New Manga Thoughts: The Duke of Death and His Black Maid

Synopsis

A young Duke has been cursed with the touch of Death as a child and because of this he has been pushed away by all. But he was not alone as he grew for the daughter of his head maid took care of him and the more they grew the more bold she grew in her advances. Now the young Duke not only has to deal with the struggles of his curse but he seeks to break it for various reasons as well.

The Good

For a series with a dark theme and a rather tragic character, the fact that it was able to tack on the comedy tag and still retain its dramatic side makes for a well done balance. In a way it is something of a dark comedy in a way and you can also empathize and feel for the main character, He’s quirky, funny and just has a silly sort of charm to him though tragic his story may be.

The maid character is also an enjoyable piece for the series, she’s bold and obviously cares for the Duke, but you can also some inner strength in her in certain scenes. The relationship between the two in just three chapters is a funny but heartwarming thing to behold. It’s not often that you find such a balanced piece of work with a rather tragic premise, but it works. And it doesn’t just lie with the drama and comedy but also the romance as well, the overall execution of the story just works.

The art of the series is something to also take notice of as well. There are different elements of modern manga works to be found sure, but there is also a unique tone to it as well with its mix of gothic and victorian themes. Just the way that the reactions of the Duke is drawn is both simple but not too exaggerated as well.

The Bad

While the genres of the manga do balance each other out, the reliance of the comedy on the reactions of the Duke to the bold advances of his maid gets a bit much at certain points. Then there is also the curse he has to think about. While it was explained on how exactly he gained it, the schematics of it were not fully explored. As for the art, well, the designs could have been done better in terms of the character’s clothing, though it does seem suited for the most part.

Overall, it is a little early for any harsh criticism but there is some nitpicking to be found already with the series. Mainly the comedy work while nice, could be overplayed in later chapters, and maybe in the future there will be more explanations done.

Conclusion

It’s a fascinating series that gave a strong premise with a balance of drama, comedy and romance. The characters had a strong establishment and an interesting dynamic to make things work. But then the comedy could also be a bit more dynamic and the exploration of things in the plot could have been broadened. For the most part however, there is an interesting story to be found with this series and much potential.

Rating: 7.5/10