Manga-ka: Shinobu Ohtaka
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: May 2009

Synopsis: “Momoko is the only child of the Kuzuryuu clan, a powerful martial arts family with inhuman strength. But strong as she is, her father fears a woman will never be able to master the skills of the family. Unless Momoko marries and bears a capable heir, the Kuzuryuu line is doomed to weaken and die off! With this mission in mind, Momoko is sent to the rival Inuzuka clan, where she is to marry the son of their mighty leader. But Koushi Inuzuka abandoned the martial arts long ago. Now committed to his legal studies, the last thing Koushi has on his mind is marriage—especially not to the world’s strongest bride!”

Sumomomo Momomo proved an odd title to review. After some previous exposure to this title in Yen Press, I found it a generally entertaining and well done work, but representing some elements of manga some fans could do without. As yet another young couple find themselves forced together by their martial artist fathers, we’re greeted with speedy action scenes, nonsensical fighting moves, and yet more examples of the haunting spectre of Moe.

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Manga-ka: Atsushi Ohkubo
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: May 2009

Synopsis: “Shotaro and Tool square off against the Fear Robot, but they can’t help feeling like something’s missing. With Mana still nowhere to be found after the attack at the Robot Fight Tournament and Yohei firmly in the clutches of the King of Spin, it seems the best course of action is a covert rescue mission into enemy territory!”

Like any straight-from-the-mold shonen series, the bulk of this third volume of B.Ichi sees the lead cast splitting off to fight some of the undoubtedly-many enemies standing between them and the their goal of destroying a giant robot created by the evil organization reponsible for its construction.

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Author: Darren Shaw
Manga-ka: Takahiro Arai
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: June 2009

Synopsis: “The world of internationally acclaimed author Darren Shan’s Cirque Du Freak brought to life as you’ve never seen it before! Darren Shan was an average kid until destiny brought him to the Cirque Du Freak. Now Darren’s been immersed into a shadowy world inhabited by vampires, werewolves, and strange creatures the likes of which he’s never imagined, and his life will be changed forever!”

While I make a habit not to judge a book by its cover, it’s still more often than not a deciding factor in the order of my ever-growing stack of books to read. In the case of Cirque Du Freak, the less than inspiring cover left me placing it on the lower end of my book pile, doomed to the obscurity of someday and the maybes of tomorrow. It proved a mistake of mine however, as having finally read this opening instalment, I was greeted not with mediocrity but instead with one of the most compelling first volumes I have read in ages.

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