Dazzle (aka: Hatenko Yugi) Vol. #05

By Patricia Beard     June 19, 2007
Release Date: May 25, 2007



Creative Talent
Writer/Artist:Minari Endoh
Translated by:Yukoh Fukami
Adapted by:Peter Ahlstrom

What They Say
Alzeid, Rahzel and Baroqueheat must make their way through the blood-thirsty plants of the albino forest. Baroqueheat goes to the beach to mourn his beloved. While on the beach, Baroqueheat and Rahzel prevent a young man named Rayborn from committing suicide. A grateful Rayborn offers to take Rahzel and company to Acanea. Will they find more than what they're looking for there?

The Review
In volume 4, Dazzle took a break from the main story arc to present three shorter stories with a range of attributes from downright horrific to the lyrical. Volume 5 opens with the final chapter of one of these stories, "After the Flowers Bloom", where Alzeid, Rahzel and Baroqueheat find themselves in a small town, not marked on any map. A little albino girl recognizes a person like herself in Alzeid, who doesn't encourage her attachment, but manages to impart some advice to her. The ending of this story still has me scratching my head, and any explanation would have to be subjective, it defies anything rational. But I find it has a emotional truth rather than a literal one, and if I don't think about it too much, I can appreciate the eerie tone and its poetic quality.

After a short on some hilarious (well, for Rahzel and Baroqueheat) bathtub antics, the journey for Alzeid's revenge continues in the port city of Bernpuela, where the trio are looking for a boat to Acanea, to a village in the southwest where the black haired, blue-eyed woman who had killed Alzeid's father was reportedly last seen. While on the town, Rahzel saves a young man from suicide. This young man, Rayborn Diorte, becomes part of the entourage after Rahzel wins passage to Acanea from Rayborn's gambler father, who owns the port town by hook and crook. The sea journey has some surprises for Rahzel, as a person who may be part of her past appears on deck with warnings about Acanea for her. The warnings aren't heeded and the trio, plus Rayborn, find themselves in great jeopardy set in motion by the mysterious stranger Rahzel had encountered previously.

Although initially giving the impression that it is a mere road trip, Dazzle shows itself to be a more complicated journey. Endoh sensei is very skilled at scattering clues and bits of information in unlikely places, and there is more deliberate action and intention than there would seem at first. This is one series that benefits from more than one read through and no comment, even an aside, should be ignored. This is also a series for which a lot of the charm lies in the interaction of the characters. Although there is some localization, the translation and adaptation keep conversations bright, snappy and fun. Don't let the cover fool you, there's more than posing going on here.