Thanks to Butterfly Beast , take an indiscreet look behind the screens to discover the world of geishas, these women masters of pleasures but also secrets. One of them is even a fearsome ninja hunter. Here is the original pitch of Mangetsu's new series.
A strong and lethal woman
The introduction sets the scene when a geisha plunges a dagger into her client's body. In the pleasure district of Edo, Ochō is a prestigious courtesan but, in secret, she hunts down her misguided former brothers-in-arms. She is a shinobi – ninja – who hunts shinobi using knives, poison but especially the sexual appetite of men. When she has to kill her lover, regret and moral crisis are for others. She seems as cold as a blade but builds her own moral code making her an angel or a demon depending on events. Butterfly Beast portrays a complex woman. She smokes but at the same time she hesitates to go out on the street and is not independent. She obeys the orders of Raizō, her coordinator at the head of a still mysterious group, and hunts down criminals for the neighborhood leader. In addition, she has her own motivations for killing that we discover through her past in volume two. These discoveries also come from new characters. 
A time of peace and murder
Indeed, Butterfly Beast is not a solo series. We enter the reserved area of Yoshiwara in Edo. We discover many rites and customs. The neighborhood has its own justice to protect women but especially customers and prevent geishas from fleeing. Customer violence is not hidden. As the drawing beautifully shows, the face of the neighborhood changes completely between the dreary day and the lively night of alcohol and lust. We can also highlight the splendid work of Yuka Nagate. The patterns of the fabrics are superbly transcribed. The beautiful faces and hair do not prevent the author from being also very lively for individual fights and battle scenes. The line of Nagate is very fine and expressive but at the same time very precise on the sets. It plays on the density of black lines to reinforce the feeling or action. 
In volume two, the neighborhood empties due to competition from illegal public baths whose attractive prices of "services" attract customers. This boom is also linked to the urban growth of the capital Edo. Even though the action is at the heart of the series, Butterfly Beast also presents a specific historical context. Japan plunged into a new era in 1635 by completing a long period of feudal wars. Only government-empowered shinobi can exercise their skills, and other ninjas become useless. Some were able to reorient themselves in the peasantry or trade, but others became criminals. The authorities fear the independence of these renegades. A whole secret administration, from judges to executioners, is at the service of the pacification of the country. Some people set aside want to break the peace to find a source of income, power and excitement. Yuka Nagate starts from these real facts and invents complex causes. Initially, Ochô attacks individuals, but at the end of volume one, there are indications that a plot is being prepared against the recent government. We also see signs of the arrival of Europeans. With Butterfly Beast, Nagate Yuka builds a breathless narrative where the action is made even stronger by the psychological tensions of the heroine and the tortuous intrigues around the pleasure district. Eros and thanatos spin the perfect love in this turbulent tale of sex and love. But, beware voyeurs will be disappointed because, if violence is present, sex is suggested. All the better because Butterfly Beast is only stronger. You can find other chronicles on Mangetsu releases with The Fire Mandala and Keiji.
