▪	RELEASED BY:		TOKYOPOP
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		GAKUTO KODA / REI MUTSUKI
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE/ BW
		▪	PAGES:		192
		▪	RATING:		T
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		08/07/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		09/17/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		CHRISTOPHER SEAMAN

There are bigger mysteries in life than those we often read about in books.  Sometimes ‘truth’ is stranger than fiction.  In MISSING, by Gakuto Coda, with art by Rei Mutsuki, members of a high school book club find this out in a most dramatic way. 

Ghost stories are perennial favorites among the Japanese, as they are in most cultures.  Rich fodder for manga, the adventures of children, teens, and adults in the world of the paranormal has seen the production of some impressive and terrifying works over the years.  MISSING as a manga is bound to resonate with fans of the genre.  Later this year, TOKYOPOP is also releasing the novel version of this story, and if the manga is anything to go by, it is bound to be a success in its own right. 

The setting is all too familiar with readers- a Japanese school.  Kyoichi Utsume, president of the book club, is worthy of a story in his own way.  Mysterious, dark, and a-social in his mannerisms, Utsume attracts more attention among the members of the group than the books they read.  What is he about?  Who does he think he is??  Nicknamed “His Majesty” by his fellow members, and no doubt enjoying his nomenclature, Utsume keeps the others on edge with controversial views about death and love.  He is fascinated by the former, and professes not to believe one bit in the other.  Frustrating as he is, however, the other members cannot take their focus off him.  When he is seen with an equally mysterious and beautiful young woman named Ayame, the fascination becomes an obsession for others like club members Takemi Kondou, Ryoko Kusakabe, Toshiya Murakami, and Aki Kidono.  Going so far as to stalk his movements one night, though, Ryoko and Takemi get more than they bargained for.  Losing his trail and regaining it again and again, they go farther into the dark of the night, and finally have the shock of their lives when “His Majesty” disappears altogether.  Finding Ayame in the dark, the two hunters are confronted not with a shy goth loli, but a beautifully twisted being who speaks in chants and talks about taking Utsume forever…

Where has he really gone?  Is Ayame a spirit- a kamikakushi, or stealer of souls?  Are Ryoko and Takemi in mortal danger for having contronted her?  The mystery deepens as the group convenes to reflect on what has happened, leaving open the certainty for much more intrigue in the remaining two volumes.  What will happen is anyone’s guess.  We will have to wait until November to find out.

The manga is very wordy.  Very, very wordy.  This is unusual for such a story, and strangely refreshing to read in a manga.  Clearly, most of the mystery in the story is cerebral, and the long scenes with the group members talking back and forth about love, philosophy, soul stealers and more help to build a kind of tension found more typically in parlor room mystery plays performed on the stage. 

Yes, there is action in MISSING.  It is largely in the form of the chase that takes place just before Utsume disappears.  However, up to this point, with the lack of swirling lights, ghoulish beings and other stereotypical elements found mostly in manga of this nature, one must wonder if this is a mystery that will continue to work its power on the reader more through the imagination than through the visual fireworks common to these stories.  It is possible the implied horror in the long, long shadows the characters cast across each page may be the way in which the darkness created by Coda and Mutsumi works its magic.  How the visual presentation of this story will compare to the power of the narrative in the novel due out in November will also be interesting to behold.  The curiosity of this reviewer is piqued.

EXTRA:
This manga contains the prologue from the novel due out in November.  It seems unlikely this story will be late in coming, as the source material was originally published in Japan in 2001.  Afterwards from both the author and the artist are also featured, with a couple of sketches to spice up the layout.  Finally, the manga contains ads for other titles from TOKYOPOP.

IN SUMMARY:
Out of the night comes a mysterious girl.  Into the darkness vanishes a darkly mysterious young man.  Terrified for the answers regarding his disappearance is you, as you are swept up in the mystery and terror that is MISSING, published by TOKYOPOP.  If you are as obsessed with the ‘other side’ as “His Majesty, Lord of Darkness,” you will find much to stir your imagination and chill your heart in MISSING.