Maybe because I'm not familiar with embalmment, I find this manga rather interesting. The character development is pretty well-done. I agreed with the ealier comment that the story gets stronger as it goes on. I especially the stories about the past of Mamiya.

I can't help myself but wanting to share my reviews to anyone who ever read this :'))

First of all, it's the story. From the title and cover, my guess was "is this about surgeon?" (yeah, the mask) and "Okay, maybe some genius young but laidback male lead?" That's how it goes to my reading list.
Then, I kept it in my folders and when I read it, there's only the name of the folder "The Embalmer". I once again thought that it must have relate to some balming or herbs or any fantasy(?) manga, until I decided to read it.

OMGGGGGGGG IT'S THE SAME MANGAKA WHO DREW "TAMASHII NO FUTAGO".
If so, then I expect to see a really good and unique plot :3
And turns out my expectation wasn't any less betrayed!

The first chapter makes me curious and can't stop asking for next and next chapter. I guess what makes this manga a plus point for me, is the romantic interest (like, no offense, no "romance as subplot", no "BL in non-BL manga", or that kind of manga with male and female characters, but the main hero doesn't have any bit interest in romance). I'm. totally. satisfied THAT THEY SHARE A ROMANTIC DEVELOPMENT YEAY.
I have no comment about the art style. I like it for being unique and gothic.

Story-wise, I feel like the mangaka did a lot of detail-ful research beforehand. I can totally relate it to real life. The importance of embalmer, how it was seen in medical term, how it was rejected by some people at first..... On top of that, there is also point of view from the autopsy side and hospital side, even from a mortuary's point of view. And of course, the patients, "corpses", and their families.
A few first volumes started as "collection of oneshots", in which the main hero would do the embalming to a lot of different "people", in different background stories or --how to put it-- way to die/cause of death. True, it might be a linear storyline, but there's totally a message the mangaka wanted to convey--about the living.

Aaaaand soooo, after a long journey of 7 volumes, it was all summarised beautifully on the last chapter. I was like "ah, so true, so many times it had been repeated, all about that one thing."
It saddens me because I saw an embalming procedure of my loved one right in front of my eyes. But that must be more the reason why I can relate to the story and the message it shares.

Thank you for the wonderful stories!

i was reluctant to read this even though i have an interest in morbid stuff but it never occured to me that a plot about an embalmer could be so interesting! the plot is really good and has depth! for what i feared could be episodic, boy was i proven wrong. plus the romance in this is quite sweet as well.

I'm a fan of MIHARA Mitsukazu after reading Beautiful People, that one was really impressive.

That's why I lasted on these long and painful 7 volumes, hoping.

Most of this manga is episodic, with every chapter going as a oneshot. You don't know those people, you don't have time to know them, you don't even want to. Embalming must be one of the most boring subjects I've seen in a manga, or at least that's how MIHARA Mitsukazu makes it to be.

Shinjyurou Mamiya is out main character, a beautiful american-japanese that whores himself for stupid reasons. We should care for him and understand his pain, though I found it impossible.
He even gets some chapters for background but they're in a tight race to boredom with the oneshots.

So what do we have here? You don't care about the episodic cases, you don't care about the main char and his reasons, you're left with the art, which is OK and nothing more. I'm amazed how this got to the length of 7 volumes.

The stories are amazing, episodic pieces that are well-crafted and powerful. The romance is cute too. Even if you are a guy/not a fan of romance, you can ignore those parts and the plot is extremely well done.

Not a crappy, tropey manga. A real story and meaningful read~ Lots of themes like death, grief, love, etc.

Why must you make me cry even when the chapter is not sad?!
I bow my head to sensei for such a meaningful way to express life, parting and its struggles.

At some point in this story, I cried. More than one. It isn't interesting at the first volume. But it starting to get very interesting at the second volume when the past explained. It made you understand the story better. Please don't comment about this manga before you read about the past of Mamiya.

I really do love this series a lot, i bought the whole drama on disk from Japan, I own the 4 vol too, this series is definitly a must read. I just want to know is this still ongoing in Japan? the last release was in 2005 i think =( but whatever, great plot, great, art, and it has just the right amount on suspence, drama, and romance!

Wow. Unlike many mangas I've read/am reading, this one is so realistic! It's educational too, which is a first. Not only is the plot original, the whole subject matter is uncharted territory. I'm not morbid, goth, emo, etc., but I find embalming to be really interesting, if a little gross. As for typical manga analysis, characters- great, even the minor characters are in-depth; art- good, story- really cool.

Oh, FYI and a warning to new readers- if you can't stomach corpse creepiness, DON'T READ IT. This is the first Mihara work I've read, but the others...make me think this one is really mild in the chills factor, even so, beware- light-hearts won't make it. But anyone interested in the medical line of work- try it out! A lot of research must have gone into this manga. Either that or she is a fantastic bluffer.

... Last updated on August 23rd, 2008, 10:19pm

this author is really bad at writing something longer than a one shot. (even though i have hope for dokuhime)i mean, you dont even know what happens to him and his neighbor girl friend. this wasnt really a series, more like a bunch of oneshots stapled together under the pretense of telling a story. i love her art and everything, but this is just...

... Last updated on November 18th, 2009, 6:23pm