A Bloody Mystery in a Girls' School: New Manga "Shojo Kyoren Folie à Deux" by Ichiko Karasumi Has Begun
A talented name in the manga world, Ichiko Karasumi, is pulling readers into a chilling psychological thriller that goes beyond romance this time. The artist's highly anticipated new series, Shojo Kyoren Folie à Deux (Young Girl's Mad Love: Shared Psychosis), began publication on digital platforms under the comipo comics label as of April 10th. Focusing on mysterious serial murders occurring at a girls' school, this work promises a very dark atmosphere for fans of the genre.
The story takes place at a prestigious girls' school located on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean, completely isolated from the outside world. Recently, horrific incidents have occurred at the school where the lifeless bodies of students have been found; however, the administration attempts to cover up these murders to protect its reputation. Our protagonist, Minase Pearl, spends her days in this "house arrest" process where the school's connection to the outside world is severed, fearing that she might be seen as a murder suspect. Pearl's only solace in this chaotic environment is her deep admiration for the school's idol, Rurihara Shiko. However, with the emergence of new victims, Pearl finds herself in the middle of both a mental and physical struggle for survival.
The series' creator, Ichiko Karasumi, is not a stranger to the manga world. Karasumi had already established a solid place for herself in the shojo genre with works like the highly acclaimed and emotionally deep Kimi no Yokogao wo Miteita (I Saw Your Profile). However, with Shojo Kyoren Folie à Deux, the author makes a sharp turn in her career, stepping into the "girls' psycho-suspense" genre. The term Folie à deux, which appears in the series title and refers to "shared delusional disorder" in psychiatry, hints that the story is not just a murder mystery, but also an in-depth examination of the sick and obsessive bonds between the characters.
Published by comipo comics under viviON, this new series draws attention with its aesthetic illustrations and unsettling plot. Themes of claustrophobia and the morbid love characters feel for one another aim to keep the reader in a constant state of tension. If you enjoy stories with psychological depth that make you ask "Who is the killer?" on every page and explore the dark sides of characters, this new world by Karasumi is just for you. In the upcoming chapters of the series, other secrets hidden by this isolated school on the island and the true motivations behind the murders will come to light.
