Review: Taimanin Ikenami Ren

I love seeing new interpretations of the Taimanin universe, more so when a favourite mangaka takes it on and that is what we have here. Meguro Teikoku who has elicited untold joy through his works like Houkago Dorei Kurabu and Doreizuma crafts a familiar yet distinct Taimanin tale. Does it succeed or tread too much through well worn paths?

Ikenami Ren is a Taimanin, a ninja hunting down and eradicating foul demons that roam the streets and hiding in plain sight. On a mission to gather information along with Rinko and others she gets captured by long term nemesis Oboro. She plans to turn her into a slave for cock but Ren thinks if she can hold out long enough for Rinko to finish the mission her fate would not matter. Little does she know the hell that awaits her.

I like the setup here, sure it’s basic and we don’t know the exact mission but the need to know isn’t really there. It’s enough to delve into the depravity and for a doujinshi I am not expecting the earth. It a good base to expand on and that is all I want. I did love the use of Taimanin stalwarts like Rinko, Oboro and someone else appearing, it helps add a sense of it being tied into that world. Ren herself is a pretty stock Taimanin though and just wants to see the mission through.

There is a lot of hardcore content in these three volumes. There are copious amounts of rape, ryona, mind breaking, tentacle action, gang rape, humiliation and so much more. If should go without saying that if any of these sound off putting this is not going to be for you.

The first volume is the most Taimanin of the lot, by that I mean the focus is more so on the Orcs putting Ren by thrusting you straight into Rens hellish ordeal. Captured she knows her fate but Oboro wants to make sure she suffers. After the tentacles slither over her body, injecting into every orifice to modify her body she is then given to the Orcs as their plaything. Chained up, violently raped, tortured she endures it all. I loved this, it was suitably hardcore and the treatment of Ren as nothing more than a sow was right up my alley. Seeing them rape her repeatedly, abuse her or a personal favourite of mine as they forced her to lick out their asses was beautiful. It never stops and page by page you see her body breaking but mind, mostly intact, always reflecting on the job and hoping Rinko can finish it. Suffice to say that is answered one way or another.

The second volume focuses or Rens return to the real world. Suddenly escaping she returns to school but the effects of the training linger as she masturbates in the toilets. Caught and forced into more humiliation as the seedy teacher Okubo comes into play. Seeing Ren walk blindfolded, hands cuffed with sex toys coming out of her ass in the gymnasium, at the wims of the boys was delightful. After the ugly teacher fucks her she is then deemed as leftovers but she doesn’t care, she now knows that only one thing can satisfy her and she will indulge in it.

The third volume doubles down on Rens lurid predicament as she is continually giving herself away just to feel pleasure from a real cock. At first with the teacher in his filthy home but she doesn’t care, she just wants to be fucked. Then with any student she can find as the pleasure given by a vibrator or dildo is simply not enough. After two volumes of copious amounts of sexual abuse Ren really hits rock bottom here, wanting the boys to fuck her, to treat her like dirt, just so that she can suck and be ravaged by a cock.

I’ve always liked the contrast between the regular setting and demon world in the series and this, while not flickering between them does feel a good balance. We see the effect of the Orcs ruination on Ren as she adjusts back into the real world. We see her modified body unable to control its lust as Ren takes that ravaging torment into the classroom just to feel satisfied, to quench the thirst. There are some scenes where wearing string lingerie, the boys tease her, toy with her nipples, pussy and body, you can see the look of disdain on her face but she just wants to feel a real cock and when she does its like heaven, drowning in unadulterated pleasure. It’s a perfect show of how far she has come both in mind and body.

This is why I liked the second and third volumes the most, the first volume had some wonderful highlights and the roughness of the Orcs was most welcome but I liked the dynamic of the school setting, that a strong Taimanin like Ren would succumb to powerless, lowly students and perverted teachers instead of the power the Orcs held. Seeing her reduced to a mere plaything, vaunting off for the boys, wearing incredibly skimpy and salacious outfits, eat cum covered lunch, being humiliated, forced to cum, beg for pleasure around those she could take out in a flash is something I have always loved about the world of Taimanin and it comes to the fore here.

The first volume left me with a couple of issues, both somewhat minor. The first is tentacles, they are hit or miss for me with the latter being the case here but more due to this being manga and black and white. Sometimes it is hard to tell what is going where and in general appears messy meaning Ren being penetrated and suffocated with pleasure is lacking. Secondly is stomach inflating which I am never a big fan of, it’s present in the first volume quite a bit with the Orcs rampage which didn’t do much for me.

The ending also didn’t quite hit the mark, I understand the approach and have seen it in other works but for me I prefer other endings. Not wanting to spoil it but I like the more degrading, sadistic elements to finish off and this didn’t. A minor nitpick though.

Visually this is a treat that implements Maguro Teikokus distinct style into the Taimanin world and does it very well. Oboro, Rinko and another (not spoiling) all look the part whilst Ren herself is very voluptuous with curves, shapely hips and large breasts. The tan marks on her body are to die for and very reminiscent of Yukikaze. In the Orc sections I did notice a tad lack of toning on her skin which only really comes to light in the real world without her Taimanin outfit.

The sex scenes themselves are presented clearly and oh so perversely with panel filling attention to detail and angles that bring out the salacious nature. Every shot of Ren accentuates her erotic body in a way you will love. Whether crouched over masturbating, legs contorting, chained up pleasing the Orcs showing her delectable thighs or posing in string lingerie in a classroom no panel is wasted. Most of the shots are zoomed out allowing her predicament to always be in clear view so her body can distort or look appropriately ragged. Other than not gelling with the slithering, go anywhere nature of tentacles this is a stunning volume.

It’s been a long wait to get this fully translated and the wait was more than worth it. I can forgive the bare bones nature of the setup because it’s simply not needed to get enjoyment here. It assumes you know the lore around the series and that works for me. The sex scenes are varied, lengthy and do not disappoint with excellent pacing throughout. A few minor quibbles aside I cannot recommend this enough.

Managaka: Magruo Teikoku / Tuna Empire

Release: N/A

Length: 3 volumes

Availability: Mandarake

8.5/10