An Extraordinary Tale of Justice on Shonen Jump+: 'Tsurumi no Binta' Meets Readers
Shueisha's digital manga platform Shonen Jump+ added a highly original and humorous work to its library as of May 10. The one-shot manga titled Tsurumi no Binta (Tsurumi's Slap), penned by young talent Yuta Kato, sets aside conventional hero stories and focuses on the 'aesthetics of slapping.' The story follows Tsurumi, a handsome man, and his unique pleasure in slapping bad people, specifically in his quest for the 'perfect sound' that this act produces.
The plot of the manga is built upon Tsurumi having a strange supernatural intuition: the worse a person is, the higher quality and more satisfying the sound of the slap they receive. While our main character targets criminals and malicious individuals on the streets to find this 'best sound,' he is supported both financially and emotionally by a woman named Kuga, who lives with him because she is obsessed with his face. This 'himo' (parasitic) relationship between the duo and Tsurumi's absurd sense of justice offer readers moments that are both full of laughter and thought-provoking.
Author Yuta Kato previously drew attention with his work titled Lalo Purple no Hatsukoi (Lalo Purple's First Love). The art style and sense of humor displayed in Tsurumi no Binta have received great praise from manga communities on social media, with many comparing it to the style of renowned artist Wayama Yama (Captivated by You, Let's Go Karaoke!). The contrast between the characters' deadpan expressions and the absurdity of the situations stands out as one of the manga's strongest aspects.
The Shonen Jump+ platform has, in recent years, been home to works by Tatsuki Fujimoto
