1. By Hosana Tanaka
Del Rey, 208 pp.
Rating: 16+
Picking up where volume one left off, the titular female warriors are still trying to help Raizo, the lone survivor of the Katana clan, restore his
family’s prominence by marrying into wealth. They stage a fake attack/rescue of a princess as part of an elaborate plan to woo her; unfortunately, she
becomes the target of actual assassins. Meanwhile, another villain wants Raizo out of the way, the better to unlock the secrets of Shintaigo, one of
the Ninja Girls’ special fighting techniques.
This volume tells a complete adventure in one go, and does a better-than-average job balancing multiple storylines. On the one hand, there’s
untangling the plot to kill Princess Hine; on another, there’s Raizo and the princess’ courtship, which gradually becomes more intimate. Neither
would be so involving without strong characterizations, which is what I enjoyed most about this title. Unlike other manga I’ve read where the lone
dude among a harem is either an annoyance or hindrance, Raizo is a relatively normal guy with a noble heart, and his guilt over faking his way into
Hine’s life supplies much of the drama; we root for him to triumph despite the underhanded means. As for the ninjas themselves, each has a distinct
skill set which writer/artist Tanaka utilizes in unique ways, leading to action sequences that rarely feel tedious.
Overall, this is a satisfying mix of narrow escapes, clobberings and slapstick, but Tanaka also throws in the unexpected, such as the princess turning
out to be a total badass on par with Kagari, who might be the most dangerous of Raizo’s companions. It seems inexplicable at first, and it’s uncertain
if this revelation will come into play in future volumes. But I can’t fault the author; the moment arrives without warning and keeps the reader on
his/her toes, and what’s wrong with that?
Volume two of Ninja Girls is available now.
–Reviewed by Phil Guie
100% Perfect Girl, Vols. 10-11
By Wann
Published by NETCOMICS
Rating: 13+
Now firmly back in Jarte’s clutches, Jay falls ill from stress and fatigue, finally opening Jarte’s eyes to the monster he’s become. As he nurses her
back to health, the two slowly reconcile, though not without emptying their frustrations out on each other along the way. With their long-awaited
wedding day finally on the horizon, it seems as though Jay and Jarte might actually find an awkward kind of peace together. Unfortunately, Jarte’s
enemies still have one last trick in store.
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