Franken Fran – Vols. 5-6 (Manga Series)
April Marie
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Written by Katsuhisa Kigitsu
Illustrated by Katsuhisa Kigitsu
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
Suitable for ages 16+
Since we’ve started reviewing manga here at Dread Central, Franken Fran has arguably been one of our favorite series. We’ve consistently ranked it a four or higher on our scale of five. The titular character of Fran has continually amused, and sometimes startled us. Her twisted outlook on how to aid humanity was new and unique. The situations contained within the pages of Franken Fran were always horrifying and hilarious in varying degrees. With the newest two volumes however, we can’t help but feel let down.
When cracking open a new volume of Franken Fran, there’s always suspense. As you flip through the chapters, you wonder what terrors Fran will make real this time around. In Volumes Five and Six, the thought at the forefront of your mind will not be dread, but rather impatience. Volumes Five and Six of Franken Fran are imbedded firmly in the doldrums, and we couldn’t be more upset about that. The volumes still follow the anthology framework that Franken Fran is known for. However, something about these two volumes just feels off. The stories lack a certain “je ne sais quoi” we’ll say.
Let’s elaborate on that thought. What’s so different about these volumes of Franken Fran that makes them feel dull? Well, therein lies the answer unsurprisingly enough. Not much has changed in these volumes. The formula is still the same, and that’s why it’s emotionally leveled out. Five/Six volumes in, we’re incredibly used to Fran’s way of thinking. We know how she’s going to react to situations since her reactions never change. This many volumes in there needs to be some sort of change in the main characters. Even if their personality doesn’t change, they have to be put in new situations, or they have to react differently. While the scenarios played out in Volumes Five and Six of Franken Fran are specifically different from the previous, they’re not actually all that dissimilar. The gimmick is starting to run dry. Without a drastic change in formula, Franken Fran will continue to dessicate.
Another reason for Franken Fran losing its luster is the loss of closure. In the previous volumes, while the stories were mostly all standalone, and were short, they had a reasonably solid end. While the tales are usually not revisited, they were brought to an end satisfactorily enough that you felt content. That sense of closure, and eagerness to move on to the next story doesn’t exist as much in these volumes. In Volumes Five and Six of Franken Fran much of the content feels sloppy and lazy. Anthologies have to be precise, without that they can feel amatuer and forgettable.
Speaking of forgettable, in previous Franken Fran reviews, we’ve always singled out one or two stories to share. These were the ones we found most memorable. In Volumes Five and Six we struggle to remember even those one or two. The vast majority in these volumes are completely forgettable. They don’t have enough emotional impact to stick with you past the last page.
If we had to single out one thing that was particularly memorable in Volumes Five and Six of Franken Fran though, that would be a new character introduction. In Volume Six we are treated with a reveal that is unexpected, a new sister! Fran is the titular character, and has her sister Veronica with her. The new sister is called Gavril, and she’s another of Doctor Madaraki’s creations. Gavril leads a band of pirates and is known for her “monstrous” strength. What that means exactly becomes clear very quickly. Gavril’s nickname is Gavril the Werewolf. She has the ability to morph into a much stronger version of herself. Her mouth elongates, adding rows of gnashing teeth. All of her muscles become larger, and she grows claws. She’s truly a terrifying sight as she runs on all fours to try to take down Fran. Unfortunately though, even this reveal suffers the same fate as the rest of Volumes Five and Six of Franken Fran. Very quickly after her introduction, Gavril is shipped off to a deserted island and hardly mentioned again. Hopefully we’ll see more of her in future volumes, but in these two she’s barely a blip.
As much as we’ve enjoyed Franken Fran, we’ve been incredibly let down by this newest iteration. For an anthology series that usually has its shit together, this time around felt bizarrely haphazard. Most of the tales were entirely forgettable. There wasn’t the usual sense of closure at the end of most of the stories. And all in all it just felt dull and repetitive. We’re still going to continue reading Franken Fran in the hopes that it picks up again. But for the sake of your wallet, you can give these two volumes a pass.
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Manga
Categorized:Reviews
