As the outside threats and competitiveness among students ramp up, Jungle Juice 3 blends battles with backstory for one character, but it needs to do more to make readers invested.
Jungle Juice 3 starts with the previous faceoff from the last volume, then heads into a kind of Chuunin exam where teams compete for a recon mission. But they also get closer to attaining the cure for their insect powers. And, of course, like any big battle exam, there has to be some evil group, Pet Shop, lurking in the background waiting to spring and cheaters galore. However, the lack of fleshed-out characters drags the action in Jungle Juice 3 down because there’s no reason to care.
With a story by Hyeong Eun, art by Juder, translation by Ah Cho, and lettering by Adam Jankowski, the series starts with Suchan’s ongoing combat training. In the Yen Press comic, Pet Shop abhors Nest. Akin to other superhero series, some despise their abilities, some accept them, and others feel superior to those without abilities. As the outside threats and competitiveness among students ramp up, Jungle Juice 3 blends battles with backstory for one character, but it needs to do more to make readers invested.
Jungle Juice 3 Takes Time to Build Up Characters
As is often the case, few of the students have happy pasts. Even fewer students accept their newfound appearances or abilities. The primary trio consists of Suchan, Huijin, and Hyesong. Jungle Juice 3 shows all three, especially in the quartet battles. However, the story spends time forging relationships with the characters, including allowing Hyesong to develop. Hyseong’s past makes it easy to understand his jealousy and hurt.
He struggled to stand out even before the bug spray gave him abilities. Sadly, Hyesong always felt like the person holding back his team. The problem with characters like Suchan and Huijin is that they lack negative traits. They feel like Mary Sues. Whereas Hyesong seems more lifelike thanks to his past, allowing readers to connect with him and root for him.
It’s Hard to Care About the Others
Suchan might be the focus, but while Jungle Juice 3 starts interesting, connecting to the story is challenging. As the series spends little time developing characters, few are interesting. It’s impossible to discern one from the next. Without their different features in the panels, no one would know where one character left off and another began. The series rushed the action and the larger threat so quickly that it left off an essential aspect of a compelling story. Readers must care about the characters so that the stakes matter, highlighting the need for more character development.
As such, the only part that holds attention is Hyesong because it’s easy to feel for him. Someone struggling for acceptance and feeling inadequate is relatable because everyone experiences these moments. So, Jungle Juice 3, despite its action at the start, doesn’t build tension until Hyesong appears. Hyesong is that tough guy who hurts on the inside and hides that pain.
There’s a reason why villains are memorable, and heroes feel interchangeable. Jungle Juice 3 falls into the trap of dull heroes who lack depth. That’s why a character like Hyesong pulls ahead of them. To overcome this hurdle, the story must show that these protagonists are prone to the same petty emotions others possess. Jungle Juice 3 will not stand out from any other series without it. Promising premise aside, compelling characters are what elevate stories.
