By Atsushi Ohkubo
Yen Press, 190 pp.
Rating: 16+

As this is my first Yen Press title, I was very excited to explore uncharted territory and B. Ichi did not disappoint. The story opens with a view of Toykyo, a city that’s home the Dokeshi, a small group of people who can harness more than 60% of their brainpower. This being a shonen manga, the Dokeshi manifest a variety of amusing powers. Shotaro, the main protagonist, can take advantage of an animal’s abilities by holding one of their bones in his mouth. It’s a skill that comes in handy as he embarks on a quest to find his long-lost friend Emine. Accompanying him on his journey are Mana, a spunky martial artist/detective, and Yohei, a computer genius/tough guy.

Altogether, B. Ichi is a very kid-friendly book. There is a fair amount of violence, though it isn’t graphic (or, frankly, more violent than the TV shows we grew up watching). Shotaro is a very relatable and friendly character who spends most of his time completely immersed in a children’s TV show. This is a running theme throughout the book, as he often copies the hero’s finishing move in his own battles. Who hasn’t done that as a kid? Yohei is a typical, dependable older brother who hides his caring behind a vicious demeanor, while Mana is everyone’s favorite cautious but ever-helpful best friend.

Though the story is formulaic (there is even mention of four great elemental powers bringing down the dark forces… gee, that’s new), B. Ichi doesn’t try to be something more. There are the underlying themes about the importance of friendship and justice, but it never goes beyond that, making it simple and fun to read.

B. Ichi’s art isn’t what you’d expect from such a tween-friendly title. It greatly reminded me of the ultra-stylized Tekkonkinkreet. The art in general is very scratchy and unrefined, which gives the book its own look. At times I liked it; at times I found it hard on the eyes. Many of the fight scenes felt muddled and were hard to get through because of overstuffed panels. The character designs were also pretty flat, with semi-interesting costumes and hair choices that were hard to distinguish from other shonen series.

B. Ichi is definitely a title I’d recommend to kids. On my ride home last weekend, I loaned it to an eleven-year-old family friend. He enjoyed it so much that he went out and bought his own copy. Now that’s a ringing endorsement!

Volume one of B. Ichi is available now.