"Yume no Omocha Koujo" is not his most refined work, or even his most entertaining or thought-provoking, but it still proves to be a solid and fascinating one.
The stories include a wide foray of atrocious topics: gritty Japanese folklore, body modification and destruction, rape, deviant hospital staff and battered patients, experimentation on pregnancy and birth, turtles, natural disasters, space warfare, disturbing future predicaments involving sports, etc., are all touched on in at least one of the chapters. The standout chapters typically are done in an interesting satirical approach. All of the chapters have good doses of creative black comedy in them and are not bashful about it in their frank execution.
The art is slightly crude and not as well-polished as his more recent work. The character designs are at times special and detailed, but not usually so. However, what is certainly memorable are the delineations of the especially sickening and weird portions of this manga. These specific delineations depict acts that are outstandingly bizarre and grotesque. Kago's sense of humor is always apparent, and many laughs ensue from the warped and highly strident situations drawn in "Yume no Omocha Koujo. Human anatomical features are elaborate and are given nice focus. The ornate nature of many of the body gags only make them all the more enjoyable.
Satirical elements are not too concentrated on and used in "Yume no Omocha Koujo", which does make this overall volume a slight disappointment. Kago works at his best when he finely mixes his black humor jokes with clusters of stirring satirical themes and ideas. However, although the overall lack of satire is a letdown, the gags are on point for the most part. They are generally morbid and odd, and are successfully funny.
Unfortunately, "Yume no Omocha Koujo" is somewhat inconsistent. There are underwhelming chapters that are ultimately only barely amusing. Thankfully, the setbacks are not wildly major. There is a good amount of chapters that are genuinely hilarious and gloriously gross. It also is rejuvenating to read an effort that works well with the scatological element, at least in terms of making it thoroughly interesting and comical.
Readers should take the disclaimers spread throughout the internet into consideration. It is very inaccessible and will absolutely turn-off casual readers, but will captivate those who appreciate and appease this sharp and rampant style. "Yume no Omocha Koujo" is mostly a darkly humorous and rewarding aggregation of thirteen nasty, nefarious short stories.
Seven Likable, Dirty, and Scat-Filled Diapers out of Ten.
