It is strange to see Paru Itagaki draw human characters, considering that she is best known for Beastars — her bread and butter, and rightfully so — it is one of the best shonen manga in recent years. So, it came as a surprise to see her latest project focus on exclusively human characters. However, Drip Drip shows that Itagaki has some serious writing chops, even if the overall work can sometimes be an uncomfortable and slap-dash exploration of trauma and dysfunction.
The story of Drip Drip is strange, but anyone who looks at the expressive, disturbing cover will be able to piece that fact together. The story follows, Mako Higari, who has a severe problem. Anytime she sees something dirty, she gushes copious amounts of blood from her nostrils. What’s a girl to do when all she wants is to be loved, but her would-be suitor is covered in blood and runs away screaming in terror?
Drip Drip’s Unique Exploration of Trauma and Relationships
On the one hand, Drip Drip is a fascinating exploration of some men’s fear of female sexuality, told by utilizing a common anime trope — sexual excitement depicted with a nose bleed. Where most anime and manga use this trope for male characters, Drip Drip subverts this through a female point of view. It also adds to this theme of sexual excitement by showing the main lead, Mako, who has a severe germ phobia and views sex as just another thing that is dirty; thus, her unusual condition is exacerbated. Drip Drip could have been a neat exploration into female sexuality and some of the shame that society foists upon it if it were not for a few glaring faults.
One of them is that Mako, at times, can be an unsympathetic character showcasing some truly manipulative tendencies that border on dangerous for her would-be suitors. The double-edged sword of sympathy and disgust sometimes makes the line too thin for readers. It is also hard to get into the story since many of the explanations for Mako’s behavior are that of traumatic experiences that seemed rushed and haphazardly thrown in at the last minute. For such a heavy topic as trauma, to be tossed about so casually might be concerning for some readers. But Itagaki had a limited number of chapters to work with, so some wiggle room must be considered.
Itagaki’s Unique Art Style Accentuates Drip Drip
Itagaki’s unique art style truly shines throughout Drip Drip. Beastars is very expressive with its character designs, and Drip Drip is no different. Drip Drip is also a more explicit work when the inevitable comparisons between the two are made. At times, there is almost a shocking amount of blood, even if the intensity of Mako’s nosebleeds is done for humorous effect. Straddling the line between well-done dark humor and gross-out blood scenes is a challenge, and for the most part, Itagaki handles it well, even if some tone mismanagement is thrown in.
Drip Drip, although sometimes flawed is bold for taking risks to tell a story through a woman’s perspective on a topic of sexuality that is mainly reserved for males. It is worth noting that this oneshot story was published in a seinen magazine called Weekly Manga Goraku. Having a manga about a young woman who explores her trauma, sexual frustration, and the impact society has on female sexuality in a magazine targeted at a magazine for young men is a bold move and props must be given. Despite some of its shortcomings, Drip Drip is worth the short time it takes to read it.
