In a world where humans live in fear of being possessed by the demonic beings known as Shadows, one boy has been locked in darkness all his life. As the host of the Blue Dragon Grad, fifteen year old Ral has been shut away to prevent the powerful demon from ever manifesting, but now that a new force of deadly Shadows threatens his country, he is let out into the light for the first time. Motivated by respect for his teacher and desire to feel women’s boobs, Ral sets off on a journey to save humanity from Queen Bira and her Shadow army.

Although I’m not particularly interested in the Blue Dragon franchise as a whole, Takeshi Obata’s involvement in this manga ensured that I had to check it out on account of his artwork alone. Unfortunately, whilst it was certainly visually sound, the actual content proved to be rather underwhelming.

Blue Dragon starts off as a pretty average fantasy tale, giving us the usual party of eclectic heroes fighting against an enemy who waits in a final boss castle whilst dispatching increasingly strong underlings. The unique spin this time is that our lead is an incredibly naïve young man who is motivated purely by his desire to feel the breasts of the world’s women in a paradoxically innocent perversion that is at least mildly amusing. With that in mind, it was clearly never going to be a favourite manga, but it did at least seem solid enough to justify reading through to the end.

At only 29 chapters in length, however, it was inevitable that as the series progressed, the pace would get more rushed. With no time for a proper, full-length quest, everything got packed into the space of a few confusing chapters in which so much was going on that it was hard to follow more than the general gist of what was meant to be happening. Of course, that ultimately led to not really caring about anything more than just getting to the end of the series.

As well as Ral and his dragon Grad, Blue Dragon plays host to a number of characters, including the typical teacher, weaker allies and cocky rival types you’d expect to find. None of the characters are particularly well developed or inspiring, with their shallow nature doing little to lift the series out of the realms of mediocrity.

As mentioned earlier, the artwork for the series is handled by Takeshi Obata of Death Note and Hikaru no Go fame, which ensures that this aspect of Blue Dragon is at least above average. Although the designs don’t differ that much from Obata’s staples, everything is well-drawn in his distinctive style, ensuring that the series is nice to look at even when the plot isn’t making much sense.

Final Thoughts

Had it just been an average fantasy tale, Blue Dragon would have at least been a good distraction series, but the rushed pace in the latter chapters renders it something of a disappointing waste of time. I’m not sure how it compares to the other entries in the Blue Dragon franchise, but certainly this is one corner of the series that isn’t really worth exploring.

Essential facts

Volumes: 4

Story: Tsuneo Takano

Artwork: Takeshi Obata

Licensor: Viz

Chapters 1-84

As a big named title, there can be few people who are unfamiliar with the animated version of Fullmetal Alchemist- the tale of a world of alchemy where brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric attempted the forbidden act of bringing their mother back to the life. The price for committing this sin was for Ed to lose an arm and a leg, whilst Al ended up with his soul bound to a suit of armour; now, only the legendary Philosopher’s Stone can restore their bodies, but on their search for it, they become embroiled in something much larger than either of them ever imagined.

Since, by necessity, the anime had to take a different direction to the still ongoing manga, there comes a point where the original version strikes out into unknown territory, forsaking antagonist Dante for a more sinister and devious villain named ‘Father’, who created the seven Homunculi as part of a plan that spans generations. And indeed, where once the anime seemed a solid and worthy tale, it just can’t measure up to the scale of the manga, which, devoid of a 51 episode limit, spans a much greater vision. Admittedly, the desire to see how it all turns out in the end is great enough to wish the mangaka would hurry it up a little, but the scope of the series is such that one simply becomes immersed in the many threads being woven into the tale. Naturally, the Elric brothers’ quest to restore their bodies is still key, but beyond that we also have the machinations of Father and the Homunculi, efforts of officers such as Roy Mustang and his allies to combat the corruption and evil that infests every corner of the military, and a seemingly key plot point about how the nature of alchemy in Amestris (the country where the bulk of the story takes place) differs from that of its foreign neighbours. It’s an absorbing, if lengthy, tale, and one that lacks the jarring changes of emotion in the anime; instead of dramatic revelations being spoiled by inappropriate lapses into humour, here the comedy moments are well placed as much needed relief from the tension.

