Jungle Juice Vol. 1 is a sci-fi fantasy manhwa, written by Hyeong Eun and illustrated by Juder. Hyeong Eun has worked as a writer on the webcomic 100 (2020-23), whereas Juder wrote and illustrated their own series Lilith’s Cord (2016-20), as well as worked as an illustrator on Cavalier of the Abyss (2008-19), and Immortal Regis (2006-08) to name a few. The pair are currently working on the sequel Jungle Juice – Part 2.
Suchan Jang is an extraordinary college student at the top of the social food chain. But underneath the perfect facade, he hides a pair of insect wings that suddenly grew when he used a mysterious bug spray called “Jungle Juice.” Suchan’s life crumbles when he bares his wings to the world to save someone’s life. When all hope seems lost, Suchan stumbles upon a hidden world of insect humans where everyone is accepted for what they are. But the law of the jungle governs this secret society and all must fend for themselves in order to survive.
With a strong focus on social economics, hierarchy, and interpersonal relationships, as well as coming to terms with one’s self at the possibility of being outcast from society, Jungle Juice spends a large part of this first volume solidifying the social construct of this school for insect-human hybrids. Setting the somewhat relatable setting of education, this is soon tossed aside for a literal bug-eat-bug battle where each student must do what they can to get to the top for a chance to receive a cure for their genetic mutation. The narrative progression feels seamless, transitioning from everyday life to a chaotic world of human-insect hybrids with impressive consistency.
Furthermore, Jungle Juice features intrepid pacing throughout its first volume, concisely constructing the world the protagonists are a part of whilst providing an efficient introduction to the cast of characters without feeling too heavy on exposition dumping. While there is a large amount of world detail relayed to the reader, this seems to happen fairly organically throughout the story.
The dynamic cast of characters all feature a distinct, recognisable art design to them. Not only are their perceivable human characteristics easily distinguishable from each other, but their unmistakable insect attributes introduce some incredibly idiosyncratic representations of these hybrid creatures—flaunting both human emotions and animalistic desires. As the volume unfolds, we are introduced to a host of intriguing characters, each with their own motives and backstories. This diverse cast brings depth and complexity to the narrative, adding layers of intrigue to the plot.
Unfortunately, the art style is hardly infallible, and, at times, suffering in multiple aspects. While the character design is effective at relaying emotion, their eyes seem cold and unchanging to each situation presented to them throughout the story. Additionally, the implementation of after-effects on a scene’s background can be somewhat distracting, the manipulation of depth of field and adding of radical blur to effectuate a scene often lessens the effect overall.
A strong start to what promises to be an enthralling dark fantasy adventure, Jungle Juice Volume 1 does an excellent job of establishing the main protagonists and their antagonists With its intriguing premise, exceptional artwork, and a complex web of characters and mysteries, it’s a must-read for fans of manhwa who appreciate a narrative filled with intrigue and supernatural elements.
Jungle Juice Volume 1 is available to purchase from Yen Press’ Website here.
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Hey there, I’m Jim and I’m located in London, UK. I am a Writer and Managing Director here at Grimoire of Horror. A lifelong love of horror and writing has led me down this rabbit hole, allowing me to meet many amazing people and experience some truly original artwork. I specialise in world cinema, manga/graphic novels, and video games but will sometime traverse into the unknown in search of adventure.