One of Shōnen Jump’s newest additions gets its first volume! Being a weekly reader, this one series sort of just escaped my radar. Well- it was about time because I was blown away by the first chunk of chapters Undead Unluck vol.1 has given us.
At first glance, Undead Unluck Vol.1 seems like a take on the “supernatural” genre we’ve been coming through the pipelines recently. However, I think the title of the series is a bit misleading -though I don’t think intentionally. The title actually calls the two main protagonists of the series Dead Andy and Fuuko Izumo. Both possess the supernatural abilities “Undead” and “Unluck,” respectively. This is essentially the introduction of the powers available in this world- the ability to negate. People can negate all sorts of things, like negating someone’s ability to move their muscles or the ability to negate someone’s luck. This power system is set up, introduced, and applied to the overall plot is seamless and gives you a sense that there is potential for some crazy stuff in this series.
Not only does this make for creative writing, but you’re also left with a sense of curiosity of how, when, and why these powers came into existence. It’s heavily implied that Dead Andy has been alive for a while, so this has certainly influenced society in some way or form. As with any shōnen manga out there, we have Undead Unluck vol.1’s main goal- and it’s one that got me really hooked on this series. Well, since Dead Andy can’t die because of his Undead ability- his goal is to use Fuuko’s Unluck to find the greatest death ever… This definitely got a good chuckle out of me, and there were many moments later on that had me smiling.
There’s a lucky number of 7 chapters in Undead Unluck vol. 1, and every single chapter does not know how to ease off the gas pedal. From page to page, I could hardly mentally catch my breath! Since Dead Andy and Fuuko Izumo have dangerous abilities, it is no wonder that they end up running from a shadowy organization wanting to control those with said abilities. As the world opens up around them, the more of an enigma, our Undead friend becomes. Relative to his developing thread, Fuuko constantly crawls out of her comfort zone, giving us some touching moments from her.
I think the only thing that kept me from getting plot whiplash is how enthusiastically every character is drawn. Dead Andy always has the biggest grin on his face, and his large features make it seem like we’re just watching an action figure leap across the manga pages. In contrast, Fuuko’s features are soft and easier to look at and relate to. There isn’t a single character introduced that I dislike, but I feel like we are just in the prelude of this new wacky adventure. There is plenty of time for that opinion to change.
Despite how fast-paced Undead Unluck vol.1 seemed to be, my favorite moments are the intimate pieces of dialogue Andy can have with miss unlucky. Andy needs Fuuko, and Fuuko ends up needing Andy since he is the only person in her life she doesn’t have to be afraid of killing. Whatever direction these two lovebirds seem to be heading in, I am here for it. I hope Andy gets to realize his goal of dying the most glorious death, as funny as that sounds. I also hope Fuuko can experience all that life can offer after being a shut-in for so long. After working from home for more than a year, seeing these two travel the world made me a little jealous…
Despite skipping out on this story for so long, Undead Unluck is truly like nothing in Shōnen Jump right now. There’s Action, Romance, and a little bit of Mystery. With such an abrupt ending for a first volume, it is easy to tell that it’s hard to contain this untamed story. Vol.2 will pick up right in the middle of a battle- truly a story too big for its panels. I sincerely hope it enjoys continued success, and I look forward to catching up with this wacky story. After all, Love and Death never looked so good together.
