May 28, 2024
Lord Hades's Ruthless Marriage draws on Greek Mythology to craft an comedic and entertaining story about the Lord of the Underworld being forced to find a woman to marry despite wanting nothing to do with love.
Hades, the ruler of the Underworld, is inexplicably struck with the arrow of Eros, the god of love, and cursed to fall in love with the first person he sees. Naturally, Hades decides to simply don a blindfold, striving to maintain his single lifestyle to better rule over his domain. He offers to grant the wish of anyone who is able to remove the arrow from his head, and free
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him from his fate. However, while secluded in his private quarters, he accidentally lays his eyes upon Kore, the goddess of spring who had broken in. This causes the arrow to disappear, and he should have fallen in love with her... but he doesn’t. Whether due to his steely heart, a fakeout from Eros, or sheer willpower, Hades apparently resists the curse. He still honors his promise to grant a wish to the person who removed the arrow; however, Kore wishes for Hades to choose a partner for marriage, for her own mysterious reasons. Reluctantly, Hades agrees and has women from all over the Greek mythological world come to offer their hand in marriage.
The story involves various suitors trying to woo Hades and demonstrate why they deserve to be seated by his side. Hades has stringent requirements, and anyone who doesn’t meet his standards is refused or ends up leaving for some other reason. Each chapter features appearances from various Greek goddesses and creatures, such as Artemis, Medusa, and Athena, as well as cameos from Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, and Zeus, among others. The story is primarily a comedy, focusing on the ridiculousness of Hades's situation and the attitudes of all his subjects and potential suitors. The personalities are varied and mesh well, especially in contrast to Hades's deadpan exhaustion from the insanity of his new responsibility. It also features a romantic aspect, focusing on the growth of his relationship with Kore. Despite not showing any outward signs of attraction, the subtleties of their interactions and the artwork illustrate a growing fondness as layers are slowly pulled back. Kore's motivations for finding Hades a wife loom in the background of every chapter, with pieces being slowly revealed over time.
The art in this manga is very well done. The style is clean, with the author nailing both the silly comedic expressions and the serious ones. Both male and female character designs are drawn with care, respecting the source material while offering unique interpretations of various beasts and magical creatures.
Overall, the story is a unique one with an interesting premise, well-done comedy and art, and some deeper story elements the keep it from becoming repetitive.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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