Inio Asano, critically-acclaimed author of manga including Goodnight Punpun and Solanin, has returned with a new action-packed story with Mujina Into the Deep.
[Content warnings: sexual assault, pedophilia, prostitution, sex trafficking, mentions of pornography, explicit sex scenes. Spoilers for Volume 1.]
The setting:
In typical Asano fashion, this story is filled with dark themes and tackles difficult topics. Including sex trafficking, overwork & exploitation in the gaming industry, and Japan’s aging population. It is set in a type of alternate version of modern Japan. Citizens receive a personal human rights card—just like an ID—depending on their societal status. For example, elderly citizens above the age of 85 are considered “terminal elders”, stripped from their rights, and sent to “special elder zones” to basically die. This card is necessary to access places. Such as, train stations and hospitals and to pay with digital money, the main form of currency. Essentially, no card means no rights, a complete inability to participate in society.
Those without rights are called mujina, and several groups of them opt for this rightless existence since they cannot be prosecuted by the law. As a result, mujina became crucial in the criminal underbelly of society, working as bodyguards or assassins for hire. Even though their existence was meant to help with societal unrest, it has actually been exacerbated. Especially among young people, where the mujina culture of liberation and rebellion is seeping through.
Mujina into the Deep Volume 1 summary:
This first volume focuses on four characters. We are first introduced to Ubume, a quiet and reserved mujina who works as an assassin for hire, and Junko, a 15 year old girl who just arrived in Tokyo after escaping from home. Immediately after, we meet Terumi Morgan, the boss of a small team of game developers at a studio, and Tenko, a free-spirited mujina influencer beloved by young audiences.
All their paths cross very quickly. Junko is tricked by the man who “took her in” after she ran away. He takes her phone and rights card away before pimping her out to a famous rockstar (and pedophile). Just as the situation is about to escalate, Tenko bursts through the window. Turns out she has a side gig as an assassin and was sent to kill the guy’s manager before a story about him facilitating child sex trafficking was published. It also turns out Ubume is their bodyguard, which results in a fight to the death between the two women.
After this encounter, Ubume is critically injured, but Tenko doesn’t finish her off, as is customary.
Instead, she develops some sort of sadistic obsession with Ubume (dare I say, crush), which is probably the one thing I’m interested to see evolve. Then, because Ubume cannot legally access medical care, Junko helps bring her to a shady black market doctor where they meet Terumi. Since the girls have nowhere to go, Terumi takes them in, but only because he’s interested in Ubume’s connections as a mujina.
While Ubume is probably meant to be the main character, this first volume delves almost equally into these main four’s personalities, backgrounds, and motivations—to the detriment of the story’s structure. It feels like a lot of information and plotlines are condensed in just a few chapters. This makes the pace choppy and confusing. This also affects Asano’s attempt at societal critique by not having a clear main focus which then divides as the story progresses. Granted, this is only the first volume, so it’s possible this feeling will dissipate and the messaging will become clearer. Although, this introduction wasn’t the easiest to get through.
My honest thoughts:
Honestly, structuring this review was a challenge because of how all over the place the story is. While the concept could be interesting, I don’t think it’s enough to keep me reading. It might just be that I personally struggle to connect with Asano’s storytelling and characters. I have never liked any of his manga I’ve read, not even Punpun. But, if you have enjoyed his work in the past, you will probably like this. For now, I might read a few more chapters before I decide whether or not to give up. But it’s not looking great for me.
VIZ Media released Mujina into the Deep: Volume 1 on February 18th, 2025. Volume 2 is projected for May 20th, 2025.
Poppy Seeds: ●●●○○ (3 out of 5)
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