Fairy Tail, Vol. 3

By Hiro Mashima
Del Rey, 196 pp.
Rating: 13+

Though there are distinct differences, Fairy Tail can easily be compared to Mashima’s former series Rave Master. Yet, in my opinion, Fairy Tail is a more competent version of Rave Master. While similar to many Rave characters (Natsu is a Hot-Headed Haru, Lucy is Elie and Gray is Musica), Fairy Tail‘s are much more fully developed. Mashima’s characters are his strong point and with Fairy Tail, he is able to accentuate his characters with a much smaller, more manageable cast. The overall plot is also much tighter, restricting the story to short vignettes instead of long-winded quests. So it is no surprise that volume three of Fairy Tail embodies all of the traits that make this series a winner.

Volume three leaves us with Fairy Tail‘s strongest team at the hands of Erigor and the Dark Eisenwald Guild. At Erza’s request, Natsu and Gray are sent after the fleeting Erigor, while she and Lucy stay put to fight the rest of the guild. This volume is a good, deep introduction to Fairy Tail‘s stronger characters. Erza, throughout the volume, is given a chance to showcase not only her offensive tactics (which I must say is one of the more amazing powers that Mashima has ever conceived) but also her leadership abilities. She is an incredibly perceptive woman, constantly taking note of what’s going on and steering her team in the right direction. It’s no wonder that she is called “Titaina Erza” or “Queen of Fairy’s Erza.” Let’s not forget Gray though, our other new hero of Fairy Tail. Though he doesn’t get as much of the glory as Erza does, Gray still manages to show us his stuff during the Lullaby Arc. Gray also gets a chance to show off the “Maker Magic,” which allows him to put a form to his magic. Though both Erza and Gray are both given a great amount of face time in this volume, the real focus is on Natsu’s fly cat companion, Happy. Happy, during the course of this adventure, gets the group out of the Erigor’s Wind Wall by giving Lucy the Virgo Key. On top of this, he encourages Natsu (through some reverse psychology) to beat Erigor.

Just as Mashima is known for his clever writing, his stylized artwork is also very appealing. His action scenes are not overloaded, giving the reader just enough detail. He spells out exactly what is going on without it getting confusing or boring. His character design is also fantastic. Each character has their own unique style, matching their abilites and personalities quite well. Natsu, Erza and Gray’s costumes speak volumes about who they are: Natsu’s open vest suggests his heated temper, Erza keeps her heart hidden, figuratively and literally behind iron clad armor, and Gray wears a warm coat to contrast his cool and calculating ways.

Del Rey has picked another winner with Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail. I would say that it is one of the better representations of modern shonen to date. Its clever story and engrossing characters are reminiscent of older series, like Dragon Ball and Yuyu Hakusho, yet Mashima still manages to put a fresher spin on the classic genre. Fairy Tail is sure to please a wide audience.

Volume three of Fairy Tail is available now.