The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service

The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service
Dark Horse July 2006
Writer: Eiji Otsuka Artist: Housui Yamazaki
ISBN-10: 978-5307-555-2

Plot Summary: The main character Kuro Karatsu is a university student working part- time for a Corpse Delivery Service. His team is made up of students all holding a special power/ talent. Kuro hears the dead talk. Numata uses a pendant to locate corpses, little Makino studied embalming abroad, Yata is a channeler and talks to Aliens with his puppet, and Ao Sasaki is a leader and researcher and also appears to be a leader to the team. Together they find and transport corpses and also help the departed settle. In volume one they help a departed boyfriend fin his true love and find the truth about his murder and her fate.

Critical Analysis: Dark Horse brings us a novel with a darker side. The humor coupled with the supernatural aspect makes for a great read. Kuro's ability to hear from the dead provided a "Ghost Whisperer" tone and many young adults will enjoy this book. Kuro helps a departed boyfriend finally rest by seeking the whereabouts of his girlfriend a pop sensation. The underground organized crime aspect of the manga illustrates the urgency behind helping the departed boyfriend. Kuro and his eccentric team are truly helping the dead reach their resting place both physically and spiritually.

Annotation: Kuro comes to University and teams up with an eclectic and odd group of students to create the Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service. They help transport corpses to their final resting place and in the process communicate with the dead.

Author Information: born on August 28, 1959 in the former Tanashi, Tokyo. Eiji Otsuka is a Japanese writer. He writes the MPD Psycho and The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service manga series.

Genre: Horror/ manga/ Mystery

Curiculum ties: none

Booktalking Ideas:
1.) With an upturn in the Gothic and supernatural in American Television, do you think that this series appeals to adults as well as teens?
2.) Kuro hears the dead, do you think his gift is the most valuable of all the team?

Reading Level/ Age Interest: 16 and up/ 10th grade and up and parental consent may be advisable

Challenge Issues: Death, horror, violence, supernatural

I would explain policies for selection for San Diego County Libraries:

http://dbpcosdcsgt.co.san-diego.ca.us/screens/Intranet/policy/sdcl-policy_O.41_material-selection.pdf
If after my working to convince the patron, they still were not satisfied and wanted to file a grievance, I would provide the needed paper work and then it would go to the “Challenged Materials” team for San Diego County and then onward until there is resolution: http://dbpcosdcsgt.co.san-diego.ca.us/screens/Intranet/policy/sdcl-policy_O.34_intellectual_freedom.pdf

Selection Reasons: This text is one recommended to me by Denise Stutzman as a popular manga at her library. I found it to be both intelligently written and entertaining. I am a fan of horror and I feel it is done well, as Dark Horse deals well with the dark subject matter.