by Yuuki Iinuma
Viz Media, $9.99, 192 pages
Lying for a good reason is usually a contradiction in terms. An Itsuwaribito is a person who steals through bullying, lying, and sneaking, exactly what Utsuho wants to be. He has also resolved to save people through telling lies, due to an unfortunate incident when he was younger. He is also clever enough to have created bombs and poison, but not in enough time to save his teacher. Although he deals with the gang that slaughters his adopted family he is forced to travel the world, inspired to right wrongs by his teacher. It is one clever boy against the world, and the world is probably the one in trouble.
There is plenty of blood and dead bodies lying around, and the hero has an interesting ethos to say the least. However, allowing for that, it is actually a great read. The characters are drawn simply, but the backgrounds are gorgeous and the action flows rather nicely. The story is great, and Utsoho is definitely fun to watch when he’s in the zone. This book is great for boys on the cusp of puberty, as it may be too simple for older boys and too violent for younger boys.
Reviewed by Jamais Jochim