I'm a fan of old USA as a setting. Works like Billy Bat and Jojo's Steel Ball Run are some of my favorite. So when I was looking for more works of the like I came across this manga.
Judging by the cover it looked promising - Taking place in 1920s' USA, it has horror elements, it's made by the creator of Prison School, the art is p-
Wait what?
Prison School? THAT guy? That... ecchi manga?
I wasn't sure if it's a good or bad sign but it sure was intriguing.
Me and the Devil Blues is a fictional story about Robert Johnson (RJ for short) - a Blues artist who lived a short life, but had immense influence on the genre. His short mysterious life and death, are just the right foundation for creating a fictional story while keeping the overall impression of authenticity.
The manga starts with RJ's wish to become a Blues musician. When he hears about a legend, claiming you can make a deal with the devil by playing on the crossroads, he gives it a try and... nothing happens. Disappointed, he goes back home and learns how to play Blues normally, even gets to play at the juke, until, names and dates don't fit... that's when the realization kicks in - something IS wrong. He DID in fact made a deal with the devil. Accepting his new situation, he packs his belongings and begins living as traveling musician.
That's when the second arc of the story begins, introducing a new character - Clyde Barrow. Just like RJ, Clyde is also a real-life person who lived at the same time, only his profession is robbing (Epic style). In real-life Clyde and RJ had no connection, but that's where fictional history writing comes in, beautifully so.
In this arc their circumstances get entangled with one another, in a weird relationship forced by necessity. They have to deal with being stuck in a town of stern people who kidnap RJ and plan to lynch him, and Clyde who tries to save RJ all while being on the edge himself.
The situation is very tense throughout all the story - nonstop imminent death from every direction, going down the rabbit hole that is that crazy town, and to top it all - the devil (manifested as "Ike") isn't here to help... he is here to tease and torture RJ as per their contract.
There is no sugarcoating - Skin will tatter, blood will splatter and bones will shatter. It is also worth mentioning the usage of slurs, as the story takes place in old dixie, and RJ being black, you can see where this is going...
Some might consider all this too harsh, but this directness and lack of asspulls is what creates the tension and investment on the reader's behalf. That notion of how dire the situation is - is what creates this sweet sweet feeling of "what will happen next??".
The Art
As mentioned, this manga is made by Akira Hiramoto who is more known for his Ecchi works like Prison School. But unlike what you might've expected, Me and the Devil Blues has a different style, which perfectly fits its setting. The character design is non-animeish but rather realistic. The lines aren't polished but gritty.
Don't take from this that the art is dull and lazy, ho no no. There are many moments of highly detailed action, games of light and shade, interesting presentations and POVs.
I'm mixed about recommending this manga. On one hand it ticks all my boxes of American setting and Lovecraftian horror and all the other things I mentioned, but all this lives in the shadow of constant hiatus. Started in 2003, then went on hiatus in 2008, came back in 2014 and gone once again in 2017...
Me and the blues balls.
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