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I won’t lie—this one felt like filler.

BUT—in the best way possible. If anything, it revived my belief that filler can exist and progress the plot!

Volume 2 doesn’t necessarily give us a ton of answers, but it certainly gives us more questions. We’re introduced to new characters, get a better understanding of the world outside our favorite Troubleshooters, and see the beginnings of conflicts that I suspect are going to become MUCH bigger problems down the line.

Volume 2 opens with Chapter 4, and gives us our first look at Yoru and Mr. Yomi.

From his first momentary appearance in vol. 1, I had my suspicions about Yoru- mostly because he appeared when Tatsuomi and Tao were discussing the serial killer Tao’s been hunting. I was hesitant though, because he appears very human and looked nothing like any of the Maga we’d seen up to that point. But!- watching him choke those two women the same way Tao’s suspect made me go, “Yep. Him right there, officer.”

The remark Yomi makes, “You sure don’t show any mercy to dark haired girls, do you, Yoru?”- I’m putting my money on Mommy Issues™. If it ends up just being, “I loved a girl with dark hair and she left me so now I have an unfortunate coping mechanism”, I’m gonna be disappointed. And out of $5.

Yomi, on the other hand? Tell me you’re a predator without telling me you’re a predator. And before you all start having fits in the comments, I don’t mean it in a sexual manner. The way he’s apparently been watching Alma since he was born??? Also, the immediate childlike reaction Yoru had to him appearing? Handing those women pills like he’s channeling his inner Mayuri Kurotsuchi?! “Officer- this one, too.”

I’m also a little suspicious (and probably reading into things), that there’s a subtle parallel being drawn between Tao and Yomi. They both function as guardians for Yoru and Alma, and both have instructed their wards to get the names of the interesting/memorable people they run into. The power dynamics are drastically different, though. Tao and Alma have a partnership– they work together, view each other as capable, and neither are reliant or subservient to the other. But Yomi and Yoru? The way Yoru offered up the taiyaki Alma gave him despite being starved? That dynamic is radically different- and undoubtedly toxic.

Chapter 5 introduces us to Nei! I admire her focus and skill in combat, but the jury’s still out on whether I’m enamored with her actual character. I do think she’s a good foil to Alma, given her self-motivation and desire to be the best. But her desire to be great and praised constantly allows that childish aspect of hers to shine, and prevents her from being a one-dimensional, perfectionist character. Nei shows us other hunters and powers outside of Tao and Alma, and gives us insight into the way Maga hunters work. And her giving us Alma’s weakness- not being able to pull the Stake of Karmic Restraint (fucking FIRE name, btw) without Tao’s permission- was amazing storytelling.

Tao and Tatsuomi’s dynamic has me in a chokehold. I know I can’t even see half his face, but I just know that man is fine AF.

Now- Kanata. I support women’s rights and wrongs by default, but her cannibalizing predatory men feels symbolic- consuming those who are looking to consume others. Her encounters with Alma were so sweet, and gave us another peek at humans are a bit more than human; it also lets us see Alma be a kid, and interact with someone who isn’t affiliated with the Troubleshooters or Maga hunters.

I’m a little concerned that we’re being set up for a confrontation later on between our Hunters and Kanata- someone who isn’t “bad”, but is dropping bodies.

The back half of vol. 2 contains the oneshot that made serialization possible for Gokurakugai. I hadn’t read it before, so it was nice to see where the story began, and even note the difference in character and story design. My favorite part has to be the Beastmen! At the risk of sounding like I’m glazing Sano’s art yet again (I wholeheartedly am lmao), the depiction of these humanoid animals is so damn good. Proportions are amazing, the detail is immaculate, and it’s hands down the best depiction of meshing human and animal. I won’t get into too much about that one, though. It has some different character design than our serialized story, and I feel like it deserves a read.

So, was volume 2 filler? Maybe. But if this is what filler looks like, I’m not complaining. We’ve got new characters, questionable guardians, a cannibalistic girl I’m already emotionally invested in, and enough unanswered questions to keep me suspicious of EVERYBODY.

I’m particularly interested in seeing whether the parallels between Tao and Yomi amount to anything—and whether Alma’s friendship with Kanata is about to become everybody’s problem.

In the meantime, I have five dollars riding on Yoru’s Mommy Issues™, and I fully intend to collect.