After our last manga announcements concerning Ki-oon and Kurokawa in particular, we are interested this time in Casterman. Indeed, the publisher released a few years ago a somewhat strange work, Halcyon Lunch.
Halcyon Lunch
Halycon Lunch is a seinen by Samura Hiroaki focused on comedy, science fiction and slice of life. Published in 2016 by Casterman, the series is finished in 2 volumes.
The life of Gen, a forty-year-old entrepreneur, fell like a failed soufflé. Gen has the slab, but he is reduced to fishing for his food in the muddy waters of a river. His meeting with Hyos will change the menu. The girl is endowed with a curious stroke of fork (or chopsticks): she is able to swallow anything and everything and regurgitate it pell-mell, giving life to creatures as monstrous as grotesque… Where anyone would be fine-mouthed, Gen sees Hyos' appearance as a chance to add a star to the guide of his existence. But he soon discovers that in the kitchen, a terrible threat hangs over the Earth… Bon appetit, Gen.
A far-fetched scenario!
This first volume was very strange to discover. This is not the first wacky series we read, but we must admit that the scenario is rather complicated to follow. Indeed, the basic story seems quite simple. Hyos, a "non-human" arrives on earth and can eat anything and everything. Gen, on the other hand, is an unemployed forty-year-old who tries to survive as best he can. So far, nothing very difficult to understand. However, the rest of the story gets tougher. Different characters will appear and the causes and consequences of their actions are not always very clear. In addition, some scenes follow one another, but the links between them are sometimes very light and break the rhythm of the series. However, the author tries to integrate into each chapter some comic touches that allow to cut the story and start again on a more "relaxed" basis. In addition, the links between the characters are not always very well explained. We can guess as the pages go by what binds our protagonists, but part of the story remains unclear. On the side of the graphics, the pencil stroke is not sublime, but corresponds quite well to the story told and makes the discovery of this first volume pleasant.
Untapped potential?
We have not yet had the pleasure of discovering the second volume of the series. So we hope that the story and the characters will be more built afterwards. However, it seems a shame that this first volume is so complex to discover. Indeed, although the basic idea seems interesting to us, the scenario itself is rather flat. Hyos' ability is not exploited at all and despite the amazing powers that these shapeshifters can enjoy, no suspense or beginning of adventure has appeared to us. In addition, concerning the characters of Shinji and Triazole, we find them at different moments of their history, without real link there either. These moments are meant to be comical, however, the desired effect is not always achieved.
Fun winks
However, we must admit that some nods to the popular or historical culture of Japan (or even world) made us smile. Indeed, we found it rather pleasant that the author refers to Jojo's bizarre adventure, Slam Dunk or Harry Potter. A glossary is also available at the end of this first volume for those who have not been able to locate all these references. These winks, usually comical, give punch to the story and allow to appreciate certain aspects. This first volume of Halcyon Lunch is therefore at the moment, quite disappointing. However, we hope that the second volume will make us appreciate this most surprising work. Until then, we invite you to discover a very different Netflix series, The Lord of Bombay !
