another through thick and thin, and occasionally show little indications of how they actually feel. ("It sounds like you've fallen for me," Yuta says half-jokingly at one point)

Takahashi's dark "Mermaid's Scar" is a fantastic mixture of dark fantasy and gently understated romance. Sweet, terrifying and deeply satisfying.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A macabre tale of immortality's price..., September 23, 2001

By 

Rowena Wendy Lim "anime reviewer" (Asia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mermaid's Scar, Vol. 2 (Viz Graphic Novel) (Paperback)

Legend has it that whoever eats the flesh of a mermaid will be granted eternal life and youth. Yuta is one of those who have received this "gift". But is it really a gift? Yuta has been forced to watch his loved ones age and die through the years. For five centuries he has roamed the world searching for a "cure", or for someone like himself. As fate would have it, Yuta chances upon a girl named Mana. She too has been bestowed with immortality like Yuta. Together they travel through Japan longing for a normal life. Soon, they meet others who have also experienced the mermaid's "gift". But as they soon discover, mermaid's flesh affects each person differently. Yuta and Mana are just the more fortunate ones...

Rumiko Takahashi's Mermaid Series is really quite a masterpiece. Each chapter presents a different tale and yet everything is tied together by the main characters, Yuta and Mana. It's like a group of short stories unfolding inside one main plot. It's not episodic, as the stories can stand alone. They are, however, greatly enriched by the base storyline about the legendary mermaid flesh. It's really quite an inventive approach, and I really admire Ms. Takahashi's imagination. The overall atmosphere is grim. The tone is serious, as darker facets of human nature are revealed. Everyone wants a piece of the mermaids, and all for various reasons. Greed, vengeance, selfishness... they are the driving forces in the pursuit of the elusive mermaid flesh. Yuta and Mana are plunged into the situation, being immortals on an unending quest for something... even they cannot be sure of what they're truly seeking. The art is simple in style, yet pleasant to look at and effective -- as is always the case with Ms. Takahashi's works. Panel layout is quite conservative if compared to her later works like "Inu-Yasha". The Mermaid Series definitely is a suspenseful page-turner which will leave readers very satisfied. Each volume packs a lot of punch. It's a pity because this is not enjoying as much exposure as "Ranma 1/2", "Urusei Yatsura", and "Maison Ikkoku" are. In some ways, this series is even better than Ms. Takahashi's more popular works.