Kaitai Zanuff is a quick and effective one-shot with appealing art. Given how short the story is, I will not be summarizing the full story or spoiling major points. The titular character Zanuff is fairly interesting to read because of his uncontrollable urges. The desperate struggle against a darkness looming inside is shown pretty well, both in dialogue and art style. I expected a stereotypical abused past explanation but the story never shifts the focus away from his current predicament. A few flashbacks are shown here and there, but the story covers a lot of ground while still keeping you invested in the characters. They’renothing too special, but the wholesome interactions between him and Alice are very heartwarming.
The ending is gut wrenching, but in a bittersweet way. Someone who should not have been born, a monster with uncontrollable urges was able to be the light in another’s life. The story handles the theme of redemption very well without glorifying violence. I’m glad this does not try to exaggerate or justify the gore because the amount shown here does the job without being distracting. The simpleness of the plot and art juxtaposes the actual layers of a psychopath and possible motives someone like Zanuff might have. It leaves you questioning whether or not Zanuff can be considered evil because the reader learns of his sweet side that tries to control his urges. The crimes are obviously not justifiable or excusable, but the story explores human nature and a person’s true morality in an interesting albeit brief way. Alice’s mother is an effective foil to Zanuff, and what little we get of her truly exemplifies the themes shown here.
Overall, while I don’t think Kaitai Zanuff makes significantly unique observations, the style and simple plot is appealing. Some will definitely find it stereotypical or hyperbolic but I think it was enjoyable enough as a one-shot.