kio's manga / #psychological(8)

One of the best, if not the best, comic I've ever read. Beautiful and sad. Some parts are predictable, but other elements really come out of left field and intensify the story. The art is gorgeous, unique, and expressive. The victim of the murder at the beginning is brought back in such vivid flashbacks that, when jarred back to reality, the reader feels genuine remorse for her passing. It gives form to loss and trauma, something you can't help but feel while reading this. Vengeance by Aji is a portrait of human psychology in all its twisted forms. I would recommend this to just about anyone who isn't averse to violence and (some) gore. Give this comic some of your time; you won't regret it.

I was really doubtful about the story at first, but the ending actually saved this from a 2-star rating. It doesn't fix some of the narrative issues in the story as a whole, but the ending is thought-provoking and reveals depth in Anna and Lily that I'd previously overlooked. Anna, specifically, is a fascinating and layered character worthy of her own analysis because of this ending. Highly recommend!