Talented mangaka NON (currently working on Pole Star) makes their debut in the English market with the three-volume drama Adabana, published by Dark Horse, but does it prove a must-read? Let’s take a look!

The story follows Mizuki Aikawa, whose best friend, Mako Igarashi, has been brutally murdered. Mizuki lives in a small town with an overbearing mother who wants Mizuki to study hard and not tarnish the family’s reputation. Mizuki’s one joy in life was the time spent with Mako during and after school. Although complete opposites in personality, the two had a strong bond.

However, on the morning the news breaks of Mako’s murder, Mizuki heads to the local police station and turns herself in as the culprit. She has the murder weapon, and the information she divulges points toward her being guilty, but her attorney, Yutaka Tsuji, isn’t so convinced. As he begins investigating the case, he discovers things that contradict Mizuki’s testimony and learns of some horrifying events that may have contributed to Mako’s demise.

Before Mako’s murder, she and Mizuki were planning a graduation trip to a magic kingdom theme park, but Mizuki’s mother wouldn’t give her money or permission to go. So, Mizuki needed money, and Mako recommended she do some work for her uncle. Unfortunately, what Mizuki thought was just a photo shoot of some kind quickly turned dangerous when Mako’s uncle began to make sexual advances. The two got into a struggle, and Mizuki ended up killing him shortly before Mizuki walked in.

Together, the two covered it up, but Mako confides in Mizuki that she’s worried about the truth being discovered because her ex-boyfriend, Yuki Akatsuki, seems to be stalking her. Mizuki vows to protect her best friend, but with the anxiety of the situation increasing at every turn, how long can they keep it hidden? And is the pressure of the situation what led to Mizuki killing Mako as well…?

Mangaka NON has created quite a layered mystery here. As the first volume goes on, it becomes increasingly clear that Mizuki is acting as a false narrator who can’t be trusted, and there’s a lot more to this crime than meets the eye. Interestingly, NON does a fantastic job of depicting this in the art as well.

This is particularly obvious when it comes to Yuki, a boy initially introduced as a stalker and who Mizuki obviously finds creepy because of that and is drawn menacingly to match. However, Mizuki’s opinion changes over time, and so too does the way Yuki is drawn to reflect her change in feelings. And this changes again when Yutaka goes to interview Yuki, and we see his true colours away from Mizuki’s field of view. It’s a good way of reaffirming that the story as we see it through Mizuki’s eyes is not necessarily the reality of the situation.

I feel NON’s artwork is a real highlight of the work in general. The cast is drawn in quite a realistic manner, and the murder and other tense moments are depicted with the seriousness they deserve. The murder of Mako’s uncle and the sexual assault are both quite graphic, not in a way to shock the reader, but to depict the raw emotions Mizuki was feeling.

Obviously, when it comes to the story, this is not for the faint-hearted. The subject matter is heavy and no doubt is going to get more intense as the case is unravelled, which is going to be difficult for some readers. There’s also a lot of characters to juggle, which I fear may become overwhelming or leave us with loose ends (there are only three volumes in total to tell this story), but so far, that hasn’t posed an issue.

As mentioned, Adabana Volume 1 comes to the West thanks to Dark Horse and has been skilfully translated by Caleb Cook with lettering by Brendon Hull. This attractive paperback release comes with colour pages to open, presented on a matte paper stock as opposed to gloss, as we’re used to seeing from other publishers. However, I think that ultimately suits the art better, so it ends up being a good outcome. The text under the title on the front cover can be difficult to read in person due to the colour, but I love the design work here otherwise. This is certainly a cover that stands out.

The series is complete in Japan with three volumes. Here in English, Dark Horse has Volume 2 scheduled for a release in January, but there’s no #3 pencilled in yet, so these are going to be relatively spaced out, it seems.

Overall, NON’s English debut with Adabana proves a compelling mystery offering that will keep readers guessing until the end. With some excellent artwork and a tone befitting the serious nature of the crime, this is highly recommended.

Our review copy from Dark Horse was supplied by Turnaround Comics (Turnaround Publisher Services).
© NON / SHUEISHA Inc.