This month Melinda renders her verdict on the first volume of The Magic Touch and also pens PCS’s first review of Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden. Also, Erin takes a look at the third and fourth volumes of Honey and Clover and Michelle checks in with the latest volume of Ouran High School Host Club.

Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 7

By Yuu Watase
Viz, 210 pp.
Rating: T+ (Older Teen)

Set as a prequel to Yuu Watase’s classic shojo series, Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden follows the story of the first priestess of the Fushigi Yûgi universe, Takiko Okuda. When Takiko’s long-absent father returns home too late to save her dying mother, Takiko is determined to tear her father away from the work that alienated him from his family—the translation of a Chinese text, “The Universe of the Four Gods.” As she attempts to destroy the book, she is instead sucked into its story, where she becomes the Priestess of Genbu, who must bring together the seven celestial warriors to save the new world she has become a part of. Feeling rejected by those she left behind, Takiko quickly embraces her new destiny, discovering both her own strengths and a place for herself in a world where she feels truly needed for the first time in her life.

In volume six, the fearsome Hagus was revealed to be one-half of the final celestial warrior, Urumiya. Hoping to save Uruki from being murdered by Hagus’ hand, Takiko vowed to rescue his twin brother, Teg (Urumiya’s other half), who has been kept captive his whole life by Uruki’s father, King Temdan. In this volume, Takiko and Uruki’s vassal, Soren, must escape Hagus and King Temdan’s troops, while the warriors face down fire, bandits, and the Qu-Dong army. Everyone seems doomed to be apart from those most important to them, including poor little stone warrior Namame whose head is still separated from his body. Takiko and her warriors are eventually reunited, but only after one of their group makes a horrifying sacrifice.

This is an intensely emotional volume that shows off all the best elements of this series. The chapters are action-packed, but none of it is remotely superfluous. Every moment is meaningful, and there is not a single unnecessary word or gesture in the entire volume. Up until now, the story had been a well-written adventure and a satisfying romance, but this volume really demonstrates the maturity of Watase’s writing at this point in her career. The intensity of the relationships feels natural and well earned, and even the less-developed characters are rich enough at this point to carry off some deeply emotional moments.

Visually, this volume is especially strong as well. The battle scenes achieve a clarity that was lacking in some of the earlier volumes, and the faces and body language of Watase’s characters are more expressive than ever. It is a testament to Watase’s strengths as a visual storyteller that even the expression on the face of a character who is literally made of stone is enough to bring tears to the eyes.

With its strong, compassionate heroine and eclectic cast of supporting characters, Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden brings the best elements of the world of Fushigi Yûgi to a new generation of manga fans.

Volume seven of Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden is available now.

–Reviewed by Melinda Beasi

Honey and Clover Vols. 3-4

By Chica Umino
Published by Viz
Rating: Older Teen

Volumes three and four of Honey and Clover feature Morita and Mayama on the covers respectively—and appropriately, as the volumes delve deeper into each of their stories.

In volume three the talented Morita becomes a master knitter after only one lesson and is able to effortlessly pick up and play a Mongolian stringed instrument. Morita carves a wooden brooch for Hagu, causing Takemoto to feel jealous and bitter. Takemoto’s jealousy is wonderfully palpable, even though it may be misplaced. Professor Hanamoto returns from Mongolia, lovesick from missing Hagu. (Let’s not forget that Hagu is the Professor’s younger cousin.) At the end of the volume Morita is dramatically rushed to the airport for his mysterious work, without saying goodbye to anyone. “God damn you!” Takemoto poignantly yells at the plane, ” …I just don’t get you!”

In volume four, Umino explores the details of Mayama’s and Yamada’s respective unrequited romances. In a lovely metaphor, Yamada can’t bring herself to trim the bent stem of one of the plants in her garden, and the plant ultimately withers and dies. Yamada sees her love for Mayama as the plant, but she can’t change how she feels. Meanwhile, Mayama’s coworker, Nomiya, realizes what’s happening and starts putting the moves on Yamada. Mayama reacts violently, like an overprotective older brother, but Nomiya calls him out on it. “Isn’t that because you want to keep her [Yamada] for yourself to fall back on, in case things don’t work out with the want you really want?” Nomiya says, referring to Rika, Mayama’s sickly ex-boss. Even if Nomiya is a bit of a villain, it’s very gratifying watching him stir things up. Afterwards, we’re given more details on Mayama’s history with Rika, who is humorously and effectively compared to an endangered (or extinct?) breed of Japanese wolf.