Visually, FMA may not have the most breathtaking artwork, but despite the relative simplicity of character designs, it is still built on a solid and technically sound foundation. There is occasionally some confusion as to what is going on in action scenes, but in all honesty this is a complaint that can be levelled towards manga in general, and for the most part, this series successfully melds both realistic and fantastic elements into a cohesive whole, ensuring that the world of the series comes to life on the page.

Final Thoughts

With a more complex and involving plot than its animated adaptation, the Fullmetal Alchemist manga takes the series to the next level, providing a story packed to the brim with characters and plot threads, but never feeling overtaxed in the process. The only real issue is that it could be a while before the series finishes- and anyone who has come this far will be torn between wanting to see how it all pans out and hoping that the later chapters do their predecessors justice in terms of pacing and quality.

Spoiler section: plot specifics and differences from the anime

In the anime, the Homunculi were the products of failed human transmutations, and were all cared for and raised by Dante, a woman who gained immortality of a sort by transferring from body to body. In the manga, the Homunculi are created by ‘Father’, the original Homunculus who was once just a specimen in a jar in the land of Xerxes. This Homunculus used the King of Xerxes’ desire for immortality to further his own plans, culminating in the massacre of the entire country as sacrifices to ensure Father gained everlasting life and physical form. He also used the energy from this to grant immortality to a slave he had befriended- one Hoheinheim, later to become Ed and Al’s father.

In the present day, Father has used the Homunculi (each created from one of the deadly sins and grown from Father’s body) to create and expand the nation of Amestris, all the while picking fights with neighbouring countries in order to provide energy for a countrywide transmutation circle (the Ishbal massacre was a part of this). The last area that needs to be thrown into chaos for the plan is the northern land of Briggs- but can our heroes and their allies counteract this?

The Homunculi

Lust: Manga Lust’s lives are used up when she is repeatedly burned by Roy Mustang.

Envy: Although he is sensitive about his true form and prefers an androgynous human appearance, Envy is actually a chimera-like monster containing the essences of people whose form he has imitated. He and Ed become nemeses for a while, although ultimately Envy is defeated and reduced to the appearance of a helpless embryo.

Pride: In the anime, Pride was Fuhrer Bradley, but here he is actually Bradley’s adopted son Selim and the first Homunculus Father created. He is able to extend his presence into the shadows, where he can both observe and kill those foolish enough to cross him. After Risa Hawkeye learns of his true identity, she smuggles out a coded message telling Mustang of the truth.

Sloth: In the anime, Sloth was ‘Juliet Douglas’, a secretary in the military, but in the manga Sloth is a giant male Homunculus of limited intellectual capacity who has been set to work in digging a giant trench around the perimeter of Amestris (as part of the huge transmutation circle). The military forces at Briggs interrupt Sloth and ultimately stop him by freezing him, but later put him back as part of a larger plan to get to the higher-ups in the conspiracy.

Gluttony: Gluttony is much the same as his anime self, although we also discover that he was made to be a fake Gate of Truth. At one point, Ed, Al, Ling and Envy are all sucked into the alternate reality within Gluttony, but they escape by using Envy’s Philosopher’s Stone as payment for opening the real Gate of Truth. The original Gluttony is destroyed and Father begins growing a new one.

Greed: Greed’s early appearances are much the same as the anime, although instead of being killed by Dante he is terminated by Father for following his own desires. A new Greed is prepared who ends up taking over the mind of Ed and Al’s friend Ling (a prince of Xing); Ling voluntarily allowed this as part of his plan to find immortality. The two consciousnesses now struggle for control of one body, with Ed agreeing to become Greed’s underling so that they can travel together- united in a common cause.

Wrath: In the manga, Wrath is actually Fuhrer Bradley, a Homunculus created by fusing with a human test subject- thus enabling him to age like a normal person. As the first successful test subject, Bradley was always destined to become Fuhrer as part of Father’s plan.

