Oh, how I’ve missed RuriDragon! For those who don’t know, after hitting the ground running in June 2022, author Masaoki Shindo came down with an unspecified illness two months later. It left the tale of the half-human/half-dragon in jeopardy, with some worrying that it might never return. Thankfully, a year and a half later, RuriDragon returned, and its fans came back in droves.

Volume Three of RuriDragon is where its comeback began. It plays a little catch-up with the readers as to who everyone is, in case they had forgotten. But when you have a main character like Ruri Aoki, it’s hard not to remember her. She’s spunky, laid-back, and has two horns sprouting from her head. Also, she can breathe fire and summon electricity, which is either handy or a hindrance depending on the situation. But now, Ruri’s got two new problems to deal with: bullying and venom!

The former is one that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Stories about monster girls and people with differences always have a bully that the main characters have to deal with. It occurs when Ruri accidentally eavesdrops on two classmates talking smack about her, leaving her to worry about her place at school. She doesn’t want to stand out at all, but when you have the characteristics of a fantasy legend behemoth, you may not have a say in that. As such, her friends come up with a plan, and it involves pliers and a couple of strong classmates.

Honestly, I didn’t know what to think when Ruri had her horns snapped off. On one hand, it’s her way of showing how far she’d go to simply blend in with the crowd. With that being said, taking away something that makes someone unique isn’t exactly a good lesson to learn. Despite the situation being showcased in a humorous fashion — especially when one too many students fail to snap off one of the horns — I can’t help but think that the true message gets lost within a sea of concerns. (At least they grew back quickly though!)

Thankfully, it does lead to a heart-to-heart with Ruri and the main smack-talker: Kamata. It’s here where this little bullying storyline redeems itself, as the two sort it out as mature individuals. Jokes are thrown, honesty is poured out, and in the end, the two become friends. It’s how a story like this should go, both in a fictional setting and even a real one.

Now there’s the other problem: Ruri’s latest dragon power. If fire and lightning weren’t enough, now she has to deal with spitting out venom. Why does she now do this? It’s not exactly known, as it doesn’t harm humans or cause other sorts of pain…except on Ruri herself. In any case, she’s got another thing to put on the long list of weird stuff happening to her.

As for her other powers, her lightning winds up being a huge help for her school and classmates. A lot of this volume focuses on the upcoming Sports Day event, which Ruri reluctantly helps to run. But as the date gets closer, the weather starts to change for the worst, with fears that Sports Day would have to be cancelled outright. However, in a first for RuriDragon, Ruri gets to act like something that she never expected to be: a hero. And when she does, it’s presented with the flair and positivity that a good Shonen Jump series should.

It may have taken a bit to finally bring RuriDragon back, but I am very happy with its proper return. Volume Three, for the most part, is a good reminder of why Ruri Aoki is a beloved character in the manga world. The stories involving the venom and the Sports Day event were fun, and while the bullying one has its share of bumps in its storytelling, the message it has in the end makes up for it. Hopefully, whatever weird thing happens next to Ruri, I hope the benefits outweigh the gross side effects.

Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media. Click here to read past reviews of RuriDragon!