These two volumes contain some of the most memorable sequences from the story so far: the college friends take a boat ride around Tokyo Bay, Hagu builds balloon art to help sell Christmas cakes, Mayama misses seeing Rika through the fountain in a park and mentally “rewinds” the scene, and Yamada falls asleep in Nomiya’s car still wearing Mayama’s pleasant-smelling coat. These scenes are filled with an aching, wistful longing that Umino seems to have mastered writing. I feel empathetic towards the characters and their inability to move forward, even though I simultaneously feel like I might slap the very same characters in real life. I simultaneously love and hate this series.

Volumes three and four of Honey and Clover are available now.

–Reviewed by Erin Finnegan

The Magic Touch, Vol. 1

By Izumi Tsubaki
Viz, 208 pp.
Rating: T+ (Older Teen)

Chiaki Togu is a shy, quiet high school girl and an enthusiastic member of her school’s massage club, the Massage Research Society. Recently, she has become infatuated by the back of a male student she sees on the bus every morning whose tsubo (acupuncture points) cry out to her for massage. Unfortunately, the back belongs to Yosuke Moriizumi, the most popular boy in school. Though initially refusing Chiaki’s request to massage him, Yosuke eventually agrees to allow it, but only if Chiaki is able to make him fall in love with her. What Chiaki doesn’t know is that Yosuke’s real plan is to make her fall in love with him so that he can dump her, thus avenging his younger brother whose heart he believes was broken by Chiaki. What Yosuke doesn’t know is that the girl who really broke her brother’s heart was Chiaki’s twin sister, Sayaka, who has a habit of taking boys for all they’re worth and leaving Chiaki as the scapegoat.

The story works well enough, and the focus on massage is definitely something new, but what’s odd about The Magic Touch is that it continuously presents plot points that seem intended to provide conflict or suspense which are then resolved with little or no difficulty at all. For instance, Yosuke’s status as the owner of the alluring back is set up as a big mystery, only to be revealed just several pages into the volume. The mistaken-identity issue driving Yosuke’s intentions toward Chiaki is resolved less than halfway through the volume, with Yosuke immediately seeing through Sayaka’s sleazy maneuvers. And the arrangement between Yosuke and Chiaki, which initially appears to be the main point of the entire series, is over very quickly as Yosuke sincerely declares his love just a few chapters in. On one hand, all this makes the story less predictable than might be expected, but on the other, it’s difficult to see where it has left to go with all its major conflicts resolved so early on.

One of the highlights of The Magic Touch is a mid-volume side story, “Teach Me, Prince,” in which an older member of the massage club, Takeshi (who is actually Chiaki’s brother), asks first-year Yuna to teach him how to court a girl. This story actually is pretty predictable, but it’s funny and fun, and possibly more romantic than the primary story in some ways. Takeshi and Yuna are also two of the most interesting characters in the book, overshadowing some of the leads. Yosuke is clever and good-looking, but doesn’t really start to show any character until late in the volume. Sayaka is ludicrously cruel, to the point of being unbelievable. Fortunately, the most interesting character is the heroine, Chiaki, whose obsession with massage is responsible for the best moment in the entire manga, in which she takes down a group of Sayaka’s thugs, declaring, “Tsubo points don’t always make people feel better.”

Izumi Tsubaki’s art is serviceable, but nothing special. None of her characters are visually distinctive (though they all look pleasant) and the panel layouts are occasionally awkward. Her best moments are humorous ones, which may explain why Yuna (who is mainly utilized in those moments) is drawn more expressively than most of the other characters. A note from the author reveals that this is her first manga, so perhaps the next volume will offer more both visually and otherwise.

Volume one of The Magic Touch is available now.

–Reviewed by Melinda Beasi

Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 11

By Bisco Hatori
Viz, 210 pp.
Rating: Teen

Eleven volumes in, things are still pretty much where they started with this series. Haruhi is still concealing her gender and participating in the Host Club, Tamaki is still ignorant of his feelings for her, and characters like Mori and Hunny haven’t changed a bit. This volume finds the gang competing in a sports festival that Tamaki has orchestrated in an attempt to spur Kyoya to compete passionately over something that yields him no personal benefit.

Ouran High School Host Club walks a fine line between comedy and plot progression and, honestly, dwells on the humorous side of the divide most of the time. When it does visit the other side, however, the results can be surprisingly gratifying. While many of the characters have been stuck in the same places for a while, the same cannot be said of the Hitachin brothers. Originally a pair of practically interchangeable pranksters, they have matured significantly and are now distinct individuals. Kaoru has been aware for some time that both he and his brother have feelings for Haruhi, and when Hikaru finally catches on, it makes for some great scenes between them.

The comedy is sometimes funny and sometimes not, but the more serious elements are always a hit with me. It’s for moments like that that I continue to read this series.

Volume eleven of Ouran High School Host Club is available now.

–Reviewed by Michelle Smith