The Moon and Steel – Review of the first volume

Published in Japan in 2020 on Big Comic Superior and arrived in Italy in 2024 thanks to J-POP Manga, The Moon and Steel it is the third work written and drawn by Daruma Matsuuraauthor of Kasane, also published by J-POP. +

The Moon and Steel is a seinen set in mid-19th century Japan, where slice-of-life events are intertwined with mysteries related to the paranormal. We have analyzed the first volume, which lays solid foundations for the beginning of a decidedly intriguing series.

“New Moon”

The story takes us to the Tenpo era, in the first half of the 19th century: the main character is Konosuke Ryudo, a low-ranking samurai who lives in utter poverty. Due to a strange curse, Konosuke has always been unable to handle any metal object, including swords: every time he gets close to a blade, it completely deforms, preventing him from even being able to wield one.

Having now become the object of ridicule by the other citizens, Konosuke sees no future ahead of him, but even more dishonorable for him would be to take his own life: the only way to die with dignity is in battle, and therefore tries to provoke some samurai in the area into killing themselves. On the verge of death, Konosuke has a vision of a mysterious woman who hugs him before losing consciousness, and when she wakes up, the man finds himself back home safe and sound.

From that moment, his life takes a sudden turn: in fact he receives a marriage proposal from Tsuki, a woman of unknown origins. Feeling that he doesn't deserve a wife as refined as her, Konosuke will initially try to push her away, but Tsuki will prove surprisingly determined to remain by her side.

The first volume of the manga therefore focuses on the two protagonists and their turbulent coexistence, to which are added questions related to Konosuke's curse and the appearance of Tsuki, who seems to hide another identity. The first half of the volume has much more slice of life toneswhile the last chapters they will advance the plot with combatperhaps alluding to the introduction of more action scenes in the series' future.

Konosuke and Tsuki are two protagonists who are easy to become attached to, already with this first volume: Konosuke he is a man constantly tormented by his failures, from a past in which he was unable to defend his mother to a present in which he cannot even find a simple job. This sense of helplessness, worsened by his strange curse, makes him a particularly dramatic character, pessimistic and with no prospects for the future. TsukiInstead, acts as its perfect opposite: always active and altruistic, she will show a particularly determined character, having no problems responding in kind to Konosuke himself; at the same time, she proves to be very supportive of her husband, encouraging him to take back control of his life. Tsuki's presence manages to motivate Konosuke and make him become more aware of her curse, to the point that he decides to look for different ways to learn to live with it.

As you continue reading, the figure of Tsuki creates more and more doubts in our minds: on the one hand, she makes us endear ourselves with the care and sweetness she shows towards Konosuke, who finds the strength to continue living thanks to her; on the other hand, the doubts about his origins and his behavior will be increasingly highlighted, making Konosuke himself doubt the reason for his presence. However, to have a concrete answer, we should obviously wait for the continuation of the story.

“Moonless Night”

This first volume manages to present and develop the relationship between the two protagonists without forcing, thanks to a narrative that takes the right amount of time for introspective reflections and dialogues. The only negative note can be found in a couple of sequences, in which time-skips are inserted which, apparently, do not offer particularly evident changes. In general, the story manages to alternate comic scenes with more serious moments quite naturally, favoring a light and flowing reading rhythm.

In addition to presenting the main characters and intrigues, the first volume gives a general overview of the historical period: the figure of the samurai is no longer linked to wars and is gradually adapting to the life of ordinary citizens; those who do not want to change past habits, they become real bandits who exercise their right to kill anyone who might “disgrace” them.

Generally, the representations of samurai to which we are accustomed paint them as strong and courageous warriors, but in this case it's interesting to see the less respectable side toowhere the samurai do not hesitate to impose fear on the citizens to forcefully obtain what they want.

In addition to the samurai, there are obviously other factors that characterized that era: the same paranormal elements can be traced back, for example, to the Yokai or other urban legends. The reconstruction of the setting is also well studied in various aspects, from the typical clothes and hairstyles, to the aesthetics of the streets and houses.

Moving on to the technical side, we have drawings that express strong dynamism and characters with distinctive features, recognizable in their simplicity. Particular attention is paid to the expressiveness of the characters, which emphasizes the most dramatic moments as well as the comic ones. The type of brushes used is also interesting, which have textures or features that are rarely seen.

The volume comes with a fascinating cover portraying Tsuki, with a more realistic style and delicate colours, which contrasts with Konosuke, covered entirely in dark colours; The translucent effect on the dust jacket is also very nice, bearing the title of the manga in kanji, while by removing it you can see alternative drawings. The edition of J-POP Manga is therefore promoted with full marks.

Who do we recommend La Luna e l'Acciaio to?

If you are curious about the period chosen for the setting, The Moon and Steel it may prove to be an interesting read, as future volumes may continue to delve deeper into it. Furthermore, if you like slices of life with shades of mystery, you may find it a very pleasant story; if, however, you are looking for a plot focused only on romantic elements, you may only be half satisfied since, as already mentioned, the story could take a more action turn with the next volumes. In addition, we also recommend it to those who appreciated it Kasaneand therefore if you want to read a new work by the same author.