Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit 16.3

Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol 8

by Motoro Mase

Episode 16: The True Face of First Love

Act 3

Osamu tells Kyogo and his friends to let Ruriko go. They refuse. When Osamu tries to physically pull her away they attack him. He fights back. He gets hit in the face a number of times. Some of the cosmetic surgery is damaged and undone. He beats them up but Ruriko finally recognizes him. 

Ruriko asks Osamu about the surgery, where he got it done. He tells her it wasn’t worth it and explains why. He tells her she needs to learn to be happy with who she is. He encourages her to cry out what ever pain she feels. It take some time but he convinces her that his crush on her goes back to before she started purging.

Ruriko takes Osamu home with her. He spends the night with her. The next day he returns home without telling her that he’s about to die.

Fujimoto talks about the case with Mr. Ishii. They part ways. Fujimoto realizes he’s being followed again. He loses the tail but gets close enough to overhear a phone conversation the man has in which he says something about reporting into Chief Inspector Kaga. 

Ruriko quits her hosting job and moves back in with her parents. She is pregnant. Osamu’s the father. She plans to keep the baby. 

Thoughts

This installment is dominated by the fight and the aftermath of the fight. I wasn’t sure what to expect once the fight was over. I thought the aftermath was handled quite well. 

The double page spread where Ruriko screams is brilliant. I think what really makes the whole conversation between them work is that it feels very real and of the moment. Both of them seem to be talking from the heart. Both of them hurt but they are unaware of the other’s problems. Ruriko thinks that cosmetic surgery will be the answer to her problems. Osamu knows that it didn’t really help him but he struggles to find the words to tell her what will help her. 

I was really moved by the ending and some of the moments leading up to the ending. 

I’m not sure what comes next for Fujimoto. I’ve got a feeling that he is going to do something before this series is over that is going to get him branded as a traitor.

This is the last volume that I have read before. There are just two more in this series. I expect and look forward to reading the end of the series. I hope that it gets a proper end and doesn’t just abruptly stop.