The Urban Legend Files: Short and Sweet

 Last month, I mentioned my interest in writing about Kazuki Hiraoka's manga, The Urban Legend Files. And within that time, TULF had ended. While this does make me sad, I'm happy with what I got. TULF was everything you could ask for in a Horror-Comedy based on Folklore. It was as informative as it was witty. So, this got me thinking about other series that ended within a similar number of chapters that I've read. Some good, some bad. With the big difference being execution and the willingness to end, or simply knowing that the end was near. 

Take Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 1: Phantom Blood as an example of the good. A tight story about a British Man who just wanted his adopted brother to stop being evil and embrace the love of another. I know many people found Jonathan to be a bit boring, but I think his overwhelming compassion to save Dio from his self-inflicted destruction told a lot about his character. He's endearing, and by the end of the story, he had melted Dio's heart. It's unfortunate that Jonathan had to die, but the tragedy wound up being the right call. 

Or look at Moare Ohta's Teppu as a more relatable contemporary. A story about Girls MMA that featured some very unwell teenagers that came in different flavors. Natsuo's cockiness masked her internal struggles, while Yuzuko's pretty standard plucky attitude came off as unsettling. The thrill of the rivalry and the fight drove them to improve constantly. But the big selling point with Teppu has always been the action choreography and framing within the panels. Brutality mixed with a fluidity not often seen has made it stand the test of time. Especially for those that are in the know. It's just unfortunate that Teppu was cut short due to Ohta's health at the time. But maybe the new English Translation will garner some interest, who knows?

So, I've talked quite a bit about contemporaries. Now let's actually talk about The Urban Legend Files and it's core cast of characters. We're introduced to Mokume, a first-year college student who's looking to join the Occult Club at her school. While Mokume's obvious Occult fanaticism drove her toward the club, she discovered that the second-year member, Kugutsu, was the source of the club's fame. After tracking Kugutsu down and getting him to rejoin the club, Mokume's Urban Legend-filled college life would begin. 

This setup was interesting because it made you believe that Mokume would be the focal point at first, but the series more closely followed Kugutsu and the effect that he had on his surroundings. Even with Kugutsu being at the core, I actually really liked the Occult Club overall. The characters were intriguing, and the dynamics between them made the series such a page turner. So, the goal here is to go down the line and talk about Occult Club and why they're simply the best. And what better way than to start with Mokume herself. 

Mokume's an eccentric to say the least. When I say that she's a fanatic, I mean it. She's willing to risk it all if it meant that she could meet the Kuchisake-Onna, or This Man, or whatever. If there's an Urban Legend for it, then Mokume's there. Her fanaticism made me question whether she was an actual human as the chapters went on. And maybe that future does exist. But it does seem funnier that she's just insane. It made her dynamic with the rest of the club that much better. As more times than not, she had to buy Kugutsu's participation, which never seemed to be worth it for him. 

But I thought that Mokume's shining moment came in the Parallel Universe Arc near the end of the series, as we got to see what would happen if one of Mokume's expeditions went wrong. The Arc asked what would happen to Mokume if Kugutsu had died to Teke-Teke on the train. And as one might imagine, it broke her mentally because the relationship she had developed with Kugutsu was never meant to end in death. These adventures were never supposed to be deadly, but it happened. Despite the cavalier attitude Mokume often brought, it's important to note that the safety of those close was always a priority. This could be noticed in the actual Teke-Teke Arc, and even at the beginning when dealing with the Kuchisake-Onna. So, seeing a version of Mokume without any light in her eyes ended up revealing more about the priorities and desires. Giving more weight to subtle actions. 

A similar sentiment can be felt with the next Occult Club Member in Kasumi. This more or less has to do with the fact that she's not actively trying to kill anyone else in the club, even with her active fascination with curses and death. But it's not just about the uneasiness that Kasumi brought with her Sadako-like appearance or uniquely eerie speech depiction. Those moments when you got to zero in on her were something to marvel at, like when she went apartment hunting. If I remember correctly, Kasumi's goal was to live in a place with a history for murders. But the places she was getting, weren't stacking up. But then she sensed something in one of these places and smashed a hole in the wall. Without missing a beat, she took the place then and there. Eventually revealing a slew of undiscovered corpses in the wall. 

