^{PART 46 of 52 ONESHOTS in 52 WEEKS
高橋留美子の『リベンジドール』 “Revenge Doll” by TAKAHASHI Rumiko}

Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most successful and prolific manga authors of all-time, known for series such as Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma ½ and Inuyasha. Although her major works are individually distinct, they often share a similar aesthetic, characterised by a playful blend of action and comedy, alongside episodic storytelling.

This style lends itself well to short stories, with author Takahashi producing a bountiful amount throughout her career — so many, in fact, that her short work fills over ten volumes of assorted anthology books. In the spotlight from this delectable medley today is Revenge Doll, a comedic horror-inspired oneshot about a deadbeat mangaka, which was collected in a 2015 volume titled Came the Mirror and Other Tales, after being published in Big Comic Spirits in 2013.

Manga author Sentaro Yuda was once an acclaimed name within the pages of Shounen Jump, with a hit series titled ‘Revenge Doll’ — now he’s on the cusp of being cancelled and replaced by one of his assistants, with his new series ‘J-1 Girls Academy’ publishing to a lukewarm reception. But a reader hands him a lifeline in the form of a cursed doll inspired by his once popular manga. This real-life revenge doll has the ability to bestow three curses, with the third and final hex able to kill. Quickly, Yuda begins pondering how best to use this power to turn around his ill-fated circumstance.

The comically brash Yuda, who at first curses his assistants and staff for the hell of it, is riotous fun. Author Takahashi delivers a lot of quick-fire witticism through her playful dialogue and crisp artwork, in which Yuda and company are never short on priceless expressions. The central character convinces himself that killing either his replacement or the magazine editor will save his career, but things don’t quite work out the way he expects. Although the notion of the revenge doll is quite sinister, the author opts solely for a humourous take, riffing on the absurdist desperation of a man at the end of his tether. While the plot is fairly undemanding, it excels by embracing its zany scenario and delivering much amusement through the interactions of its jocular cast.

At the time of the oneshot’s publication, Rumiko Takahashi was half-way through her series Rin-ne. While there is sometimes a noticeable difference in quality between an author’s serial work and their short stories, Takahashi’s output is commendably consistent. Rin-ne is perhaps a touch more detailed in its backgrounds, but comparatively the two are equally well illustrated, with notable attention toward character action and reaction, emboldening the comedy with much personality and spiritedness.

Revenge Doll is a well-packaged work, with Rumiko Takahashi clearly adept at crafting these succinct and lively scenarios, in which conflict and resolution are handily polished in just over 30 pages (much of her long-form manga is also told episodically, each chapter with a slightly different context or catalyst). It very much exemplifies the author’s sensibilities and her brand of vibrant comedy-oriented storytelling, wherein if you enjoy one of her manga, there are many more of equal aptitude to satisfy your appetite. There is much to be said on the impressive accessibility of author Takahashi’s work, which is likely why her stories are beloved all over the world.

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