Gogogogo-Go-Ghost! Volume 2 Review

In August last year, I reviewed the first volume of Gogogogo-Go-Ghost! from Yen Press. The first instalment of the series turned out to be a charming, supernatural series following Ushiro and her Guardian Spirit, the ghost Masako. Does this second book also prove entertaining? Let’s find out!

While the premise of Ghost! is that Ushiro and Masako want to take revenge on Ushiro’s ex-boss, Volume 1 was quite episodic with plenty of other characters getting on the wrong side of his dynamic duo. So, perhaps it’s no surprise that the second book follows a similar pattern to the first.

We kick things off with Ushiro attending a mixer with some of her colleagues, who quickly earn her wrath when they start belittling her for taking on all the odd jobs at work. Then, Ushiro tries to make some money selling off gifts from her ex-boyfriend only to end up with a buyer who’s trying to majorly undervalue the items. So, he too soon suffers, thanks to Masako who appears in her most ghostly form to scare him off.

And that’s not to mention the etiquette coach who scores people out of 100 and makes them feel bad about themselves. Nor the upstairs neighbour in Ushiro’s building who has let her plants grow wild and completely cover Ushiro’s window and balcony, preventing any daylight from entering. Truly, so many people need to be set on the straight and narrow by her and Masako.

While it is entertaining watching Ushiro take her revenge on these people she has the misfortune to  encounter, it certainly could have become boring, had mangaka Miyako Hiruzuka not chosen to shake things up slightly. Thankfully, new character Shuushaku Hashiba is introduced into the mix to give us something else alongside the proven formula.

Hashiba was introduced at the end of Volume 1, where he saw Ushiro and Masako at the café he works at. Unlike everyone else Ushiro runs into, Hashiba can see spirits and he believes Masako is a dangerous presence to be left to roam free in the world. Throughout Volume 2, get glimpses of him trying to figure out how to find the duo, before finally reuniting with them toward the end of the book.

What makes Hashiba such an interesting character is that although he wants to exorcise Masako, it’s not as if he’s got something against spirits like her. He’s had his own experience with the otherworldly, so he knows both the importance of the bond they share and the unfortunate reality of what can happen without intervention.

Of course, our protagonist is very strong-minded and given she still has the revenge against her ex-boss to see through, there’s no real guarantee she’s going to listen to Hashiba. And we’re left waiting to find out as the volume ends before they finish their conversation. Still, whatever Ushiro chooses to do, it seems likely Hashiba will stick around for the long run. He’s a welcome addition to this chaotic comedy manga.

With only three volumes of the series left, I’m willing to give it a lot of leeway for continuing in a similar vein to the first instalment. While it does mean the chapters can get a little bit repetitive, I think with the addition of Hashiba, the mangaka will be able to keep the story interesting enough to avoid any major pitfalls. Most importantly, it’s still a lot of fun to watch Ushiro take her revenge with the help of Masako and that’s what matters most.

As mentioned earlier, Gogogogo-Go-Ghost! comes to the West thanks to Yen Press and continues to be translated by Minna Lin with lettering by Alexis Eckerman. The release reads well and brings to life the gremlin-like personalities of both Ushiro and Masako. The book also includes extensive translation notes at the end as well as a colour page at the beginning.

Volume #3 of the series was released in English last month and #4 is currently scheduled for a release in August. The final volume is yet to hit the schedule, but hopefully won’t follow too long after.

Overall, this is an entertaining second volume for Gogogogo-Go-Ghost! which, while quite similar to its first outing, has enough differences to remain interesting. With the new character thrown into the mix, it makes me eager to see where the story will go from here. Recommended if you enjoyed the first volume!

Our review copy from Yen Press was supplied by Diamond Book Distributors UK.