Other differences and points of interest

• Later in the series, Ed and Al meet Ling, a prince from the country of Xing who is searching for immortality. He is accompanied by two bodyguards, one of whom (young woman Ran Fan) loses her arm whilst fighting the Homunculi. She later elects to have an automail replacement.
• Also arriving from Xing are Mei Fon and her pet panda, on a similar quest for immortality. She ends up travelling with Scar and Doctor Marcoh as they search for Scar’s brother’s research into the different types of alchemy. Xing’s alchemy, known as “rentanjutsu” involves tapping into the flow of the planet’s energy and can be triggered from afar; it has key differences to Amestrian alchemy. Although Mei Fon learns how to make a Philosopher’s Stone, she decides not to go back to her country, since she knows that the Emperor would not hesitate to kill people to create one.
• Al’s body remains trapped in front of the Gates of Truth (which have not been said to connect to Earth as they did in the anime) in a malnourished state- the fact that it continues to live indicates that part of what Ed eats and drinks is nourishing him, and this may be why Ed is so short for his age. Unfortunately, at the same time, Al is having increasingly frequent periods of spacing out- given that he does not sleep in his armour form, this may indicate that the armour is finally rejecting his soul.
• The cold northern front of Briggs is the last target for a massacre needed to provide energy to the giant Amestris transmutation circle. Briggs is under the command of Major Armstrong’s sister, who is currently attempting to infiltrate the higher echelons of the conspiracy. Meanwhile, Ed and Al must tread carefully as they know of the Fuhrer’s plans but are being stopped from overtly acting against them by threats to Winry’s safety.

With the first five volumes of Gunslinger Girl taking the series to heights of excellence rarely seen in manga, there was always the nagging worry that the series would have to plummet sooner or later. Fortunately, four volumes later, and there is still plenty of reason to keep praising it.

The most significant additions to the series from volume six onwards are Alessandro and Petrushka, a brand new handler and the first of the ‘second generation’ cyborgs- an older teenager who has had much more of her body replaced than the earlier cyborgs. At this point, you might be thinking that this sounds like the typical last gasp of a series that has gone downhill- after all, what gimmick is more common than introducing a new character to disguise the fact that the story has run its course? Fear not, however, that’s not the case here- and in fact, the dynamic between these new characters only serves to add an extra dimension to the series.

Starting with her life as a ballerina before a leg amputation ends her career and ultimately sees her turned into a cyborg, Petrushka’s story is perhaps the most complete of all the cyborgs we’ve seen so far, with her more mature attitude and laid-back yet competent relationship with her handler offering a whole new perspective on what it means to part of Section Two. Less of a little girl and more of a young woman, the conditioning robs Petrushka of none of her personality, making her a witty and free-thinking addition to the team. The tragedy of her situation shouldn’t be forgotten, but her presence is a breath of fresh that prevents the series from disappearing into the depths of misery.

If, at this point, you’re getting worried that the original characters have been relegated to the sidelines, then fear not, because there’s still plenty of material involving them as well. The life span of the first generation of cyborgs is drawing to a close, with Angelica getting ever more forgetful and Hilshire fearing that every medical treatment is only make Triela’s life that much shorter. Inevitability is catching up with all of them, but in the meantime, the missions must go on.

Overall, the artwork of these later volumes is consistent with what we’re already used to- character designs are attractive, settings are detailed and action scenes are generally good if not always immediately clear. It is, however, interesting to note that the mangaka has experimented a little with character designs in places- Jose/Giuseppe unfortunately has the high-schooler look of his Il Teatrino self, whilst on one mission all of the girls are dressed and made up to look older.

Final Thoughts

After the disappointment of the anime’s second season, it is both reassuring and relieving to return to the manga and discover that the source material remains as excellent as ever. Even if you aren’t usually in the habit of reading manga, you must make an exception to discover the true potential of this series.

There’s nothing strange about high school students asking each other out- but when it comes to Negishi and Hoshino, their relationship is a little different from the norm. The straight-talking Hoshino decides that there should be complete honesty and straightforwardness between them, but his curious naïveté means that dealing with the hot-headed Negishi won’t always be easy! Will this unlikely couple endure the ups and downs of a teenage relationship?

When the combined efforts of Hige and Hopeless brought the name Love Roma to my attention, I decided to trust their taste in manga and jump right in myself. And fortunately, beneath the simplistic artwork and basic premise lay an interesting and entertaining little series that proved that the high school romance genre still has some life left in it.

Like most series of its type, Love Roma has a set pattern to follow with regards to content- there’s studying, part time jobs, meeting the parents and so forth. What really brings the series to life, however, is the interaction between the characters. Hoshino is almost disturbingly direct, with a lack of tact and subtlety that has to be seen to be believed as he tries to understand the emotions and humanity that come to most people naturally. In contrast, Negishi is the perfect foil for him- hot-headed and a little violent, her impulsiveness and reliance on her emotions contrasts with Hoshino’s logic and detachment. Admittedly, at first it’s difficult to see the attraction between them, but as the series progresses, their relationship slowly builds into something stronger.

