PART 44 of 52 ONESHOTS in 52 WEEKS
佐乃夕斗の『極楽街三番通の件』 “Gokurakugai Sanbandori no Ken” by SANO Yuto
Gokurakugai is a manga series written and illustrated by Yuto Sano, named after the fictional district in which it is set. It has been published in Jump Square since 2022 and follows the exploits of a group of ‘problem solvers’ who offer their services for money, which typically lands them gigs as detectives or enforcers.
The concept began life two years earlier as a oneshot, featuring in spin-off magazine Jump Square Rise in 2020. The oneshot, known as The Gokuraku District’s Third Avenue Incident, follows the same premise as its follow-up, and boasts a well-woven plot that is chock-full of character.
The Gokuraku district is a melting pot inhabited by all manner of humans and beast-people alike. Tao and Alma operate a small enterprise in the middle of this hustle and bustle, advertising themselves as ‘trouble-shooters,’ with a jack-of-all-trades business for solving people’s problems. The two make the acquaintance of Nene, a young mermaid on the run from traffickers who have taken her two sisters. With a gung-ho attitude and appetite for conflict, Tao and Alma step in to help as vigilantes for hire.
Right off the bat, the fantasy setting is well established, with natural exposition through the characters and action, over the clunky narration which sometimes plagues such stories. The eponymous district has a heavy Chinatown aesthetic and is illustrated with impressive detail, abundant in all manner of signage, lanterns and lucky cats. Sano’s character art is also notable, with central character Bao designed with a very stylish appearance, which compliments her cool and headstrong persona.
Bao’s sidekick Alma is less distinguished, with a very manga-esque penchant for all things food, which is a bit of a trite character trait. Thus some of the hunger-driven comedy beats here are somewhat underwhelming, but the character never verges on annoying or overbearing. Confidently brawny, Alma is central to the oneshot’s action sequences, which are illustrated with a great eye for continuity.
The plot comes together quite conveniently, so much so one might wish for a little more mystery, but Yuto Sano does well to establish the wider politics, corruption and social relations running parallel to the oneshot’s contained scenario, and also finds time to peek into the back-stories of both Bao and Alma. There’s a lot of enticing detail here which has been well-planned and set-up, with the author teasing the history behind even Bao’s tattoos.
Sano works a lot into the 57 page length, but rather than feel bloated, The Gokuraku District’s Third Avenue Incident is impressively flush in character and ambiance, with the vibrant setting leaving a strong impression. It’s a masterclass in substance and world-building, whereby the stand-alone scenario feels dynamic and alive beyond its pages. Resultantly, the manga works not only as an episodic tale that is complete and satisfying in its content, but also as an allure and introduction to the larger serial work.
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Morning, Roo 