Manga Review: The Geek Ex-Hitman Vol. #3

There’s no shortage of gangster-centric manga, and it includes a subset of comedies like The Way of the Househusband, where the toughest denizens of the underworld embrace an entirely new lifestyle. The Geek Ex-Hitman falls into this category, with otaku culture as the new lifestyle and the slight variation that Marco is Italian, not yakuza. Read on for my review of Volume 3. (For reviews of other volumes, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Together with the new friends he met in Japan, Marco is making good on his vow to focus on enjoying what he loves, whether it’s playing online games or visiting themed cafés. But when his former boss comes after him, he’ll have to face some old demons to defend all he holds dear…As Marco fights to protect his future, the truth behind his mysterious past comes to light in this thrilling conclusion to the series!

The Review

It’s the final volume! But before we can end Marco’s story, we have to finish learning how he wound up as a hard-boiled hitman in the underworld. His origin story isn’t particularly original – well, aside from how an anime character triggers his new lease on life. But the arc does explain why he was such a menace before Hades Girl Eurydice entered his life.

TO’s origin arc is followed by four standalone chapters. The first is a limited-time theme café visit by hard-core fans Marco and Viviana with Andre coming along for the sweets. It’s yet another episode of fan-gushing fun with Marco using his hitman vibes to keep party poopers in line. Then Mei attempts to get her paws on Marco by inviting him over for a model-building session–only to get completely ignored in favor of miniature mecha. The following chapter switches to video game antics as fantasy versions of Marco, Viviana, Andre, and Gregorio combine their efforts to take down a King Hellhound. The fourth is Marco’s beloved cat Yakuza once more causing trouble for his master in ways only a cat can.

Wrapping up the series is the two-chapter final arc. All of Marco’s otaku friends are gathering for the biggest Hades Girl concert of the year. TO’s old gang’s come to town also – to force him back to the Italian underworld. The first half is otaku gift exchange hilarity (Viviana’s laughably bad artwork makes a final appearance). The second half is Marco defending his otaku friends and lifestyle after he rejects his boss’ orders. It’s a little strange how all the Italian thugs are bald men in sunglasses and black suits, but it makes it easy for readers to pick them out. At any rate, Marco begins his fight alone, but Gregorio, Andre, and Viviana soon come to his aid.

After that, things move quickly to the final conclusion, a happily-ever-after that even ties up final loose ends with Marco’s hitman mentor. Although The Geek Ex-Hitman has a deadly main cast, this manga has primarily been a celebration of fan culture, and its exuberant ending is a fitting finale for this series.

Extras include first page in color, artwork on the inside covers, two pages of bonus comics, and an afterword.

In Summary

Volume 3 delivers the beginnings of Marco’s life in the Italian underworld and how he finally breaks free of it entirely. The Oracle origin story is predictably violent and tragic, but it ends on a hopeful note (thanks to a certain anime figurine). Then the volume quickly returns to much lighter fare involving the Hades Girl fandom, video games, model building, and a mischievous cat. And though the final arc pits Marco against his old gang, even those chapters lean more towards the otaku fun end of the spectrum.

First published at The Fandom Post.