Gleipnir (Volume 1) – You and Me Together...

Shuichi has a strange power. He doesn’t know where it came from or what it will do to him. He doesn’t even want it. Then, when he saves a girl from a burning building his life changes forever, and not necessarily for the better!

Gleipnir (Volume 1) – You and Me Together…

What happened?

Shuichi Kagaya has decided to live a quiet life. He’s an outstanding student who could have received a glowing reference for a scholarship from his school, but he chose to decline. The truth is Shuichi has a terrifying secret. He is able to transform into a monster. However, this monster looks like one of those mascots that you might see at a sporting event, only more sinister. Since this started happening to him, he decided that he would keep out of sight and hope that he didn’t hurt anyone. But then, he smelt a fire in the distance and went to check it out.

He was about to leave when he smelt a girl inside. There was no way the firefighters would get there in time. No. He had to act now. Shuichi transformed and fought his way inside. He picked up the semi-conscious girl and carried her outside. Once free from the fire, he placed her on the floor and saw his hand slowly slipping her panties over her hip. He froze and changed back, afraid that the monster in him would have continued. The next day, he discovered that his phone was missing. If he dropped it at the fire, he could become the prime suspect. Then, at school the girl he saved approached him. She called him a monster and then showed him his phone. Either he told her everything or she would expose him!

Gleipnir Volume 1 Claire Aoki kicks Shuichi Kagayas off the roof

What did you think?

I loved the anime of Gleipnir so when I started collecting manga again, I decided that I had to add this series. The anime was left unfinished and unlikely to get another season so this was the best way to see where the story goes. Amazingly, the series is still running and is currently at twelve volumes. I am so excited to get through the rest of the books.

One of the things that I loved in the anime was Claire. She is an incredible character and she is just as good in the manga. I love how calm and calculated she is. There isn’t a single point in the book where you think she’s been surprised. Well, other than when she looks inside Shuichi’s body. However, rather than being grossed by it, her first instinct is to climb inside and wear him. I thought the first fight with the girl with the powerful legs was better in the anime, but action tends to be more fluid with animation.

I also love the artwork in this manga. It has a very raw and edgy feel to it which works perfectly with this dark and strange story. As someone that’s seen the anime, I understood everything that was going on, but I could see it taking a couple of readthroughs to pick up on everything if you haven’t seen the anime. There is a lot going on and the action moves around a bit. I’d be curious to see what someone that has only read the manga thinks. Personally, I love it and can’t wait to jump into the next one.