Plug in your guitars, power up your amps, warm up your vocal chords – Detroit Metal City has taken the stage and it's heavy metal time! Soichi Negishi is a sweet young man who has come to Tokyo with the intention of making a success of himself in the music world, of becoming a member of a nice Swedish rock band! But life does not always turn out the way you plan for it to, and he finds himself as the frontrunner for a heavily made up heavy metal death band named Detroit Metal City, under the pseudonym of Krauser II! He writes their death-laden songs that speak of killing your parents, raping them as well, and raising mayhem everywhere, to put it mildly! He hates the lyrics, hates the sentiments they express (in fact, he loves his family and they are very much alive, unlike the biography of Krauser which claims he killed his parents at a very early age). But when the feeling overtakes him (egged on by his rather crude, foul-mouthed female manager), Souichi becomes Krauser II, in a rather Jekyll and Hyde transformation which is the hallmark of Kiminori Wakasugi's Detroit Metal City!
Highlights
Soichi has the best of intentions, but as DMC's star continues to rise, he finds it more and more difficult to simply walk away from the band and disappoint his manager and his bandmates, although it is his fervent desire to play the sweet food-laden lyrics that he longs to be known for. But he cannot find an appreciative audience for them, whereas DMC has quite the following, and circumstances continue to dictate that he remain with them. As Volume 3 of Detroit Metal City opens, he receives a request through his manager from Jack Ill Dark (a one-time famous metal star whom he musically battled in a previous volume, who passed on Karl's symbolic guitar to him) – Jack's daughter, Kenny Ill Dark, is coming to Tokyo and he would like Soichi to show her around and hang out with her! He reluctantly dons Krauser's makeup and costume to do so, unsure of how to entertain her in a way which will be fun for her as well as consistent with his character. He takes her to a sumo match, which she finds boring, and lets her believe that as a demon from Hell he is manipulating the outcome of the match (even though he knows nothing about the sport himself). He then takes her to a sushi bar, where the very act of ordering as Krauser becomes a challenge, as he tries to "order" human flesh for his consumption. Afterwards, on the street, they run into some toughs who don't recognize him, and she eggs him on to fight with them, to manipulate them just as he did the sumo wrestlers! She finally comes clean with him and tells him the true reason for her visit to Tokyo – using her father's money, she is organizing a music festival comprised of the most twisted heavy metal bands that she can find, to be held in total darkness at Mt. Fuji! She holds a contract with the signatures of the rest of DMC (including the mind-mannered M man, Mr. Nashimoto) and wishes Krauser to sign – in blood! He wants nothing to do with it, but when some of the sauce from the spinach pasta dish he is eating ends up on the contract, she takes it as evidence of his demonicness – it is his green blood – and DMC is now in!
Overall
Soichi has very strong feelings for a girl named Aikawa that he went to college with and has met up with again, but he can't bring himself to tell her what he is doing musically, as she has always been supportive of his gentler, sweeter music, and hopes to have a future with her someday. Once he gets up the nerve to tel lher how he feels, that is. She works for Amore Amour magazine, and one day calls him suggesting he audition for a piece on up and coming musicians! His hopes are that he will be seen doing what he loves and become such a success that he won't have to go to that awful Satanic Emperor festival! While practicing his own music on the sidewalk, he runs into another college friend Saji (whom Krauser had an unpleasant run-in with, DMC having broken up a concert of his band, Tetrapot Melon Tea, to Soichi's chagrin), and the two begin to talk. It has always been Soichi's dream to play with Saji, and the feeling is mutual, and now it appears that dream will come true, as the two decide to play a duet at the audition! Can fame and fortune be far behind? With Soichi's luck, though, Krauser is bound to be lurking, which is never a good thing. Later, Soichi finds a stray puppy in the park that he befriends, although he cannot take him home with him, he brings him food all the time. But when a terrible thunderstorm besets during a DMC concert, the so-called demon from Hell is plagued with worries that the puppy is frightened and alone and interrupts the concert to look after him. Can this end well? When his manager realizes that Soichi is a virgin, she gives all three of the members of DMC hotel rooms with instructions to get laid – and sends some of Krauser's groupies to Soichi's room to service their Dark Lord! Can he get himself out of this with his virginity intact? Then he agrees to help Aizawa and another friend, selling things at a flea market, and they form the United Nations of Cool to promote peace and brotherly love, and just as Soichi thinks that life is good, Aizawa's ex shows up to intrude into their newly formed group and the green-eyed monster in the guise of Krauser makes an appearance! Finally, it is time for the festival to end all festivals, and much as Soichi dreads going, he is there! To his amazement, so is his little brother Toshi, with bright pink hair, and he is about to get a penis-shaped tattoo upon his face!
I am really enjoying this series, the premise is not only interesting but I think rather unique, and Soichi is a great hero who finds himself in circumstances beyond his control, albeit with the best of intentions. The other members of his band, who are happy to be doing what they are doing, are great characters, as well as their M man, Mr. Nashimoto, who exists to be abused by the band onstage! There is a great deal of humor that will have you laughing out loud and begging for more! Poor Soichi just can't seem to get a break, and the harder he tries, the more things go wrong, and the more successful DMC becomes! This book series is not for young children in any way, however, but is meant for mature readers, for there is a great deal of explicit content, both in language and situation. I enjoy the lexicon notes between chapters, explaining a term which was used in that chapter, adding to the overall enjoyment of the books. For a rocking good time, check out Detroit Metal City, you'll be glad you did! Move over, Kiss, these boys have it all over you!
Comicsonline gives Detroit Metal City 4.5 out of 5 Satanic Emperors!
