Before I begin this review, I would like to thank NetGalley and Viz Media for a chance to review this title.
We’re heading into a rare category when it comes to adaptions. There have been adaptions of various subjects in the manga world, including fairy tales. Take, for example, Snow White with the Red Hair, which is loosely based on the fairy tale Snow White.
Luckily, we got a new addition in this category, The Hunters Guild: Red Riding Hood is another loosely based fairy tale.
It was written and illustrated by Yuki Kawaguchi. Our story begins with a young boy named Velou, who lives in an isolated hamlet and wants nothing more than to protect his neighbors from a werewolf that has terrorized their town. Their most skilled huntsman, the Mayor, was unable to handle the situation, so he had to hire the Hunters Guild to exterminate the werewolf. In the process, he bankrupted himself to afford their services. The town was disappointed to find that the Guild sends a small girl in a red hood named Grimm instead of a bigger hunter. Velou is skeptical of Grimm and her abilities, is there more to her than meets the eye?
The Hunters Guild: Red Hood is an interesting take on an old classic. It offers the charm of the classic story and brings readers a sense of horror and a shonen-style adventure that is filled with quirky characters and a unique way of world-building.
The first early chapters focus on Kasoka Village and Velou’s preparation to become a new Hunter and setting up the lore for this new world. The action sequences are drawn well and blended with some brief comedic moments that help keep the story enjoyable. A fun fact about the mangaka, Yuki Kawaguchi was one of Kohei Horikoshi’s assistants for My Hero Academia and is working as an assistant for Yusei Matsui.
As much as I would love to list more of what I enjoyed about this first volume, I have to be honest with the negative side of this title. With great character designs and uniquely drawn creatures, this felt more like it had a Demon Slayer premise to it. Unlike the popular shonen title, it offered readers the opportunity to enjoy and imagine a different approach to a beloved fairy tale. But at the end of the day, it is a clone of Demon Slayer.
The Hunters Guild: Red Hood Volume One will be available on December 13th at your local bookstore and digitally. Preorder yours today!
Final Grade:
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