REVIEW: ‘Mieruko-Chan,’ Volume 2

Blending spooky with cute is probably my favorite thing in any medium, and that’s the best way to describe Mieruko-Chan. The series follows Miko, a typical high school student whose life turns upside down when she suddenly starts to see gruesome and hideous monsters. Despite being completely terrified, Miko carries on with her daily life, pretending not to notice the horrors surrounding her. After getting her new ability last volume, Mieruko-Chan Volume 2 dives deeper, exploring her ability’s limitations and the world around her.

Mieruko-Chan Volume 2 is written and illustrated by mangaka Tomoki Izumi and localized in English by Yen Press. The volume is translated by Leighann Harvey and features lettering by Alexis Eckerman. As showcased last volume, Miko must endure the fear of seeing the spirits and demons around her to keep herself and her friend Hana out of danger. She continually comes face to face with the absolute worst and has to maintain a deadpan reaction lest they realize that she can see them and try to interact with her.

This volume doubles down on Miko trying to protect Hana, her best friend who apparently can’t keep herself out of situations that lead spirits to haunt her. But when prayer beads, salt, and all other home remedies for spirits have no effect, Miko turns to a shrine after Hana’s latest haunting.

While she prays for intervention, Miko begins to notice new specters, a large one that ate a threatening spirit and a pair of twin phantoms that seem to be protecting her from evil wishing Miko harm. This volume also introduces Yuria, an apprentice to an exorcist who can see a little bit into the world of spirits – only where Miko shows indifference, Yuria shows excitement, pulling them into harm’s way.

Mieruko-Chan Volume 2 continues to build a fun story that succeeds by blending both comedy and horror. While we see the cute and sometimes fan-servicey art used for Miko and Hana, those panels are interjected with striking horror visuals that bring out the best in body horror and the supernatural. With monsters, twisted necks, and more grotesque imagery.

From a storytelling perspective, the visuals’ darkness works to deliver both terrifying moments and comedic ones. In fact, Miko’s necessary indifference works to drive comedy, and when her forced apathy breaks, it lets the reader understand how terrifying the situation she is in is.

Overall, when it comes to Izumi’s art, Mieruko-Chan Volume 2 is stunning. The spirits are terrifying and grotesque, and all works to set the tone for the series. When there are terrifying creatures in the background and an oblivious cute high schooler in the foreground, the different tones of the two work well to pull the reader into the volume’s story. It helps drive us towards laughs or goosebumps, and for that alone, this is a series you should definitely pick up. Now that an anime is officially in production, it’s a great time to pick up this book.

Mieruko-Chan Volume 2 is available now wherever books are sold.