4.5/5 Stars

Wow! Okay. I knew I was going to enjoy this going into it but I didn't expect to end up loving it as much as I did. While I enjoyed the first volume in this series, I'm happy to say that this one was so much better. It took me a bit to figure out why but when I did everything made sense.

The difference between these first two volumes basically boils down to the fact that almost everything I had issues with in the first volume were nonexistent in this one. The repeated beating of the definition of Hanger was gone and things got definitely more fast-paced! I've decided that the first book was kind of sacrificed to introduce the world because, in comparison to this volume, nothing really happened.

Don't get me wrong. That setup is what made this one so much more enjoyable. It feels like the mangaka really got their feet underneath them and this beauty was the result. The plotting was significantly tighter and we got to see the relationship between Zeroichi and Hajime move forward. And thank god! Hajime learned to stick up for himself. But what I think made that all possible was the introduction of a main villain and his scheming. It seriously made all of the difference even though it was a bit creepy how dedicated and brainwashed his followers were.

I'm still loving the interactions between all of the main characters and I'm really intrigued by the ones that were introduced in this volume. I really want to see more of Yuki and Gaido. If I had one complaint, it would be that there wasn't as much Hashima and Hibiki in this volume but I really love how their relationship has progressed.

I just really need volume three to come out soon and be in my hands. I need to know what happens next and because that was a mean place for the mangaka to end that volume. I'll definitely be getting the next volume as soon as it's out.

I liked this volume of Hanger better than the first in the series.

This time around, there’s a little more substance to the plot. A serious antagonist is revealed—a terrorist called Nine Tails. Another Keeper/Hanger duo is introduced; Yuki, the keeper, has a chronic illness and is very self-sacrificing, both of which are taken advantage of by his scary Hanger, Gaido. (Although there may be hidden depths there.) The mystery surrounding the resistance of Hajime’s blood to nanomachines and the relationship between Hajime and Zeroichi are advanced slightly, too.

I still wanted more from the story. A lot of time was spent on the pursuit of Nine Tails, who would be a more interesting character if the reader had some sense of his motivations. Right now, he seems a rather generic evil villain. I’m still waiting for the author to dig deeper into Zeroichi’s past, too.

The author’s got me hooked enough that I’ll stick around for volume 3, though.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Vol 2 was my first foray into Kisaragi’s Hanger series. Hangers are high-drug users who have agreed to work with authorities to apprehend other users. The high-drugs grant the user enhanced physical and mental abilities. They are potent and addictive. This volume follows Hajime, a new Keeper recruit, who has been partnered with the Hanger Zeroichi. After a kerfuffle at the beginning, where Hajime puts himself in danger and gets chewed out by Zeroichi, he decides to shadow another Hanger/Keeper pair to learn more about how the partnership should ideally work. He tags along with Byakuran and Zemu. Things don't quite go as Hajime expects. A bloody fight reveals some fascinating facets to both Hajime- who's not as defenceless against druggers as Zeroichi believes- and Byakuran, whose nano-infused blood can either heal or kill as they wish. As the story goes on, Squad 4 prepares to tackle the terrorist group Nine-tails. Can the anti-social Hangers learn to cooperate to bring Nine-tails down without killing each other?

The first few pages of the manga give a little bit of background about Hangers and Keepers, and a few of the major players from the previous volume, kinda like a refresher. I had an egalley of the first volume but the file was bad and I wasn't able to read it, so I found that definitely useful! I really want to read the first one! I'll have to order a paperback. I found the concept rather interesting, and I loved the artwork. OMC! The (literally) gender-fluid Byakuran is priceless! I love their flirty personality. And Hajime is absolutely precious and adorable, especially with how awkward he is around his Hanger. Learning about the relationships between the various Keeper/Hanger pairs, and learning their individual personalities was fun. They are each so very different and it's well-written. If you love manga , be sure to check out the Hanger series!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors/Tokyopop for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Actual rate: 3.5 stars

Hajime continues his job as Keeper to his Hanger Zeroichi, and he continues to search for the perfect partnership between Keeper and Hanger by meeting other Keepers and their Hangers.

The plot continues onto this volume as Hajime and Zeroichi continue tracking down users of super-drugs who wreck havoc in public. We are introduced to other Keepers and Hangers in the Federal Task Force to see how big their division is. Usually such unique task forces are composed of a small unit to showcase how “different” they are from other divisions. As for the relationship between Hajime and Zeroichi, there is some development but I enjoy how slow and steady their relationship grows since they first have to gain each other’s trust as partners (on the work field) first.

The antagonist of the story is introduced in this volume allowing a clear direction of where the story will be headed, but not a clear idea on what their real agenda is. The antagonist is definitely dangerous and I can’t help but wonder who the Federal Task Force will overcome their adversaries. More information is gained about the potential of Hajime’s blood, and more information is also gleamed from Zeroichi’s past.

The artwork is very beautiful and I felt each panel helped to progress the story along. All the male characters are either really manly or very pretty which is very pleasing to my eyes.

Yup, I couldn't help myself. When I saw this one pop up on Netgalley I immediately snagged it and dived in. I was happy to see that they had even fixed the formatting! So, I was able to see the artwork, which I think is pretty good, even if my favorite style. 

The story is starting to pick up-- I think we see the main villain in this story. There are a few more pairing introduced and our main couple is making some progress-- even if what they do together makes little sense haha. I feel like I'm much more lax on this point with manga, because I'm used to it?? Anyhow, I look forward to volume 3!!