Entertaining as our leads are to watch, Love Roma is also awash with supporting characters, some of whom get so little attention that they are actually driven to form their own league of minor characters in the omake pages. Whilst there’s no doubt that this eclectic bunch of personalities certainly adds spice to the series, it’s a sad fact that are largely one dimensional personalities, some of whom get barely any development (even remembering their names is no easy task).

Visually, Love Roma’s artwork is distinctive for its simplicity- thick lines and basic designs prevail, and it’s hard to tell whether this is an intentional decision to enhance the straightforward charm of the series, or simply due to the limits of the artist’s ability. Either way, the art is certainly memorable, although perhaps not for the right reasons.

Final Thoughts

An entertaining romantic comedy with the unique twist of having the main characters be straightforward with each other, Love Roma may not be anything particularly special, but it’s still an enjoyable enough series. If you’re in the market for romance and aren’t too fussy about artwork, then give this one a try.

Essential facts

Volumes: 5 [complete]

Creator: Minoru Toyoda

Licensor: Del Rey

For years, the Kouga and Iga clans have lived uneasily under an enforced peace- a peace that should only be strengthened by the marriage of their leaders, Gennosuke and Oboro. Before that can come to pass, however, outside forces annul the truce between them- and now, anything goes. From each side, ten hand-picked and highly talented ninja will pit themselves against each other, and victory will go to the last one standing- no matter what they have to do to eliminate the enemy.

The battle royale format has always been a popular one, and when combined with the general appeal of ninja, it seemed likely that Basilisk would have no problem in finding an interested audience. The question that remained was simple- would it be worthy of the attention?

As it turns out, Basilisk isn’t really one of those series that inspires strong feelings either way. The entire plot of the series revolves around characters trying to eliminate each other with the aid of supernatural ninjutsu and underhanded tricks, and that is pretty much all the series has to offer. There’s plenty of gratuitous violence, and more than a few evil nipples and other fanservice shots, but as has been so often proved, this type of action isn’t easy to convey in manga form. Any battle will lose something when conveyed in the form of black and white still images, and this is Basilisk’s main problem- a serious flaw in a series that is trying to sell itself on its action content.

Participating in the battle royale are an eclectic bunch of protagonists, each with their own unique skills and a variable life expectancy. Although some of them live long enough to receive back story and development, the transient nature of our relationships with them mean that it is hard to really care about any of the characters- with the sole exception perhaps being the inevitably tragic love between Oboro and Gennosuke.

Visually, Basilisk uses a bold, high-contrast style that is memorable if not always aesthetically pleasing, with character designs that are best described as “weird and wonderful”. If exaggerated features such as thick eyebrows, large breasts and even a man without limbs are to your tastes, then you’ll find much to like here. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the action scenes are not always particularly clear or easy to follow.

Final Thoughts
Basilisk is one of those series that is best described as ‘solid’- enjoyable enough, not particularly flawed, but still lacking in anything to set it apart from the crowd. If you have an appetite for ninja action, then by all means sate it with this, but if you consider yourself to have broader tastes, then it isn’t really a priority read.

Meiko lives a pretty normal life- she’s got a steady boyfriend and a regular job as an office lady, but she can’t help feeling that there should be something more to it than that. Determined to recapture the dreams and ambitions she had whilst growing up, Meiko decides to quit her job and look for a new, more fulfilling path, but will she be able to find it- and what repercussions will her drastic move have on her relationship with boyfriend Taneda?

When I was first introduced to Solanin, I was told it could possibly be the new Honey and Clover- high standards to have in mind before even reading it. In fact, in some ways, it can be thought of as just that- if H&C was about the transition from college life to the real world, then Solanin covers what happens next in terms of settling on a career path without giving up one’s dreams. At the same time, however, the series has an identity all its own.

Despite starting off as Meiko’s search for something meaningful to devote herself to, Solanin doesn’t sit on its laurels, with the first volume also focusing on supporting characters and ultimately Taneda’s own wish to pursue his dream of playing in a band. Just when you think you have the series figured out, however, an unexpected twist halfway through turns everything on its head; obviously revealing it here would defeat the object of trying to encourage people to read the series, but suffice to say that it provides a turning point for Meiko and those closest to her to put an effort into thinking about what they want from life instead of letting each day drift by.

