Shigeshoushi
The Embalmer

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Being in a country where embalming is a practice, I could probably relate to the thought where "the family members would want the deceased to look how he/she usually was when he/she's still alive"

Before I go straight to my review, let me just tell you something to further prove my point. Just recently, my grandfather died. He died of an illness so he was really thin when he died. After the embalming process, my grandfather looked more fat (not totally but the healthy kindof fat) than he was when he died. He didn't look like he died of an illness and he does look like ... he was actually sleeping. He even has this little smile in his face. So, we thought: "He was probably happy now that he's not suffering anymore."

before, I didn't really care about those people who worked as an embalmer. But, after reading this manga, I thought, this is what they actually do. Ease the burden of the family members who were left by the deceased.

Stories are captivating and at times, heartbreaking.

The art is okay. It really does exceeds my expectations whenever it reveals how Shinjyurou embalmed the corpse (I know that sounded weird)

Characters is an okay as well. I actually understand Shinjyurou's need to hold something warm after embalming a corpse. It's more of a psychological effect. It seemed like the trauma of seeing his mother being embalmed by his father in front of him kind of retained in his subconscious mind and that it resurfaces via sexual drive. I love how the characters were portrayed in every chapter.

It's a weird kind of manga imo, but overall, it is entertaining and of course, it does after all teaches a lesson or two :)

The Embalmer is one of those titles that really prove how full of various and unusual themes the medium of manga is. Really, where else would you find a fiction about non-Egyptian embalming?

Now, embalming isn't really something most of the readers would relate to. I too had my doubts about how someone could make a series based around it entertaining or meaningful, especially considering I didn't see any meaning even in the act of embalming itself. Lo and behold, it actually is good. The manga takes the readers doubt and responds to them. It explains and defends the utility of the profession of embalmer ... really well through the whole story and is perfectly capable of changing your opinion of it. This is very important thing to do, as without the reader understanding the meaning of embalming, the whole manga would have much lesser impact, and I commend the author for getting it right.

The second instance of the author answering my doubts as a reader was within the first few chapters. At the beginning, this manga didn't look that great and most importantly, the episodical format of the chapters seemed to have the same formula for all of them - a character is introduced, they die somehow and the protagonist gets to do their job while some part of the deceased's life is explored. Which is nice and all, but it gets repetitive quickly. However, it was exactly the chapter that I was starting to get bored and complaining about the repetitiveness that this formulaic cycle was broken. The progress of the chapter went different than expected, in a good way, and it was also around this point where a more consistent plot started to show through the chapters. It really shows a great writing skill when the author is able to pinpoint the reader's doubt like this and answers them.

The protagonist has his flaws and one of the main point of the story is confronting them, which I have to appreciate, especially in this era of mary sue MCs. The minor characters too have their own personalities, even if some of them appear only for a short time. Unlike some other titles, none of the characters here feels like a cardboard cut-out of the person.

The art feels kinda... Tokyopop-ish. Yes I know, Tokyopop is just an English licensor, and yet the art feels exactly like something they would typically pick up for a release. It might feel kind of... dated, if that's even the fitting expression, but you'll get used to it quickly and it's certainly not a bad art. It's just your typical early 00's manga vibe.

Overall, it's an interesting read with an unusual theme and with a satisfying story conclusion. Certainly worth picking up.

this is the first time i shed a tear for several times in every different chapter.

if you ever experienced the feeling of loss of your loved one, you will realize how much hard it is to see them one last time. and for me, this manga is really close to me. i've experienced loss 4 times, and i realize how fragile a human can be. the only thing we can do is to make sure our last goodbye is counted, and keep on living for the sake of your loved ones.

Story:
every chapter tells you about what it feels like to be with someone you ... love, and how much you taken them for granted. the conflict in every story always gives us a message that somehow bittersweet but captivating to keep us reading it.

Art:
the art is really good, its enough to convey every single things that the story needs to deliver

Character:
despite the main character attitude of being "jerk", he have his own reason to acted that way. and reading it more will make us realize how hard it is to be like him, and how suffered he is just to make other people smile.

Enjoyment:
i really enjoy how the things turns out in the story, for the better or worse. the explanation in the story is always simple, no need to thinking hard about everything in the story because the message is always delivers very well. and i enjoy every single chaper of it.

Overall:
it's a good simple read (only 42 chapters.) i thought it would be dealing with a lot of gore and sadist stuff, but i just realized this is a Josei manga, but it's a good read nevertheless.

the theme of the story may be very odd for some people, but if you fine about it, the manga will give you something more than just corpse.