Well, Under Current, by Tetsuya Toyoda, finished out recently. It wasn’t looking to be a long running series, and, honestly, that’s likely for the better.
However, the last three chapters - while all gorgeous - could likely have used another chapter or two, as plot details are revealed in the last minute, and we aren’t given much time to let them sink in. That isn’t to say they’re half-baked - they tie up rather wonderfully with Kanae’s dreams of drowning, and the repeated images and themes of water, and sinking. They’re just a bit sudden, and could likely have used an extra chapter or so just to delve into them.
Nevertheless, the series really delivers, on all accounts. Chapter 9, dealing with a kidnapping, manages to go through the full spectrum of emotions, seeping through various characters, having their own moods bounce off each other and build on each other as well, up until the ending of a chapter - which manages to be dramatic and anticlimatic (in a rather satisfying way) at the same time.
The art is also something that can’t go unnoticed. Tetsuya Toyoda’s strong points, as I see them, are in the faces, and in perspective. Panic, fear, concern, apathy and malaise, optimism, and even restraining one’s true thoughts, it all shines through with how Tetsuya works the eyes and mouth. Yamazaki’s interactions with Kanae are likely one of the best examples, with his light, more upbeat self (though not in an over the top way) pushing and bending around Kanae’s own regrets, her lack of enthusiasm in most anything, and even her hidden suicidal wishes. This page is a quiet, but fantastic, show of Tetsuya’s control of depicting emotion - the ones that are hard to put into words, and glide past and against each other.
As for perspective, as I noted in my earlier recommendation of the series, Tetsuya uses it often to demonstrate distance between people, or of feeling small, and isolated, in such a massive world - of being lost in the haze of it. Chapter 8 does quite a bit of this, situating itself in a theme park for when Kanae meets up with Yamazaki to discuss the progress of finding her husband. Whether it be a seemingly inexplicable ride on a merry go round, where Kanae seems to just drift and stare out into nothing, or in leaving the park itself, as Yamazaki tries to make a point, the art isn’t just well-done, it serves a purpose.
Though the last three chapters seem to come at a frantic pace - particularly in comparison to the slow, careful buildup of the other 8 - I still can’t recommend this manga enough. At the end, we reach full closure, and see that while not all endings may be happy, they aren’t necessarily bad, either. Under Current falls into finding that perfect show of sometimes it’s just life - and that learning and growing can be all we expect out of some of it, not tragedy or great reward.
NICS Manga did a fantastic job with the scanlation, and I’m glad they took on a quiet, serious project like this, even though it wouldn’t normally attract much fan attention. The series can be downloaded there, or read on Mangafox.
And with that, Denial Hour is officially back in business. Readthrough of Last Target to come later tonight, with more things on the way. Thanks for your patience.
