And so Biscuit Hammer ends, with a final volume that pays back all my investment and then some. Biscuit Hammer’s conclusion is spectacular, a sequence of battles and moments of emotional catharsis more consistently rewarding than basically anything else in the series. I still had issues with these chapters, from the awkwardly welded-on nature of Anima and Animus to the ever-messy art, but the overall effect of this finale was so strong that I can’t really complain. Biscuit Hammer will always be a messy work, but it’s a passionate and worthy one all the same. If you haven’t checked it out yet, definitely give it a try.

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my chapter notes below!

Chapter 1

Trying to combine their domain control

The melancholy mage

And now a flashback

Anima and Animus as psychic siblings

“I have the same powers as you. But I am not a god. I’m human.”

The rules of this game were actually set up by these characters as children, which makes sense. But it’s still a very fragile backstory

Chapter 2

More of the great deadpan comedy with the princess speaking to Samidare as a kid

And the expressions are still strong. The art feels pretty confident here, even if it’s just conveying simple faces with no backgrounds

Samidare doesn’t want anything for her wish

The two leads as kids are great

Yuuhi wants to be a hero of justice, like his dad

“I’m sick… and I’m a bad kid… but I’m alive right now”

Making the world hers becomes her wish – everyone wants the world, through love or otherwise

Chapter 3

A quiet winter of training passes, and then it’s time for the last battle

And a last peaceful breakfast with their “family”

The kids choosing to fight in uniform. Kids versus adults, this is their “graduation”

More awful horse drawings

Chapter 4

The full-page spread of the twelfth golem is actually really impressive

Another great spread for their combined domain attack

The final good guy golem is a giant cat, matching his familiar. Adorable

More great spreads of the monster

“I thought it was the adults’ job to protect them. How arrogant! The children have the power to protect their own future. The day Shooting Star Wish became a reality, the children’s day dawned!”

Chapter 5

And so the last golem falls

“We believe in you. Now run. Your faith will build the road.”

Yuuhi gathers his various selves. It’s all on-the-nose, but it’s earnest and satisfying

Nice sense of massive scale on these battles

Holy shit, some great spreads here. In the usual simple style, but robust and dynamically shaded

Chapter 6

Fighting the mage himself. More great art

He’s teleporting them for his fighting. Cool setup

Mikazuki, the berserker, keeps using his strength just to take hits for the kids. It’s a really great moment

Sometimes difficult to parse what’s going on, though

“If you desire the future, we shall give it to you, young friend”

Wow, crazy black and white full-tone spread here

Chapter 7

Inspiring battle here, with them all picking themselves up for each other

“You’re the only child in this fight, Animus”

The reason the mage acted so friendly and never took them seriously was because he never really thought he could lose. And because he really is a child, just doing it for the fun of it

Chapter 8

Samidare announces her plan to the Beast Knights

“I’m glad Mikazuki’s not up for this. Fighting him would be way too much fun”

“I love that girl with everything I am. And that’s why I want to be the one that stops her”

Chapter 9

It really does feel like Yuuhi has gotten strong enough to actually fight her. Good shounen work

A battle of love. Great stuff

“I had this friend. A long time ago, her little brother died in a car accident. Back when he died, she used to wish she’d died with him. But the thing is… she’s married now. She says she’s happy. People can still be happy. And being happy is okay.”

“You were looking ahead to the future, where I can’t go”

And he looks back towards her. Yuuhi framed as one of the adults, leading her

Haha, the powered-up lizard looks so bad

“I can’t stop me, but maybe you can.” All the characters save each other

Chapter 10

Happiness brings desires for the future, which saves the characters from the nihilism of wanting to destroy the world

The importance of being appreciably loved, which ties into the parent/child thing

“I love you. More than I love this world.” Jesus this ending is strong

Chapter 11

“Thank you. I’m home.” jeeeez

“The story of your lives starts now.” The whole story ends up being a much longer-term version of Yuuhi’s initial internal struggle

Mikazuki and Yuuhi get to enjoy one last fight

Chapter 12

Ten years later!

“Things that end, things that continue”

This epilogue is indulgent, but enjoyable. As epilogues tend to be

Though I guess it’s fine in a story specifically about growing up, and how you don’t have to worry about it, and will find joy in adulthood

“You may have been a shitty father, but I’ve had some really great adults in my life”