Originally posted July 17, 2009
By REBECCA P.
My thoughts
If you can, just skip reading the first volume of Chrno Crusade. The second volume of Chrno Crusade is set to a different tune and is a pretty well-rounded volume. The story really picks up in volume 2 as we’re introduced to how Chrno and Rosette met, their past, and a boy named Joshua (Rosette’s “brother”).
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Chrno Crusade volume 2 and as I hoped, it picked up a lot from volume 1 to become a recommendable manga. I do have a few qualms with it however. I do enjoy the characters of Chrno Crusade; however, I am not a fan of Rosette. It’s my personal opinion, but she feels like the cliché bad-girl heroine and can be arrogant at times and annoying; however, it’s a little hard to blame her.
My other qualm with Chrno Crusade was the pointless nudity scenes. Nothing is visible, but *insert manga cliché* why do so many manga have random shower scenes or have a guy intentionally or accidentally walk in on several woman who aren’t dressed? There were other points when it wasn’t necessary and maybe it was to point (in later sequences) to the belief that the nude body being pure and innocent (Azamaria & Rosette), or maybe I’m reading too deeply and it was just “fanservice.”
Story wise, there were plenty of things explained and new plots opened up to the reader. It’s not so much that it burdens the reader, but just enough to keep you wanting to read the next volume in anticipation of uncovering more secrets. The characters are more fleshed out through their dialogue and actions, but maybe it’s not enough. Hopefully more will be revealed and explained in future volumes as plot devices (like training areas) would be interesting to see more of.
The artwork of Chrno Crusade continues to impress and with a good story (though at times it feels like the story dips, but they’re few and brief) it is overall an enjoyable read. It has some clichés, but it also offers a lot of fresh ideas making it well worth the read. If Immoral Rain and Hellsing somehow married and had a child, the child would be Chrno Crusade and that’s not a bad thing at all.