Two volume series rarely have time for much in the way of extensive character development, but nonetheless Solanin does its best on this front, bringing both Meiko and Taneda to life whilst leaving a little time over for the various supporting characters. Unfortunately, the series might have done better to keep all the minor characters firmly in the background- for example, the chapters about a friend who works at a flower shop seem unmemorable and out of place in the context of the main story.

Visually, Solanin showcases quite an accomplished style; overall the artwork is detailed and technically competent without being cluttered, however, the character designs don’t particularly appeal on a personal level- there are just a few too many large lips and widely spaced eyes for my tastes.

Final Thoughts
It may not quite be worthy of being called the next Honey and Clover, but Solanin is certainly a series that anyone interested in drama, slice-of-life and a more grown up sort of coming-of-age tale should add to their reading list. And at only two volumes in length, it shouldn’t be hard to make space for in your reading list.

Essential facts
Volumes: 2 [complete]
Creator: Asano Inio
Unlicensed

In the year 2002, a series of earthquakes split Japan down the middle, forcing the government to look to America and China to help with the rebuilding. Fifteen years later, and the country has effectively become two separate nations, but for many of the exiled refugees, all they care about is the day when they are allowed home. And in the Japanese refugee camps of Taiwan, tensions are brewing between the Japanese and the natives, with disaster sure to follow. Will the resolve of a young man named Genichiro Ryu prove to be enough to defuse this potentially explosive situation?

Having enjoyed Zipang, it seemed only right to branch out and try another series by the same mangaka, and so when the first three volumes of A Spirit of the Sun were translated into English, it hardly seemed like much of an effort to try them. What sort of socio-political tangles would Kaiji Kawaguchi have to offer this time around?

In fact, whilst these three volumes are certainly interesting in their own right, they just don’t feel like enough to really get to grips with this long-running story. After setting the scene with a recounting of the earthquake, the series unexpectedly jumps ahead to 2017 Taiwan in order to focus on the refugees there rather than the situation in Japan itself. There is certainly enough action and drama to be found from the tension between the Taiwanese and Japanese to fuel the series, but at the same time it feels as if we’re focusing on one aspect of a larger whole- at some point I’d also like to get back to Japan itself as it tries to emerge from the stranglehold the Americans and Chinese have placed on it.

At the heart of the story is the character of Genichiro Ryu, a positive-thinking young man who endures the earthquake firsthand, only to end up growing up in Taiwan after he loses his memories. His ‘mixed’ heritage and optimistic attitude make him the perfect vehicle for driving the story, but at the same time that’s all he is- a device for forwarding the plot rather than a person whose development and personality you especially care about. Meanwhile, the supporting cast are largely unmemorable so far, with only ‘gangster-turned-good’ Zhang proving particularly noteworthy (and that may just be due to his dreadlocks and immense muscles).

Kaiji Kawaguchi’s artwork has never been the most aesthetically pleasing, favouring a functional rather than ornate look, and A Spirit of the Sun is no exception. As always, the technical details are intact and the style suits the content of the series, but the work of this mangaka is never going to be something to please those looking for eye candy.

Final Thoughts
Although the artwork and political side of things may put some readers off, A Spirit of the Sun actually has the makings of a good manga- it’s just that three volumes seem like barely enough to judge it. Unsurprisingly, it seems as if this is another Kawaguchi manga that is in for the long haul, and I only hope I get the chance to read more of it in the future.

After graduating from magic academy, ten-year-old Welsh wizard Negi Springfield dreams of following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a Magister Magi. The last thing he was expecting was to be sent to Japan to become a teacher in an all-girl junior high school- but that’s exactly where he has been assigned! Can the pint-sized teacher cope with a class of thirty-one teenage girls?

Given my experience with Love Hina, and the whole creepiness of a ten-year-old boy surrounded by fanservice, I initially wasn’t interested in venturing into Ken Akamatsu’s juggernaut. Nonetheless, curiosity eventually got the better of me, and when combined with yet another chance to raid a sibling collection, I decided to give the series a go.

