Manga-ka: Hiromu Arakawa
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: February 2010

Synopsis: “With the Imperial Army in hot pursuit, Housei leads Taitou and the others on a little detour to the home of his master. But the “mean old devil woman” he had described turns out to be nothing of the sort. Master Kouei is a veritable font of wisdom; in addition to knowing a more covert route into the capital, she is well versed in the legends of the Hokushin-Tenkun. There is much she can teach Taitou as he struggles to control the overwhelming power of his star, but will she have enough time to impart her wisdom before tragedy strikes?”

Hiromu Arakawa brings us yet more of her delightful side project, Hero Tales. She moves the story along at a brisk pace as Taitou meets more of the other destined stars, and we get to take in more of the lush surroundings of this mystical version of ancient China, along with its harsh realities of poverty and corruption. Arakawa excels at creating a fun cast and playing with readers emotions, similar to her work in Full Metal Alchemist, while also creating a compelling view of the lives and scenery of ancient China.

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Manga-ka: Sirial
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: All Ages
Release Date: January 2010

Synopsis: “Take one fussy dog, a rain-loving cat, and a little mouse with a big sweet tooth, mix in a sprinkle of sunshine and a dash of magic, and you’ve got a recipe for adventure! Whether they’re baking cookies, cleaning up, or helping out a friend, this trio always manages to stir up a healthy helping of mischief and fun.”

On the surface One Fine Day appears to be about some sort of magic user and his three animal familiars. Below the surface that’s still what it’s about so far. The familiars call their master (No-Ah) a wizard in training most of the time, monster wizard some of the time and treat him like a father all of the time. In turn he feeds the little mouse, cat, and dog as well as takes them out for walks and picnics and other very mundane things. One Fine Day is a pretty slow story – it’s cute, it’s kinda messy and it doesn’t make a lot of sense if you try to think about it too much.

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Manga-ka: Yuji Iwahara
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: January 2010

Synopsis: “While the council members are away, the cat demon will play! The Matabi Academy student council (and their cats) are on high alert: Spirit Beasts could be possessing students and hiding among the student body, waiting to make a move! Amidst all this tension, Yumi (with Kansuke in tow) decides to unwind at a dorm slumber party with some friends and a good scary story. But when an actual ghostly encounter cuts the party short, Yumi wanders off the school grounds…and right into the maw of another Spirit Beast, Daraku of the Deep! To make matters worse, she’s not the only student council member to take the bait, and with the school practically defenceless, the evil cat demon, Kaen, is about to strike on their home turf!!”

After the initial volumes set up the series’ tone and world building, Iwahara is now getting around to revealing the inner machinations of the Spirit Beasts, as well as enlightening us on other secrets of the Matabi school. Continuing the inventive visual prowess he built with series like King of Thorn and Chikyu Masaki, Cat Paradise has moved into fascinating territory, combining Japanese horror traditions with super-powered fantasy and environmentalist philosophy.

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Manga-ka: Jun Mochizuki
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: December 2009

Synopsis: “The air of celebration surrounding fifteen-year-old Oz Vessalius’s coming-of-age ceremony quickly turns to horror when he is condemned for a sin about which he knows nothing. He is thrown into an eternal, inescapable prison known as the Abyss from which there is no escape. There, he meets a young girl named Alice, who is not what she seems. Now that the relentless cogs of fate have begun to turn, do they lead only to crushing despair for Oz, or is there some shred of hope for him to grasp on to?”

After taking in Mochizuki’s Crimson Shell in a previous review, this ongoing series offers similar flavors with it’s gothic British setting, endless mansions and frilly outfits. However, it manages to avoid being a retread of the previous series, just another tale offered in complimentary window dressing. Mochizuki presents us with yet more pseudo-Victorian gothic wonderment, and ups the ante a bit with some cleverly chosen ties to a literary classic, and a fairly involving plot centering on intentions most sinister for all concerned.

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