Nika Ago is a *ahem* a Raveler Second Class agent for the Tactical Raveling Unit in the First Counter-Psychotrauma Division of the Special Measures Agency (TR1M), and she’s been sent to the sticks. Ok, Mikushisawa is not actually the sticks, but with it being one of the lowest places of Unraveler activity, which means low amounts of monsters roam the city, it’s the sticks for Nika, who is aiming to do her mom and dad proud by becoming a top Raveler. Gonna be hard to do that when you can’t show what you can do!
But despite the reassignment and initial dejection, Nika returns to being her lively, optimistic self and is hoping being a school counselor at her new location can at least turn things around for her. On her first day she introduces herself to the student body. She even has a student become interested in getting her advice. But when she enters an empty room, she meets Totono Amatsuga — the last person she needs to meet if you ask any of his classmates!
Beast #6 on the whole is a nice read, but after finishing the first volume, it feels like it put a lot into its basket. The start explains the phenomena of Unravelers — mysterious paranormal creations that pop up as monsters — how they appeared 15 years ago, how TR1M was created to combat it by the Japanese government, and while their public announcement was loud, they apparently have been forgotten and now operate undercover. We then first follow Nika and then the main male protagonist, Totono, who has rumors about him being dangerous around school. But soon we and Nika know he’s dangerous because, for whatever reason, he doesn’t transform into an Unraveler, but just his arm turns into a powerful tiger claw.
So we get the sense that there’s much to understand about what Unravelers are, but monster apparitions in shounen series — or in general — are commonly done. That means what will make or break the work is how it’s paced and the characters, and well, that’s where the issues stem a bit. Nika is, for what’s it worth, a more unusual female lead who has a positive, cheerful personality but also wants to rake in the money and get that promotion, but even once we learn why she’s become a Ravenger, it hardly explains how she’s been allowed there since she’s not very strong.
Meanwhile Totono is intriguing since he can only transform with just his arm and maintain control, and he’s been the reason the city has had such a low turnout of Unraveled compared to every other location. Yet it’s not explained what happened in his past, why he chose to do this (aside from him saying no one else was around), and his desire to live a normal life. The crux of these two eventually forming a team is he’ll make her stronger so that she can do all the fighting while he can live a normal life, but it seems kind of weak to be honest.
In general, though, the main weakness is you’ll likely have read something like this before on the market. That said, I personally like having Nika as a main character, and I’m at least curious enough to see in the end if she does get any stronger. The art is pleasant and slick, capturing the right amount of action that can be followed with ease. And I’m curious what exactly can be the major threat to both Nika, Totono, and the Ravelers in this manga…and thus, I’ll probably be checking out the rest of Beast #6 in the end.
More or less recommended if you’re seeking another organization fighting spirits manga, just with a woman that’s spirited and angling to use you for her own needs. Even if you are a “kid”.