It was not only a solid instance of characterization, but it was another moment where Hiraoka set up a scene and ended with a great punch. This was one of the strengths of the series as there were a myriad of times when the tension would heighten, the tone would shift, and then the drop would come. It's similar to how Hirohiko Araki of JoJo fame would do it. So, it's a toss up between Comedy, Horror, or both. With the Kasumi scene, you just got Horror. Which fit like a glove. But unfortunately, the lack of Kasumi kept me yearning for something more that will probably never come again. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum from Kasumi's disturbing demeanor and appearance, comes Gonsuke. The most normal looking person next to Kugutsu. He's got slicked-back black hair, typically wears a varsity jacket, jeans, and sneakers. You see people that look like Gonsuke everywhere in life. Yet below that exterior, there's a man who believed that the government was after him. That government would have to be the Japanese Government right? No, Gonsuke believed that all of his troubles after High School were orchestrated by the US Government. Blew my shit clean off when I heard him talk about the Pentagon and DARPA. It's easily one of the funniest and most memorable parts of the series, and it's contained within a few chapters. One of the few times when Kugutsu doesn't appear.

So, to get Mokume's perspective on his situation and have her be put off at first was pure genius. To top it off, this behavior pretty much doesn't exist outside of his home. You have to imagine this Japanese College Student going to class, and then coming home to clock-in to his job at the Conspiracy Theory Factory with a Tinfoil Hat ready to be worn. His brain didn't just break, it disintegrated. You would never have guessed based on his appearance or any prior chapters, you just got hit with it. A defining feature that was not a bug in the slightest.

To offset Kasumi's disturbing aura and Gonsuke's hidden landmine of a personality, you got the leader of the Occult Club, Yukko. A character that I can best describe as reliable and endearing.  Throughout the series, she played more of a support role like Kasumi, in which she didn't reveal too much. But the few times, she did, it was impactful. And the big instance for me was when they went looking for Nessie. 

This excursion was possible because it was a part of her Father's television show that looked into Urban Legends. The big kicker being that her Father and his crew never actually succeeded prior. So, Yukko's goal was to prove that her Father was not just some hack. And with Kugutsu's help, this fantasy would then become reality. It's a nice little arc that helped to showcase Yukko's love and dreams. It's also one of the few times when the series offered a more serious tone, and this paid off in spades for me. It not only made Yukko more fleshed out, but Kugutsu as well. Because without him none of these adventures would be quite as easy. 

For better or worse, everything in The Urban Legend Files revolved around Kugutsu. A gambling addicted, scummy college student. He's awful in many ways, but that's what made many of the situations pop. Take the first chapter as a prime example of Kugutsu's character. He only decided to help Mokume with the Kuchisake-Onna because she offered him a 5000 Yen gift card. While he quickly realized his mistake, he would then proceed to consistently take the cash offering. His greed knew no bounds. So, when Kugutsu would perform selfless actions, it actually felt like it mattered. This man was not humble or upstanding, yet he could step up when it counted. 

A good example of the upstanding Kugutsu could be found during the Nibiru Cataclysm Arc. The longest case file that looked to signal the end of days. But this would not be the case as many elements would come together to thwart the Annunaki. This not only included the selfless actions of Kugutsu and Mokume, but the usage of another Urban Legend, The Kisaragi Station. Seeing the threads all come together was a site to behold as this helped to solidify Kugustu as more than a bum. He's not a hero, yet he understood when the time to do the right thing was upon him. 

To glaze Kugutsu a little more, the thing I liked the most about him was how much he did not want to be himself. This has to do with his uncanny ability to attract Urban Legends. He felt like a guy who should be in a chill slice-of-life series. But instead he's in this one and dealing with monsters, aliens, and over-bearing weirdos. But by the end, he felt right at home. So, it can be inferred that living a normal life may not be all that it's cracked up to be. Be a little adventurous. You may end up liking the thrill. Regardless, Kugutsu sucks, but in a good way. 

Ultimately, The Urban Legend Files by Kazuki Hiraoka is a phenomenal Horror-Comedy Manga. The cast is a delightful bunch of weirdos and deviants that make the most of their limited time. I'm glad I decided to check it out when I did because the ride was damn worth it. I hope that this series can get a physical print and reach a similar cult status to Moare Ohta's Teppu. Like, it doesn't have to be a large group, just a dedicated group of ball knowers. Because at the end of the day, that's all I can really ask for. Go read The Urban Legend Files now, or be cursed by This Man. 

And remember to Free Palestine, Free Congo, Free Sudan, Free Venezuela and to Free Lebanon from the onslaught of their oppressors. Never stop talking about them. They think that we don't care, but we see everything. Never forget that. They are trying to suppress our voices because they matter, remember that. There may have been a ceasefire in Gaza, but Palestine still needs to be completely free.