Batuque (バトゥーキ), 2018-2024, Sako, Toshio, Tonari no Young Jump

STORY: 5

Meet Sanjou Ichiri, a young girl with a lot of questions about her past and the meaning of freedom. Her ordinary existence is suddenly gone as she encounters Capoeira at the local public park, the martial art from the far away Brazil!

Growth, self identity and realistic fights? Not really and not only!

Once you realize that the author is the man behind the vibrant (but not so great) manga Usogui, you can imagine Batuque is not going to be just martial arts and you are right. Colorful (or just psychotic) characters, ridiculous brawls (sometimes so dumb it’s funny) and wtf developments are here to spice things up, and Sanjou never gets bored during her rather traumatic youth. Things run over 18 volumes, which is a bit long, but most of you should be able to go through the crazy story that is offered.

ART: 6

The art has improved since Usogui and is enjoyable, especially during the bits of comedy. The fight scenes can be confusing sometimes and faces and haircuts have a weird perspective sometimes. Nevertheless, the quirkiness of some panels makes up for the not so great anatomy in others.

POLITICAL POTENTIAL: 5

There is a lot of crime life and some reflection on ‘violence not being an end-goal in itself’ but not much more.

Still, it is very nice to see the importance of the other characters surrounding Sanjou, the hero. Whereas a typical manga hero solves his problems alone (through violence) with some help here and there, the ‘friends’ (many of them should be in prison or in a psychiatric hospital) of Sanjou are an integral part of her development and progress.

Of course, you could wonder if the fact that Sanjou is a woman has influenced the author when providing that much support from secondary characters.

FEMINISM: 6

Reading that after the testosterone-loving manga Usogui, I was expecting the worst. But, there is some effort, and the strong female protagonists stay strong all through the manga instead of becoming damsel in distress halfway through like it happens too often, which is a nice surprise. Good job for someone who started his career drawing a one-shot for the masculinist title Baki!

CONCLUSION: 6

A bit too long, a bit all over the place, but not bad. Batuque has a lot of personality and it is obliviously a must if you like capoeira. It is also better on most aspects (save crazy enigma) when compared to the more famous title Usogui from the same author, so maybe give it a try?