Mieruko-chan

The current review was written after chapter 15. Nothing special about it but considering the type of work, I thought this was good enough for a review.

I'm not exactly someone who falls for things that are popular. In fact, a lot of popular works tend to make me wonder why people like those so much, and I was going in Mieruko-chan with a bit of a blasé attitude. However, sometimes, you can be surprised by those findings, and since I don't want to make a lengthy, egocentrical intro about me, I will simply skip the plaisanteries and outright say it: Mieruko-chan surprised me.

The pitch idea holds on a metro ticket: a normal girl wakes up one day and start seeing monsters around her.

Of course, people seeing ghosts/monsters is nothing particularly amazing in fiction, the Sixth Sense did it, Ghost Whisperer did it, and many more, I'm sure. So where does Mieruko-chan stand exactly in this "sub-genre" where the ? If you're like many others, you've probably already seen some pages/strips of the manga on forums or Discord servers, and especially the designs of the monsters. And let's just say the obvious: the monsters are really amazingly done. The sheer monstrosity of their anatomy, the details of their appearances, the terrifying aspect of their... appendices (for some) is really a sight to behold. It's obvious that the mangaka is really skilled, as their appearances always range from satisfying to downright blood-chilling.

On the other hand, Miko, our protagonist, has a normal life: she eats breakfast, goes to school, hangs out with her friend Hana, goes shopping, buys presents for her family, helps people. She's a bit of a shy, slightly standoffish girl with nothing that really stands out about her appearance. And this is where Mieruko-chan's primary appeal lies:

Contrast

Of course, contrast is nothing unheard of, especially in anime. A very popular example (and similar in design) would certainly be Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, where the cutesy designs of Ume-sensei and bland architecture of SHAFT are cohabitating with the otherworldly appearance of the witches and their labyrinths, courtesy of Inu Curry getting inspiration from old Russian-style animation, for a very striking effect. The concept is the same here: the normal basic (but still pretty) representation of Miko's everyday life is invaded by the creatures/apparitions who look like they came from a horror manga drawn by the late Kentaro Miura (R.I.P.), and both sides elevate the other.

This contrast extends beyond the great visuals of the manga: This Slice of Life series that flirts with the supernatural also offers a surprising variety in its chapters, be it in tone or scope. While the horror feeling generally prevails, some chapters harbor a more comedic aspect that plays a lot with misunderstanding, which is only natural given the pitch of the manga. Other short stories offer a more emotional content slightly akin to the aforementioned Ghost Whisperer, albeit all played without any syrupy drama or tears and entirely in undertones, which makes it even more touching. All this content manages to drive off the feeling of boredom that usually come after repetition. That being said, some chapters can appear slightly duller in content compared to the hair-standing quality of others, but nothing near average so far.

To answer to those apparitions, Miko does what is the wisest thing but that which most people would probably never have the force to do: nothing. Therein lies another contrast: in such stories, usually, you would have the protagonist try desperately to fight off those creatures, elaborate plans to face them, probably even discover underground organizations that fight against them (that may still happen though), but nothing of that here. She just pretends they're not here, while still trying to avoid whatever horror might stand in her way without looking like she might see them. Because there lies another appeal of Mieruko-chan:

Doubt

In every chapter, you know some... thing is going to appear. But you never truly know what, and neither does Miko. Is it a ghost or a monster? Is it dangerous? What does it want? How can Miko avoid it without appearing suspicious? Both Miko and the reader don't know exactly what to expect. A shimmering effect near a pregnant teacher? A gigantic creature behind Hana? The idea of doubt is so ingrained in the manga that Miko is even showing concerning signs of paranoia at times, due to being constantly tortured mentally by her situation. And why is this happening to her even? The mystery is complete so far, and the Slice of Life aspect really plays into it by repetition, making the reader wonder if Miko will be able to avoid the worst, or if she can get a breather for this next chapter. Some (like myself) might also be concerned that Miko's sanity might not hold for much longer...

Horror

Much like other recent works like Re:ZERO, Gakkou Gurashi and more, Mieruko-chan plays its cards straight on the table. However, what really drives forward the horror and the aspect of fear is obviously our protagonist. Miko, not just by being a defenseless girl that doesn't know anything, but also due to her pacifist stance on the situation, is legitimately driven into a corner for every single encounter, much like your average protagonist in a horror scenario like Amnesia: The Dark Descent (very remote from action horror like Dead Space 3), and her reactions to the situation, as well as her empty stare as she's trying to ignore the absurd abomination standing right next to her, really convey a strong feeling of terror that the reader cannot ignore. She's fully aware of her complete vulnerability, and her act of pretending that everything is normal, which started off as a way to wait until everything went back to normal, becomes her greatest shield against the creatures, said shield she somehow manages to abuse of with ingenuity in order to create situations that allows her and her friends to avoid a gruesome end.

In short, Mieruko-chan is a melting pot of many aspects in cultural supernatural/horror works that also manages to be inventive and varied so far by using contrast as its main "gimmick". Whether or not the manga will be able to keep the charade working for long is another story, however. But it's a genuine page-turner that really displays the mangaka's skill and creativity.