Manga Review: Rin-Ne Volumes 38-40

Manga Review: Rin-Ne Volumes 38-40 by Rumiko Takahashi

Quick recap: Rinne Rokudo is a shinigami, a psychopomp who helps the spirits of the dead move on to the afterlife. But he is partially human, so his powers are relatively weak and he often has to resort to special devices that cost money. Between that and other unlucky circumstances, he’s afflicted with constant poverty. He is aided by his black cat by contract Rokumon, and his high school classmate Sakura Mamiya, who can see spirits but is otherwise normal. A large cast of other supernatural beings sometimes helps but usually hinders him.

Volume 38 opens with a search for Sansei Kuroboshi, a young black cat who is afraid of ghosts. He’s been turned down for employment because of his fear, and his grandfather Kuroboshi is worried that he has done something foolish. As it happens, Sansei has taken a baby step towards dealing with his phobia.

The final story is about a cursed dress that is not allowing one of Rinne and Sakura’s classmates to eat. Turns out it was made by her grandmother back in the day, but the waist was too narrow, and she never managed to lose enough weight to wear it. Indeed, no young woman with normal internal organs would be able to fit. What to do?

Important stories in between include one in which Matsugo, Rinne’s childhood friend who takes their friendship waay more seriously than Rinne does, finally allows his classmate Anju (who has a crush on him) to be his friend too. Rinne comes up with a plan to get them to Red Bride Church, a site cursed to make couples stay together forever. It doesn’t quite work out.

Scythe manufacturer and marketer pair Right and Left also appear. The rabbit people have fallen on especially hard times, but think that if they can get Rinne to wield the legendary Phoenix Scythe they’ve created, their fortunes will be restored. As usual, they have left out important details of just how that is supposed to be the case.

Volume 39 opens with Renge, the former shinigami trapped in the job of a damashigami, a trickster spirit that steals human lives, learning that Kain, her crush who works for the Lifespan Administrative Bureau, has been offered an arranged marriage. In desperation, she decides that now is the time to confess her love. But there’s some confusion, and she instead winds up confessing her criminal activities instead. (Kind of like telling a DEA agent about your meth lab instead of your date plans.)

While Renge is technically the enemy of Rinne and his friends, they’re sympathetic to her circumstances so try to come up with some way of making it look like Renge was fibbing. This story has repercussions in the next volume.

The closing story is about Ageha, the wealthy but lazy shinigami who has a crush on Rinne suddenly getting motivated at work. Seems that a fortuneteller gave her a charm to increase her work luck (Ageha really wanted help with her romantic prospects) which has given her the predatory instincts of a preying mantis. Rinne’s unable to make any money at his job because she’s getting to all the spirits first, and his attempts to explain make her think he’s finally coming on to her. Will she wind up devouring her intended mate?

In between, Annette-sensei attempts to pass a promotion exam to become a full-fledged witch by summoning and capturing a fairy, but her poor art skills and lackadaisical attitude mean this fairy is harder to catch than you’d think. Annette’s crystal ball said that the teacher wouldn’t be at the school after summer break, but does that indicate success…or something more sinister?

Also, Jumonji, Rinne’s exorcist rival, is asked to deal with a former exorcist who has become an evil spirit that takes the form of someone you love. This turns out to be due to his own experience exorcising such a spirit during his lifetime, which cost him his fiancee. Understanding the emotions involved is key to resolving the mystery.

Volume 40 is the end of the series, so all the stories are linked. First, Rinne wins a free spirit realm tour for two which he shares with Sakura. It turns out to be a bit of a scam, but the two do get matching Styx River boundary stone bracelets.

Then a cursed scroll starts driving everyone in Rinne’s life away, including making Sakura think he sold his bracelet, showing that he doesn’t value their relationship.

Before Rinne can retrieve the bracelet, it’s stolen by his deadbeat father Sabato to use the stone in a scheme to steal multiple human spirits before their time–a scheme devised by Renge!

While the immediate scheme turns out to have a hidden flaw, it continues to have repercussions as things get worse, culminating with Sakura being pulled to the Wheel of Reincarnation! Is this the end?

Well, this is after all a comedy series, so things more or less work out with some characters finally getting a break. It’s a suitable ending to the series, if you liked the previous parts, you will like this.

While Volume 40 is the only one with significant plot developments, 38 and 39 have stories that are the last ones focusing on certain characters, so if you especially like those characters you will want to pick up those as well.

Looking forward to Ms. Takahashi’s next creation!