Nakama Britannica

Great Artwork, Clear Storytelling, An Involving Cast of Characters…
Del Rey Manga Round-Up Spring 2008

I really love the classy Del Rey manga format, especially their in-depth ‘Translator’s Notes’ and previews of the next volume, but sometimes, of late, I’ve felt that all their loving presentation has been wasted some less than distinguished series. The winning formula - for me - is quite simple: great artwork, clear storytelling, and an involving cast of characters. Yet it’s surprising how many mangaka don;t quite manage to pull off combining all three. So I’m delighted to report that their two spring lead titles, Hiro Mashima’s ‘Fairy Tail’ and ‘Toto! The Wonderful Adventure’ by Yuko Osada are well worth investigating.

Toto! Volume 1 by Yuko Osada T Ages 13+
Kakashi is a boy with a dream: to see the world. Inspired by the travel journal left to him by his explorer father, he seizes the opportunity when a luxurious airship lands on his little island, and sneaks on board. Hiding out in the cargo hold, he is greeted lovingly by an adorable little puppy with an unusual collar. Little does he know that the airship is about to be hijacked by the notorious Man Chicken Family and that he’s in for a far more hair-raising adventure than he could possibly have imagined.

‘Toto!’ is a delight. Kakashi is a boy hero with all the optimism and determination of Monkey D. Luffy. The puppy, his constant companion, is named Toto by a young girl he meets in a cornfield whose name just happens to be…Dorothy. And the fact that Kakashi has already been described as looking like a ‘scarecrow’ just adds to the ‘Wizard of Oz’ references. But there’s much more to little puppy Toto than meets the eye, and plenty of tantalizing clues are placed by Osada throughout the narrative, hinting at extraordinary developments to come. So, ticks in all the boxes for sympathetic characterization and a well-crafted plot. But what makes this first volume stand out from many other likable shounen series, is the artwork. The drawings have a wonderful retro feel about them, especially in the depiction of the airship and the many members of the Man Chicken Family. Osada – and it’s the first time I’ve encountered this mangaka’s work – also has the knack of telling a story clearly and engagingly, frame by frame. Never once did I find myself asking in the action sequences (and there are many) ‘what’s going on here?’ Of course, it’s difficult after only one volume to tell if this truly is a classic shounen in the making, but ‘Toto!’ gets off to a great start and comes highly recommended.

Fairy Tail Volumes 1 & 2 by Hiro Mashima T Ages 13+
Witty, action-packed, and with a perky young celestial wizard named Lucy as heroine, ‘Fairy Tail’ hits the ground running and continues at a riotous speed to the end of each volume, hardly pausing for breath. Hiro Mashima brings all the skills that he honed on ‘Rave Master’ to his new series. Lucy sets out to join the magic guild known as ‘Fairy Tail’ and finds herself partnered with Natsu, a Salamander or fire-wielding wizard, and his blue winged cat, Lucky.

By Volume 2, this unlikely team is setting out on their first official job together, to steal a certain book and destroy it, and are already haggling over how to split the proceeds. Of course, nothing is as simple as it seems and they are soon pitted against the machinations of bizarre Duke Everlue and the formidable Vanish Brothers.

Mashima’s drawing style is often compared to Eichiro Oda’s ‘One Piece’ but I think that in ‘Fairy Tail’ he’s managed to break away from the master’s influence enough to establish a visual identity of his own. The new series is inventive and funny – and the villains are menacing enough to create a genuine sense of danger.
I’m a little more hesitant about whole heartedly recommending the next two new series, however, as neither makes such a strong statement as ‘Fairy Tail’ or ‘Toto!’. Nevertheless, each one is worth a look, and may well bear fruit in later volumes.

Yozakura Quartet Volume 1 by Suzuhito Yasuda OT Ages 16+
Hime (16) is the mayor of the town of Sakurashin and has superpowers. Ao is a satori, a demon who can read minds, and Kotoha has the ability to conjure up anything by using the right word. Akina (18) is the only guy in the quartet of friends and he has no superpowers. Yup, none at all. So when they are called on to defend the townspeople from a mad gunman or demon dogs, each member’s skills complements the others’ rather neatly. And Hime, something of a tsundere, reveals her dedication to her job when she declares to the others, “If something is a threat to this town, I’ll kill it without hesitation. Even if it were you guys. And if I turn out like that, kill me without hesitation too – and protect the town in my place!”

