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Title:  D Gray-Man Vol 4

Author:  Katsura Hoshino

Publisher:  Viz

ISBN:  9781421510521

Oh, my, what is going on here?  I absolutely detested the first volume of this series, but I have enjoyed each subsequent release.  Volume 3 was especially entertaining, and it makes me think I should venture into the Basement of Abandoned Books and see if I can dig up the first one for a re-read.  Perhaps I was feeling hormonal when I read it, and it clouded by thinking.  Or maybe the characters have just grown on me, like some weird strain of mold.  I’m not sure.  Anyhoo…

This volume introduces Allen’s new partner in exorcism, Lavi, a Bookman in training.  The Bookman clan seem to be the keepers of historical records in the world of D Gray-Man, but Lavi just doesn’t strike me as the scholarly type.  Instead, he’s gregarious and loud, and he makes a nice foil for the more reserved Allen. . Lavi’s anti-akuma weapon is a goofy hammer that can change in size.  One minute it’s the size of a phone dangle, and the next, it’s as big as a house.  How he swings that massive thing around is a question best left for another day. 

Allen and Lavi are sent on a mission, along with Lenalee, Komui, and Bookman, to track down and protect Allen’s old master, General Cross.  It seems that the minions of the Earl are targeting generals in hopes of finding the Great Heart, an incredibly powerful Innocence which can be used to destroy all of the other Innocences.  That sounds like trouble.  Off they set, to find General Cross, who hasn’t been heard from in four years.  That sounds like a set-up for plenty of danger and adventure as the gang tries to track him down.

Right off the bat, Allen and Lavi run into some mayhem of their own in the form of a vampire.  Count Krory may seem all tough and nasty, but he turns to mush whenever his pretty companion, Eliade is near.  She’s kind of creepy, dragging dead bodies to courtyard to bury and attempting to seduce Lavi at the same time.  Yuck!  There’s something fishy going on here, but we’ll have to wait until the next installment to find out what exactly is the deal behind Count Krory’s murderous choppers.

I really liked how vulnerable Allen is without his akuma seeing eye.  Now he’s just like everybody else, and it’s freaking him out.   He can’t tell who’s a normal person and who is an akuma parading about in human guise.  Is everyone a monster?    It’s starting to look that way to Allen.  Even I was starting to feel a little tense, as every face seemed to reflect an evil leer.

Grade:  B

Rated:  Older Teen