Author: Kore Yamazaki
Volumes Reviewed: 5 (complete)
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
US Release Date: September 2017 - November 2018
Genre: Alternate Historical Fantasy
Content Rating: Older Teen (strong violence, human experimentation, child possession, murder, a few words of language)
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Indiebound | B&N | Azon | BookDepo | RightStuf
Summary (of Volume 1):
From the creator of The Ancient Magus' Bride comes a supernatural action manga in the vein of Fullmetal Alchemist! With electrifying art and a gripping story, Frau Faust reimagines the protagonist of the classic tale who makes a deal with the devil as a tenacious female scholar.
More than a century after an eccentric scholar made an infamous deal with a devil, the story of Faust has passed into legend. However, the true Faust is not the stuffy, professorial man known in fairy tales, but a charismatic, bespectacled woman named Johanna Faust, who happens to still be alive. Searching for pieces of her long-lost demon, Johanna passes through a provincial town, where she saves a young boy named Marion from a criminal’s fate. In exchange, she asks a simple favor of Marion, but Marion soon finds himself intrigued by the peculiar Doctor Faust and joins her on her journey. Thus begins the strange and wonderful adventures of Frau Faust!
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Series: This is a five-volume manga series, all released and available.
Frau Faust is a brief but entertaining five-volume series about following your heart and doing things your own way with the time you have. Set in an alternate historical world of alchemy and religion that we barely scratch the surface of, it tells the story of the immortal Faust as she hunts for the hidden pieces of her formerly contracted demon, Mephisto, in an attempt to finally achieve death after over a century. Along the way she makes new friends, reconnects with old ones, reminisces past accomplishments and failures, weaves a little magic, and loses a bit more of herself in every violent confrontation with those who would try to capture or kill her. There's a lot of pain, and as typically happens when dealing with demons things can get pretty creepy at times, but despite a more melancholy finish there's a little humor and a lot of hope for all concerned by the end. Although the artwork is not afraid to be occasionally grotesque with unusual creatures and violence that doesn't shy away from blood and gore, it's generally rather simple and handsome with backdrop settings and expressive, emotionally-charged characters.
Frau Faust is a brief but entertaining five-volume series about following your heart and doing things your own way with the time you have. Set in an alternate historical world of alchemy and religion that we barely scratch the surface of, it tells the story of the immortal Faust as she hunts for the hidden pieces of her formerly contracted demon, Mephisto, in an attempt to finally achieve death after over a century. Along the way she makes new friends, reconnects with old ones, reminisces past accomplishments and failures, weaves a little magic, and loses a bit more of herself in every violent confrontation with those who would try to capture or kill her. There's a lot of pain, and as typically happens when dealing with demons things can get pretty creepy at times, but despite a more melancholy finish there's a little humor and a lot of hope for all concerned by the end. Although the artwork is not afraid to be occasionally grotesque with unusual creatures and violence that doesn't shy away from blood and gore, it's generally rather simple and handsome with backdrop settings and expressive, emotionally-charged characters.
Bonus Stories: Volume 1 boasts the bonus short story, The Invisible Museum. Not only does it offer a fascinating location in the mysterious museum of invisible exhibits along with a fun cat-and-mouse chase story, but the intriguing theme of desiring to disappear proved both a dark and hopeful one. And the butterfly really was quite beautiful. 4.5 Scribbles.
Conclusion: A short but engaging alternate historical fantasy with lots of thrills, chills, and onion-layered characters. Especially recommend if you already enjoy Yamazaki's other series, The Ancient Magus' Bride.
Conclusion: A short but engaging alternate historical fantasy with lots of thrills, chills, and onion-layered characters. Especially recommend if you already enjoy Yamazaki's other series, The Ancient Magus' Bride.
Scribble Rating:
3.5 of 5 Scribbles
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