Words and Art: Oreco Tachibana
Publisher: Viz (Imprint: Shojo Beat)
Translation: Andria McKnight
Touch-Up Art & Lettering: Finn Havens
Design: Paul Padurriuan
Editor: Karla Clark
Age Rating: Teen Plus
When Shojo Beat’s license announcement of Firefly Wedding hit Twitter (X), the Shojo fandom rejoiced! The toxic Shojo/Shojosei girlies did a praise dance because we were all receiving a new love story with all the toxicity and twists but in a historical setting.
The mangaka, Oreco Tachibana, got her start as an artist back in 2016 when she began posting her acrylic paintings of landscapes on Twitter. While taking care of her children, she developed a following by self-publishing manga projects and illustrations online via Pixiv. Before long, she caught the attention of several professionals in the manga world and published her debut one-shot Shunin-sama to Shinjin-kun (Supervisor and Newcomer) in 2017. The following year, she launched Promise Cinderella, her first serialization. Her follow-up project, Firefly Wedding, began serialization in 2023.
Shojo fans continue to talk about the Shojo (and Josei) drought when it comes to manga and anime adaptations. Shojo Beat snapping up Firefly Wedding so soon for a North American (English) release continues to make me feel like the imprint is doing the most–in a good way, of course.
In this first volume of Firefly Wedding, we are first introduced to Satoko: a young woman who has it all. She’s a beautiful young woman of nobility with no shortage of marriage proposals for her hand. Unfortunately, she is also quite ill and only has a short time left to live, according to doctors. In just the first handful of pages, readers will meet this young woman who is not a shrinking violet. While not physically strong, she uses her words to cut down those who come against her. She does not retreat to tears about her health and her situation of living a possibly short life, she’s cunning, self-aware, and quite resourceful for a nobleman’s daughter.
Soon, Satoko meets Shinpei–a mysterious assassin and becomes his target after finding herself far from home. Calculating all the factors at hand in order to save her life, she makes a desperate proposal—of marriage! A proposal that Shinpei, the daring and frightening assassin that she first meets covered in blood, actually does accept! When it comes to love, however, he takes “until death do we part” seriously. He’s ecstatic by her declaration and wants her hand in marriage. Constantly surprising her, they soon set off together with Satoko furiously scrambling to figure out her next steps–with him at her side.
Firefly Wedding’s narrative focuses on marriage–and how it defines a life, especially in this time period. Satoko is determined to secure a marriage that will redeem her worth in her family’s eyes. She is determined to bring assurance to her beloved father who genuinely has loved his daughter all these years and who only wants happiness for her. She does understand the societal implications of marriage, and, for young women like herself, the word marriage is synonymous with happiness and security. The first volume starts exploring just how fragile Satoko’s standing and safety in the world is–without being married but also the longer she’s away from home further complicates that goal. I feel that there is just enough social commentary on the ways of society and emphasizing the few ways women could find agency in this time period to color the background of Satoko and Shinpei’s story together.
Oreco Tachibana features some really fantastic pages of artwork here that really help introduce characters and set the stage dramatically. For example, the first time Satoko meets Shinpei, it is a two-page spread of her being tied up, imprisoned by kidnappers in a darkened hideaway. He walks in covered in blood on the other side of the bars, his face covered and walking with a swagger that sets him apart from the kidnappers. The following page features two split side by side panels: one of Shinpei, covered in blood with wide eyes and no expression looking akin to a feral animal. Satoko on the other side, also with wide eyes, gagged and tied up looking terrified for sure but then unable to express it with words.
Readers get to meet the assassin the same way Satoko does, and it is a frightening first impression that will stick with all of us, Satoko included. Throughout the manga, Tachibana masterfully includes several fighting scenes with interesting points of perspective to move the battles (and gory deaths) forward with purpose. The two young people, Satoko and Shinpei, also have enough quiet moments between themselves amidst blood and body parts where they come to a better understanding of each other that is worth rereading especially for the artwork showcasing the juxtaposition of smiles (or more tender moments) and blood on the page.
In Firefly Wedding: Satoko and Shinpei make an interesting pair together for sure. She’s someone who has led a sheltered, refined life–abielt one that has been plagued by her poor health. He’s someone who has led a rough, no holds barred type of life–the next day never promised. As much as he is a well-oiled killing machine with scars and fighting prowess to back it up, he has a surprisingly softer and even childish side to him. Satoko for all of a sheltered life she’s led, her quick thinking and adaptability help her in even the most difficult situations where she is out of her depth. Their new partnership and budding relationship takes so many twists and turns and makes for an engaging dynamic with the banter between them. They go from petty to serious at the drop of a hat, and readers have no choice but to tag along and strap in for the ride.
The age rating for Firefly Wedding is rated Teen Plus on the Viz website. That translates to “may be suitable for older teens and adults. For example, may contain intense and/or gory violence, sexual content, frequent strong language, alcohol, tobacco and/or other substance use,” and that feels like an appropriate rating. Because of the blood and gore in the fight scenes and the dreadful implications of Satoko’s kidnappers once they get their hands on her, there’s a lot to point to this series being for slightly older manga readers in their later teens. If you have a younger teen looking at this title, I’d maybe pull up another Viz series: In the Name of the Mermaid Princess for a more age appropriate series for slightly younger Shojo lovers.
What I look forward to reading in future volumes of Firefly Wedding is seeing Satoko’s transformation of a daughter loyal to a singular purpose of marrying for her family’s sake to a young woman experiencing the world–and love for herself. We see glimpses of her in this volume mentally chastising herself to lower her expectations and not be greedy–when in reality, this is a depressing look on her and her limited–but realistic–reality of the world. While I’m not happy where Satoko and Shinpei end up at the end of this volume, I am locked in to see Satoko turn the tables on the status quo and rise-up and show everyone she’s a force to be reckoned with.
This first volume of Firefly Wedding is bringing back the “Toxic Shojo” genre that I adore and always crave, in a historical setting. As I was already familiar with the series before being picked up for its English translation edition, I feel it is setting off solidly with humor, a strong female lead and room to grow for those who like romance and suspense. While I do recognize that Satoko and Shinpei’s budding relationship and partnership is not exactly a healthy one–it is an interesting one that may lock down readers on the fence in the second volume. I do see this love story as an intense one with unique factors and plot points that will at least make it a memorable one in the long run.
The significance of the translated English Tile for the series: Firefly Wedding is not lost on me either. As in Japan, fireflies “are beloved – a metaphor for passionate love in poetry since Man’you-shu (the 8th century anthology)”, as noted by Namiko Abe, Japanese Language Expert. I also see the connection of fireflies with war, wartime, and the effects of such strife as many like to connect the 1988 Studio Ghibli film Grave of the Fireflies to the insects.
I also think to the brief but bright time that fireflies are seen, observed and celebrated in Japan–hinting that Satoko and Shinpei’s time together may be a quick and passionate affair that lures me into reading. I may not know how their story together ends but I am willing to read more of it and stay tuned for the wild ride that their creator Oreco Tachibana brings us, readers, on.
Firefly Wedding Volume 1 is published through Viz and can be found where comics and manga are sold.
Thanks to Netgalley and Viz for allowing me to have a review copy!
Love reading manga? See more on our site!
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you?
Sign up here! Follow us on Bluesky ,Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram!
Show Comments