As I feared, fanservice was indeed to be a big part of the Negima experience, and although it greatly reduces after the first few volumes, it never entirely goes away. Normally, this wouldn’t be too much of an issue if the series had something else to offer, but there’s something creepy about fourteen-year-old girls getting naked in front of a ten-year-old boy- especially when they start peeking under his towel and taking a look at his ‘tackle’.

If you can live with this, however, Negima isn’t actually too bad a story, although it counts as ‘solid’ rather than good. Seemingly a mix of various different elements such as magic, romance, shounen-style tournaments and enemies, nothing is particularly original, but it is varied and well-paced enough to keep you reading. All in all, it’s not something you should prioritise if you have better series waiting, but if you’re stuck for something to read, then this will fill a gap.

Fortunately, Negima does have one trump card to play- compared to the usual run of dislikeable male lead, Negi is actually a rather pleasant character. Of course, he does have the usual destined powers and tragic past, but beyond this he is a hard-working, determined and optimistic person, far from the irritatingly arrogant or clumsily incompetent leads that we have seen so many times before.

Negi aside, there are also 31 girls to get to grips with (and that’s before considering any other supporting characters)- a mammoth task for the creator, let alone a reader. Admittedly, even after thirteen volumes I can’t remember all of their names and some are blanks in term of personality, but it’s surprising how many characters have had the chance to move into the spotlight and have their back stories revealed. And with so many to choose from, everyone is bound to find one or two characters that they like- whether it’s hot-headed ‘main girl’ Asuna, quiet librarian Nodoka, warrior Setsuna, class rep Ayaka, android Chachamaru or one of the many other choices on offer.

Artwork has always been Akamatsu’s strong point, and Negima is no exception- say what you like about the content, the character designs are always attractive, and amazingly enough, apart from a couple of lesser characters, it is easy enough to tell everyone apart. Settings and backgrounds have all been designed on computer, and are all highly detailed without feeling cluttered- there is enough content on each page to ensure that reading one volume takes longer than average, but at the same time it never feels too eye-achingly packed or crowded.

Final Thoughts
Despite appearing to be some sort of unholy fusion of Harry Potter and Love Hina, if you can get past the initial stigma attached to the series, Negima isn’t all that bad. It may not be poised to win any awards for quality or originality, but if you fancy some light reading and attractive character designs to while away a few spare hours, you could do worse than occupy yourself with this.

As a game, Disgaea and its sequel were great fun, but the less said about that awful anime adaptation, the better. With that in mind, I didn’t have a great deal of interest in the series’ manga incarnation, but given that my brother did, I decided not to pass up the opportunity to do a bit of free reading of his books.

So far, three Disgaea manga volumes have been released in English- a one-off for the original Disgaea game, and two volumes of the ongoing Disgaea 2 series. Each series is handled by a different mangaka, but both have that somewhat inferior “cash-in adaptation done by an inexperienced artist” feel. Nonetheless, for real fans of the series, there may be some worth in them.

Disgaea
A single volume, Disgaea covers Laharl’s quest to become Overlord after his two year nap, concluding with the visit to Celestia from the later chapters of the game, and happily missing out the whole Captain Gordon and Earth scenario that never really sat well with the game. A few other things have been missed out, but overall the story is still coherent, and unlike the anime, the humour hasn’t been dumbed down to two year old level. The jokes won’t have you splitting your sides with laughter (especially if you’ve already encountered them in the game), but they’re decent enough, and will certainly satisfy younger readers and major Disgaea fans.

Visually, Disgaea isn’t as bad as you might expect- generic tone is liberally applied and backgrounds are pretty much nonexistent, but the characters have had some effort put into them. Whilst the designs lack the polish and sharpness of their game counterparts, the ‘shoujo’ soft, wavy hair style isn’t too bad- Laharl never looks quite right, but Etna is oddly attractive in her new form.

Disgaea 2
Unlike its predecessor, Disgaea 2 is an ongoing series, with two volumes published so far, but at least several more to come. Like the game, each chapter (or ‘episode’ as they are counter-intuitively named) ends with a humorous preview of what’s coming next, and for the most part, the series is basically a paper summary of the game’s cut scenes. The only exceptions to this rule are the first few chapters, which attempt to bridge the gap between the two games by explaining how Etna left Laharl and became a Demon Lord/Beauty Queen in her own right. As new material, this is really the best part of the manga so far- everything else is just recap for anyone who’s played the game (and I can’t see anyone who hasn’t reaching for this manga adaptation in a hurry).

