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Tanabe Ierou: Kekkaishi vol. 01
The story of a teenage boy Yoshimori who is the heir of a house of "kekkaishi", people who can make metaphysical "barriers" to fight "ayakashi" (something mysterious and suspect, like monsters and ghosts). It's his job to patrol the school ground at night where a lot of ayakashi appear, attracted by the body of a nobleman who is burried under the school and gives the ayakashi strong powers. Yoshimori doesn't actually want to be the heir, though, and only patrols because he wants to protect Tokine, an older girl who lives next to his house and is also the heir of a kekkaishi.
And, um, that's it. I can't think of more to say about this, because although the premise is interesting, nothing much happens in this manga. Yoshimori and Tokino goes around defeating monsters and (at times) helping ghosts. It's not bad, and the characters and comic relief is all nice, but ... um. The art of the ayakashi is pretty Takahashi Rumiko inspired, but the general style is rather Ghibli-esque (actually, closer to Urushihara Yuki) and cute in a highly simple way. The fight scenes work. The touching sequences are adequate. But it's like ... it doesn't have much substance. When I had finished the volume, I thought it must have been something like 120 pages long though it's actually the standard length of a tankobon (about 190).
Nice for a laid-back read because you don't have to think much about what you're reading. A very typical Shonen Sunday manga, I suppose, and it wouldn't surprise me if it continued for 40 volumes in the same vein. Not that that would be a bad thing per se, but if it doesn't get more exciting soon I won't keep reading.
I love the cover design, though. It's very simple and cool.
Category: Shonen/seinen | Posted by Alicia at December 25, 2004 01:23 PM
Comments
Hmmm can't say I liked that manga....It had a pretty...watery taste if You know what I mean. And some scenes were so emotional (ze talks between Yoshimori and that dog-like guardian thingie of his), that they had no emotions in them at all...I seem to have problems with speaking crealy what I have in mind...Bad, bad sign.
Posted by: Atazure at January 4, 2005 12:14 AM