Interviews with Monster Girls (2018)
[δΊδΊΊ(γγ)γ‘γγγ―θͺγγγ]
Volume 6
Author/Artist: Petos
Publisher: Young Manga KC
Synopsis:
Youko consults her uncle about Zashiko.
Story/Characters:
Between Youko's surname and her appearance, you probably were able to figure out there was a connection to Takahashi-sensei. Well, she's his niece, but they're not that far apart in age, about ten years or so, meaning they act more like cousins around each other. (We see a flashback of her playing with him back when he was in either high school or middle school.) Anyway, Souma also shows up and we get some theorizing about Zashiko that relates to the earlier stuff with Machi. Basically, Zashiko is supposed to be an extradimensional entity that Youko can perceive, but for those who can't, reality bends itself to compensate. For instance, when Zashiko offers Takahashi-sensei a senbei, it appears to him that Youko is the one doing it. In other words, whatever Zashiko does, regular people see it as Youko doing these things. (You can imagine what the realization does for poor Youko.)
We then have Takahashi-sensei turn into a woman. (The 4-koma at the end of the chapter is great.) Loosely connected to this chapter is Takahashi-sensei and Satou-sensei going out drinking (the latter being prodded by Ugaki to make her move) with Kutz in the vicinity to keep an eye on things. We learn about Kurtz's true nature, which you probably could've guessed based on the hints that were dropped earlier. We get an interesting conversation between Takahashi-sensei and Kurtz while Satou-sensei plays possum.
One of the results of the night out drinking is that Satou-sensei is given limited permission to stay overnight on campus due to her long commute. This prompts Hikari to want to go drop in for a visit, bringing Yuki along. (Machi has to sit this one out because it's too dangerous for her to go out and about after dark.) Antics ensue, but at the end we get a heart-to-heart between Yuki and Satou-sensei that's really nice.
Art:
As always, the reaction shots are great. The Zashiko antics are fun, female!Takahashi-sensei might prompt you to question some things about yourself, and the way the conversation between Yuki and Satou-sensei is handled is really heartfelt.
Other:
We get a bonus chapter of the girls going around in their tracksuits. (It sounds mundane, but there's a fun payoff.)
Conclusion:
If you thought the explanation of the dullahan phenomenon from Volume 4 was interesting, you'll really like how Zashiko gets a similar treatment. There are a lot of high-quality character moments in this volume, so if you've latched onto the cast, it's quite rewarding and it makes this one worth adding to your collection.
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