There’s a nice touch of self-parody at the end of the first volume, when Yasuda draws a ‘different’ fan-service version of an alternative beginning and there’s also some likeable Bonus Manga featuring the mangaka’s thoughts on the series, including the giveaway line, “My friend says it only gets interesting in Volume 2.”

It’s difficult to tell after one volume exactly where ‘Yozakura Quartet’ is going. The cover art is striking, the manga art is attractive and has a contemporary feel (always a plus point for me) and the lives of the characters are…interesting. Interesting but not that involving. Yet. The novelty comes from setting a super-powered teens story in a small town setting, where helping out in the local kindergarten can pose as much of a challenge to the teens as dealing with a supernatural happening. My quibble? Attractive as Yasuda’s art may be, the storytelling from frame to frame is sometimes difficult to follow. Things happen between frames, losing some of the impact of the drama. But all that may change in the second volume, as Yasuda hints. And there must be more to this series, because as I’m writing this review, an animated series based on ‘Yozakura Quartet’ has just been announced.

Minima! Volume 1 by Machiko Sakurai T Ages 13+
‘What would you do if your favorite toy came to life and became your best friend?’ asks the blurb for ‘Minima!’.

Nicori, the mouse-like creature that shy Ame Oikawa finds on a school outing to the Amusement Park, is alive. He can talk and move about – and, indeed, claims indignantly that he is not a mouse but a meerkat. And Ame could do with a friend; her classmates at middle school are, by and large, an unfriendly bunch, especially the girls who are jealous of her feelings toward Sasaki-kun, the ‘hot’ boy in the class.

This story has a strange vibe to it. From the blurb I was expecting a sweet shojo tale about schooldays and talking toys. But Ame’s school is very realistically depicted and her bullying classmates are all too convincingly unpleasant. And by the final chapter, the story suddenly turns very dark indeed as Ame is kidnapped, leading to a big cliff-hanger ending. Add to that the fact that I, personally, didn’t find big-eyed Nicori all that cute but rather creepy and the result is a story that doesn’t yet know what it’s trying to be. Maybe matters will improve in Volume 2…

It’s a pleasure to conclude with a series that’s already found its feet and is going from strength to strength.

Pumpkin Scissors Volume 2 by Ryotaro Iwanaga OT Ages 16+
‘Pumpkin Scissors’ got off to a strong start and the second volume not only manages to fulfil the promise of the first volume, but ups the stakes as well. The task faced by the Pumpkin Scissors (aka Imperial Army State Section III) is to help rebuild the Empire after the war. In their efforts to cut through the corruption that is rife in the war-ravaged country, the members of Pumpkin Scissors begin to realize that they are up against some powerful unseen enemies. First, there is the mystery surrounding the true identity of their newest member, gentle giant Randel Oland: gentle, that is, until faced with an armoured tank, when he turns into a fearless human demolition machine. Then there is the discovery that drug dealers are exploiting the refugees who have taken shelter in the sewer system. Lieutenant Alice Malvin and her squad uncover layers of corruption that may go deep into the heart of the military. And when they encounter a fearsome flamethrower, it seems that their time may be up. Is there a connection between this fearsome wielder of fire, who keeps moaning that he is freezing, and Randel? And why is Muze Caplan, head of the Caplan Institute’s Medical Research Department, so interested in them both?

‘Pumpkin Scissors’ continues to deliver an intelligent and involving story about the aftermath of war, whilst at the same time developing a bunch of quirky yet sympathetic characters. And there is genuine danger here; when Iwanaga’s characters are injured, there is no magic spell to heal them swiftly, they suffer pain – and some die.

Other highlights from Del Rey this spring include the eighth and final volume of Fuyumi Soryo’s excellent sci-fi thriller ‘ES: Eternal Sabbath’ and the ongoing crossover series by CLAMP: Volume 11 of ‘xxxHOLIC’ and Volumes 16 and 17 of ‘Tsubasa Chronicle’, completing the Tokyo Arc. But more on those another time….

Review copies supplied by the publisher www.delreymanga.com.