Usotoki Rhetoric Volumes 6 and 7 Review

Since I last reviewed Usotoki Rhetoric, the series has received a delightful drama adaptation starring Honoka Matsumoto and Ouji Suzuka as Kanoko and Soma. It’s available to watch on Viki here in the UK, so I highly recommend giving it a watch if you’re a fan of the manga. But without further ado, let’s return to the source material for another couple of volumes!

Volume 6 of the series opens with Kaoru announcing that he’s getting married, but while this should be a happy occasion, he’s come to Soma for help. Kaoru has been receiving threatening letters that state the marriage is cursed, and even random people on the street have been approaching him, hoping to put him off going through with the union. Can Soma figure out who would want to disrupt Kaoru’s future?

And then we move into the major storyline of the volume, which sees Soma take a case on his own, only to be framed for murder! Upon returning home, he’s promptly arrested for supposedly committing the crime, and it’s up to Kanoko to prove his innocence. But that means leaving behind Tsukumoya and all those she’d usually turn to for help. However, in Tauchi Town, where the crime took place, she runs into a familiar face in the form of the mysterious Shiro, but is he friend or foe…?

Shiro is a character we met earlier in the series when Kanoko and Soma were tasked with figuring out who the true grandson of their client was. Shiro was one of those prospective grandsons, and it seemed like he had figured out that Kanoko could hear lies. Now reunited, Kanoko is struck once again by the feeling that Shiro knows about her ability in some form and while that could prove useful for saving Soma, she’s weary of opening up to him.

Volume 7, meanwhile, takes Soma and Kanoko to visit Soma’s family after discovering that his older brother was involved in setting him up to take the fall for a murder. We’ve seen a lot and learnt a lot about Kanoko’s family throughout the series so far, but Soma’s past remains a mystery. This is something our heroine has realised, having now spent over a year living with him, and now it’s becoming clear why Soma has kept that part of his past buried.

Usotoki Rhetoric concludes with Volume 10, and in these two volumes, it feels like (to some degree) mangaka Ritsu Miyako is laying the groundwork for that. While Volume 6 follows the mystery structure we’ve come to love (although with Kanoko taking the lead instead), it’s still a story that contributes to a much larger narrative. And then there’s #7, which is certainly a very different way of telling the story, devoid of a puzzle to solve when it comes to Soma’s family.

Perhaps what’s most rewarding about these two volumes is watching over Kanoko as she strikes out on her own to solve mysteries. In Volume 6, she has no choice, due to Soma being arrested, but the beginning of #7 opens with her taking on a difficult case, too. This newfound independence is nice to see, given Kanoko was so afraid of her powers and unwilling to see how they could be useful earlier in the series. She’s worked hard to overcome these feelings, supported by Soma and the other people she’s grown close to in Tsukumoya.

While early on I enjoyed this manga for the mystery element more than anything else, over time I’ve become very attached to our main duo. So, although we’re seeing some subtle changes in direction when it comes to the storytelling now, that feels natural at this point as the emphasis is put on them as individuals rather than the work they do. This is an element I think the drama did a good job of capturing too, although it never got as far in the story as we are here. Still, it’s what makes this such a rewarding read in the long run.

Usotoki Rhetoric Volumes 6 and 7 come to the West thanks to One Peace Books and continue to be translated by Molly Rabbit. While the previous volume had a small number of issues, this time around both of these books are entirely problem-free free which is always nice to see. There is some concept art at the end of both these releases, which is a nice addition.

One Peace Books has already finished releasing the rest of the series in English, so those of you eager to see more can read along all the way through to the conclusion now!

Overall, while Usotoki Rhetoric is slowly moving away from its earlier formula, it still proves an entertaining read as we watch over the cast. It’s especially rewarding to see Kanoko tackle cases on her own without Soma to rely on. Provided you’ve been enjoying the story so far, this is certainly still worth continuing with.

Our review copies from One Peace Books were supplied by Turnaround Comics (Turnaround Publisher Services).