Shojo manga and anime offerings feature many strong series that are good for the soul and with Colette decides to dieEven souls in the underworld can benefit from the genre’s healing influence. Coming from the famous Hakusensha magazine Hana to Yumehome for Yona of the Dawn, Fruit Basket, and Kiss Kamisama, Colette decides to die follows a touch of romantic fantasy with a Greek mythological twist. Although the series debuted in 2013, it is finally being released in English thanks to VIZ Media, with volume #1 containing a mighty 402 pages of Alto Yukimura’s Greek mythological romance manga.
Hana to Yume’s house Manga series tend to receive blockbuster anime adaptations, with many of their iconic series often gracing best romance anime lists before mentioning their series’ uplifting explorations of human connection. Although many of these cases involve non-humans in the mix, such as deities, the principle remains the same. Colette decides to die and another prime example, as its eponymous protagonist finds renewed purpose in her profession. While Colette decides to die premiered two years after the popular The Apothecary Diaries novels, their overlapping medical themes and dignified main characters come from a family audience.
Colette Decides to Die is a life-affirming journey to the underworld
Naturally, Hades is drop-dead gorgeous
After completing her apprenticeship with the apothecary Anno, Colette tends to the medical needs of her community, but quickly finds the tasks overwhelming, with little chance of rest. Upon reaching a well, she considers the local legends about the well leading to another world, implicitly its “call from the void”, which attracts her, but to her luck and confusion, the story does not end there. Unlike Maomao’s surprise capture and relocation to the Li Imperial Palace, Colette finds herself in the underworld, not dead, but merely summoned as an apothecary by Hades in Colette decides to die.
Despite the dark implications of the title, Colette does not die despite being sent to the underworld. After treating the bedridden and incredibly handsome Hades despite knowing that the surface world is being struck by the plague, Colette’s sense of duty returns. In Colette decides to diewhen she believes she cannot return to the world, she realizes what she will miss if she doesn’t return, being able to put smiles on her patients’ faces and help them create a better future. With Colette’s access to the underworld a mere leap into the well, this shojo manga is life-affirming despite its macabre potential.
Colette’s influence is also shown on the inhabitants of the Underworld in Colette decides to die. She frequently returns to the realm, unafraid of Hades’ skeleton minions, her interactions becoming increasingly precious, and even the guard dog Cerberus is reduced to three mere puppies when she becomes hungry. One specific interaction with a figure from Colette’s past in chapter 7 is revealing: as she finds them after being judged by Hades, still striving to make them happy in the afterlife. This leaves a positive impression on Hades, especially in chapter 8, expanding to other Greek mythical figures in Colette decides to die.
Greek and Japanese mythology intersect in Colette decides to die
The two worlds mix well
Of the many charming features in Colette decides to die volume #1, Alto Yukimura’s author’s notes illuminate the series’ clear Japanese and Greek mythological blends. The series is predominantly themed around the Greek Pantheon, naturally, with Hades accompanied by figures such as Cerberus, Charon, Hercules and brothers such as Demeter and Zeus. However, using wells as a gateway to the Underworld refers to a well that Yukimura visited in Kyoto as the legendary route to King Enma’s realm, “the Hades of Japan”, which influenced his creation of Colette decides to die.
Shojo manga’s transformation of classical Greek mythological characters into Colette decides to die adds a beautiful, androgynous touch to an already beautiful array of characters immortalized in marble, ceramic and stone. This creates a sense of vulnerability for characters like Hades, who are sick with noticeable rashes but inundated with tasks as lord of the underworld, with other characters like Hercules left in similar situations. Colette’s influence appears in them, notably making Hades recognize her fearlessness in his realm.a strange phenomenon that other potential lovers never show.
Colette’s influence on these characters, including the skeletons of the Underworld tailor, embodies her rediscovery of passion for her work and leaves profound results.
This transformation of familiar characters allows Yukimura the freedom to present these beautiful characters for the excitement of readers in the grand tradition of new and compelling reimaginings of classic characters from Greek mythology. Colette’s influence on these characters, including the skeletons of the Underworld tailor, embodies her rediscovery of passion for her work and leaves profound results. Events of Chapter #8 in Colette decides to die show the tailor creating eye-catching formal wear for readers to enjoy, while The healthy gratitude he shows towards his servants, full of newfound joy, warms the heart of any shojo manga enthusiast.
Colette Decides to Die displays poignant themes and meaningful human connection
Universal themes for manga readers looking for something new
While Colette decides to die has been in Japan for over ten years, its beautiful art and wholesome vibes could appeal to Western audiences like The Last Manga Fixture Will Hit Bookstore Shelves on November 5, 2024. Colette’s journeys to the underworld showcase her charm for the living and the dead, with her regained purpose appearing as she risks death to treat those stricken with disease on the surface world. For fans of Kiss Kamisamathe parallels with Nanami Momozono are not lost, although Hades probably takes less time to become more receptive than Tomoe in this comparison.
Although Colette prominently interacts with deities, the themes of human connection and the value of life are difficult to ignore.
While Colette decides to die is more romance and mythology oriented than the seinen manga and influential anime adaptations of The Apothecary Diaries, both remind readers of the presence of apothecaries as the first doctors whose purpose was to prolong life. There’s no shortage of handsome male characters in this series for those who enjoy Jinshi’s hilarious yet tragic interactions, with short, quirky interludes featuring Hercules’ discovery that tea is an incredibly sugary experience. Although Colette prominently interacts with deities, the themes of human connection and the value of life are difficult to ignore.
But ultimately, it’s a case of readers discovering similar shojo manga such as Colette decides to die. While there isn’t a dedicated reading app as reliable as Manga Plus or Shonen Jump for shojo manga, with publishers like Hakusensha a bit behind the times, these books can often feel like hidden gems for casual readers. But with millions of copies sold before it even hit North American shelves, Colette decides to die it only tends to increase its presence as a returning shojo hit.