Coffee Moon Volume 3 takes us full tilt into the magical girl world. But the mystery surrounding the how and why remains. There’s the still unexplored section of the religious group and how that ties in with the rest of the story. Pieta is not the only person facing off with herself either. In this issue, readers learn about family rivalries and expectations creating undue pressure and strain. Though confusing, Coffee Moon Volume 3 has more action than the previous two. Plus, Pieta takes the lead to help the others come to terms with their sorrow.
Created by Mochito Bota, translated by Ko Ransom, and lettered by Phil Christie, the series starts where the previous one left off. Pieta faces her dilemma. In this Yen Press manga issue, Pieta initially does not know how to deal with her alter. So, she flees in fear. Then, there’s a flashback to Pieta’s past when her father died. While dying, he thanked her for all the happiness. He even goes as far as to tie his death with paying his dues for all that happiness. Pieta’s dilemma says this was when Pieta’s curse began. The relativity of sorrow and joy exists in this Groundhog Day life. But soon, Pieta realizes she must face this.
Defeating a Dilemma Coffee Moon Volume 3 Takes Different Paths
While others believe they must defeat their dilemmas by destroying them, Pieta’s thoughts differ. As her dilemma offers to reset the over 1000 days of “today” back to day one, erase Pieta’s memory, and not approach her again, Pieta’s concern is for her dilemma. Because they will be alone again, and Pieta is not okay with that. Coffee Moon Volume 3 lets readers into Pieta’s motivation: she cares. But her sentiments for her dilemma contrast with another character at the forefront of this volume: Nikke.
Nikke faces conflict with her dilemma and a jealous classmate, Venianice. Both compete in the arts. But Nikke always receives gold while Venianice is always a runner-up. Additionally, their fathers competed back in the day, with Venianice’s dad coming in second. So Nikke runs from Venianice—who defeated her dilemma—but also dodges her own dilemma. Both are thrown by how kind and relaxed Pieta is in the face of danger.
Fun Moments With Comical Responses of Savvy Genre Lingo
The fights have explosive action and time-bending maneuvers akin to Quicksilver. But the series includes lighter moments, even during battles, that ease the tension. Many instances come from Pieta’s laidback responses and others’ shock. Venianice’s gobsmacked expression when Pieta dodges her attacks is one example. Also, there’s a layer of smiles and laughs since writer Mochita Bota lets the characters show their awareness of anime and manga with quips, like “transformation sequence.”
Though somewhat confusing, Coffee Moon Volume 3 finds its stride, blending magical girls, time loops, and action with comedic moments. Their traumas and fears lead to a standstill world. The religious group takes a backseat, but that is preferable. There are too many moving parts, so tackling them separately helps make them digestible. Coffee Moon Volume 3 stands out with action and the way it addresses how pushing our pain outward can have consequences that come back to us.