With the content not being a great draw, then, it is also disappointing to reveal that the artwork doesn’t bring much to the table either. Where the original Disgaea wasn’t too bad, Disgaea 2’s artwork seems a lot weaker, with an almost caricature style used for characters, and backgrounds just as nonexistent as before. One thing’s for certain- no one will be picking up this series for the eye candy, because you’ll get a much better experience from just looking at artwork from the original game.

Final Thoughts
It’s hard to see that there’s anyone to really recommend this manga to- Disgaea fanboys will buy this regardless of quality of content, but as far as everyone else goes, there’s not much point in investing in it. It might be a good option for getting younger readers into manga, but for more mature manga fans there are a wealth of series to spend time on before they even need to think of resorting to this.

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A while ago I reviewed the Loveless anime, and whilst it undoubtedly had potential, something about it didn’t sit right with me- I wanted to spend long enough in the world of the series to explore both the setting and the characters, and twelve episodes just wasn’t long enough to do that. In the hopes of getting a better grasp on what the creator was trying to achieve, I decided to turn to the manga, and in due course, the first eight volumes had duly been devoured (in a non-literal sense, of course).

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Delving into the original version of the story, however, was to be an equally mixed experience, for whilst there was no doubt that I had enjoyed what I read, at the same time, it wasn’t enough- I needed more. The story has continued to gain momentum since what we saw at the end of the anime, but with the end still nowhere in sight, the series leaves the reader desperate to see how it is all going to turn out.

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A tale that explores both relationship dynamics and the power of words- sprinkled with a healthy dose of fantasy- Loveless never really bothers to explain why its world is the way it is, instead using its unique setting to better tell its story. This lack of explanation was one of the things that frustrated me when watching the anime, but now that the manga has enhanced my appreciation for the series, it seems less important- like Saikano, the explanation behind the setting is less important than the character interaction that takes place therein. And such interaction is truly what the series is about, with its portrayal of everything from pure-hearted, innocent love to dangerous, twisted obsessions. Is love about attaining someone’s unquestioning devotion, about moulding them into your ideal, or just accepting them as they are? The ‘right’ answers may seem obvious, but with so many different types of relationship employed in the series, it becomes fascinating to watch how they all evolve.

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As mentioned above, words are themselves a potent force in the series, a theme that is most noticeable in the spell battles where Fighters cast spells by picking the words, but one that permeates throughout. Obviously words are going to have a de facto degree of power in any story that relies on them as its medium, but Loveless elevates this to something more, once again providing something to think about as the series again and again demonstrates the power of even a simple phrase. As the characters themselves remark at times, a particular choice of words at a particular time can make all the difference to the outcome of a situation- and equally important is the intent behind those words. It’s a simple point, of course, but one that the series uses to great effect- especially as these days stock phrases tend to get bandied about in favour of words carefully chosen for maximum effect.

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Given that the series is all about relationships, it comes as no surprise that it succeeds or fails on the strength of its characters. At the centre of the story are Ritsuka and Soubi- one a sixth-grader who has lost both his memory and his brother, and who is in desperate need of the emotional support his abusive mother cannot give, the other an adult who seems suave and self-sufficient on the outside, but is equally needy within. Both they and the various supporting characters have issues to be dealt with over the course of the series, but somehow it never feels too much- rather than groaning at yet another tragic back story, a firm injection of lighter hearted material ensures that when the serious stuff comes along, you sympathise with those involved.

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In the anime, the visuals were Loveless’ strong point, and unsurprisingly the original manga is no different, showcasing Yun Kouga’s skill at creating attractive character designs. The use of animal ears and tail to indicate which characters retain their virginity may seem like an excuse to please the furries, but it actually proves to be an interesting device, with every extreme from an adult who has yet to lose hers to a child who lost his at far too young an age. In the real world, such things happen (or don’t happen, as the case may be) behind closed doors, but here the deed is effectively public knowledge.

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Final Thoughts\r\nAfter a degree of disappointment with the anime, the Loveless manga was just what I needed to rekindle my interest with the franchise. Much more than a boys’-love-fest, Loveless gives us an insight into relationships, loneliness and all the different types of love, whilst wrapping it up in some eye-catching artwork. It will be interesting to see where the mangaka takes the story from here.