Embalming (manga)

The first one-shot published in 2005 follows John Doe and Little Rose, who are hired by a woman named Marigold to destroy the fifty Frankensteins created by Lord Cadaver. Lord Cadaver takes limbs from living people to create his monsters, he took over Marigold's family's factory, killing all but her and taking her legs, from which she is in bad health. For his fee John Doe takes limbs from beautiful women in order to make his Frankenstein bride, he accepts the job with Marigold's legs as payment. They go to the factory and John destroys all the Frankensteins and even though he does not kill humans, he makes an exception for Lord Cadaver. When they return Marigold dies, after burying her, Rose realizes that her butler was giving info to Lord Cadaver. After explaining that she has orders to follow John Doe and keep him from regaining his memory until she dies, she kills the butler.[3]

During the Dead Body and Lover story arc in the serialization, the last half of this one-shot, beginning with John Doe battling Lord Cadaver's Frankensteins, was re-published and labeled as a "special sideline story". It was also combined into the first volume of the series,[4] suggesting that it is part of the canon. Prior to that it was added to the last volume of Watsuki's previous series Buso Renkin, and Viz Media retained it there for their English translation of the series.

The second one-shot published in 2006, follows Ashuhit Richter and Elm L. Renegade. While traveling they come across a woman named Kiefer who is trapped under a carriage and save her. Due to people being attacked on the road to her village, Ashuhit and Elm escort her. When they arrive they learn her village was wiped out by an epidemic, and when the doctor could not save them he turned them into Frankensteins. Kiefer lures travelers to the village and the Frankenstein, which is a large combination of the villagers all connected and controlled by Kiefer's Frankenstein brother, kills them for their bodies. After defeating it and the doctor, we learn that as children Ashuhit and Elm ran into the church when a Frankenstein, John Doe, was being created by Ashuhit's father. When it awoke it killed Elm and took Ashuhit's leg. Ashuhit begged his father to turn Elm into a Frankenstein, he agrees because she was his girlfriend.[4]

During the Dead Body and Lover story arc in the serialization, this story was re-published and labeled as a "special sideline story". It was also combined into the first volume of the series,[4] suggesting that it is part of the canon.

The serialization begins in the Scottish Highlands in 188X, with Fury Flatliner and Wraith Allen getting revenge against the Frankenstein that killed their parents five years ago. Wraith is mortally wounded, Fury then attacks it but he and the monster are struck by lightning. He awakens in the home of Dr. Peaberry, who found him and gave him medical attention. When he arrives back at Lord Weiss's mansion, who took them in five years ago, Wraith is there waiting for him, now a Frankenstein himself. They learn from Dr. Peaberry that the largest production of Frankenstein's is in London, and decide to head there, Fury to destroy all of them and Wraith to learn about them. However, before leaving Wraith tells Fury that Lord Weiss is the one who turned him into a Frankenstein and that he adopted Edel as his daughter in hopes of turning her into a Frankenstein of his actual daughter. When Lord Weiss attempts to operate on Edel, Fury and Wraith stop him with the help of Dr. Peaberry. Wraith then kills Edel and it is revealed that Fury was turned into a Frankenstein by Dr. Peaberry. He attacks Wraith, but Wraith escapes with Weiss's notes and promises to meet in London. Dr. Peaberry informs Fury that she turned him into a monster with the specific purpose of having him kill all the others.[4]

Ashuhit Richter and Elm L. Renegade from Ingolstadt, are traveling to London on a job. When picking up supplies at a Polar Route run inn, Ashuhit runs into Fury and Dr. Peaberry. We learn that 10 years ago Peaberry was an assistant to his father, but left after she was "marked". The priest that runs the inn tells the stray Frankenstein Cadaverick, who overheard, to kill Peaberry, although he is more interested in Ashuhit. At this time, Elm gets lost and ends up traveling with a young couple, Azalea and Phillip, who are on their way to Gretna Green to elope. She explains to them that Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was non-fiction and that she herself is a more advanced Frankenstein than the monster in the novel. She also tells them of Polar Route, a secret society that studies Frankensteins and claim to be the true successors to Victor Frankenstein. They are attacked by Cadaverick, who mistook Phillip for Ashuhit.[5] After a battle with Elm, he is killed by Ashuhit.

Ashuhit and Elm go to the Diogenes Club to meet with their client, one of its founders Mike Roft (Mycroft Holmes). They are hired to find the Frankenstein Mary Jane Kelly, who was the fifth victim of Jack the Ripper. She was created in order to inform the investigators of Jack the Ripper, but killed her creator and escaped. Ashuhit has Mike Roft's brother, a famous detective (Sherlock Holmes), quickly find Fury and Peaberry and asks them to watch Elm while he hunts for Mary. Ashuhit, Dr. Peaberry and Frederick Abberline go to the home of a group of Frankenstein, who separated from Polar Route but agreed not to interfere with them, that are led by "the Count".[6]

Edel Weiss (エーデル ワイス)

A fifteen-year-old girl whose parents were killed by a Frankenstein five years ago, along with Fury's and Wraith's. She lost her memory that night and becomes the "daughter" of Lord Weiss. She is nearly identical to his actual daughter, except for her eye color being green instead of black.

Robert Weiss (ロバート ワイス)

A viscount and former professor of medicine. He took in Fury, Wraith and Edel five years ago, hiring the boys as gamekeepers and adopting Edel as his daughter.

Azalea Millet (アザレア ミレー)

A nineteen-year-old former barmaid from Liverpool who originally agrees to marry Philip so she can get his money, but actually falls in love with him.

Philip Wilkinson (フィリップ ウィルキンソン)

A twenty-one-year-old heir to an overseas merchant gentry from Liverpool who fell in love with Azalea.

Cadaverick Spasm (カタヴェリック スパスム)

A stray Frankenstein, with the ability to harden his skin into horns and use his muscles to "shoot" them. As a human he was a criminal who was given the death penalty, his creator died in an electrical accident during his creation. His companion is Harpy (ハーピー), a chimera Frankenstein created from having a human brain and vocal chords implanted in an horned owl.