▪	RELEASED BY:		TOKYOPOP
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		NANAE CHRONO
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / BW
		▪	PAGES:		192
		▪	RATING:		OT
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		08/07/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		09/11/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		CHRISTOPHER SEAMAN

There is a tradition in manga of historic epics featuring warriors, protracted swordfights, quests of vengeance and passion.  In anime and live action films, such as the classic works of Akira Kurosawa, there is no shortage period pieces that are rich in action and adventure.  Now you can make room on your bookshelves for one more book in the collection- PEACE MAKER, from TOKYOPOP.

Created by the talented Nanae Chrono, this manga is bristling with elements that have the makings of a popular title among fans of this historic genre of Japanese pop fiction.  The story has extra appeal in that it is based on the adventures of an actual warrior in the Meiji era Shinsengumi, a samurai group who acted as protectors in the country during the upheavals following Perry’s visit in the 1800s.  Another manga, RUROUNI KENSHIN, has already been created around his group.  Furthermore, an anime, PEACE MAKER KURAGANE, is already on its way, giving readers of this manga a sequel of sorts to follow.

So, with tie ins likes these, it seems that this manga is a great place to begin the adventure.  This six volume story is about Tetsunosuke and Tatsunosuke- brothers and orphans.  Their father was a diplomat murdered in his quest to bring peace to Japan during this turbulent period in its history, as it was ending centuries of isolation from foreign influences.  In this heady environment, Tatsu seeks to join the Shinsengumi, as much to put food on the table as anything else.  It is not a choice he is comfortable with, for these enforcers are every bit as brutal in their methods as the thugs who murdered his parents.  His brother Tetsu, however, is more determined to do so.  These people are the key to his seeking revenge for the murder of his parents.  So transparent is his desire, and so obnoxious is he to the very people he is seeking to join, he inadvertently ends up achieving his first goal after unknowingly challenging one of the top fighters in the group to a duel.  Despite losing horribly, he wins enough respect to win a place alongside his brother in the group. 

Yet, as we know, nothing in life is free.  The ways of the Shinsengumi, mysterious and brutal, are also soul-destroying.  Buying into this culture may cause Tetsu to lose his own humanity in his quest for revenge.  However, he also hears his brother telling him his destiny should be to become instead a Peace Maker, ending conflicts instead of creating more in his bloody wake.  This early in the story, it is far from certain what will happen, but if the title is anything to go by, one may suspect the latter course may prevail.  In the meantime, Tetsu must pay his dues, and stay out of trouble.  What are the odds of that happening?  Better to bet on real estate in the U.S. right now…

Of course, it is the combination of action, misadventure, flashbacks and political skullduggery that drives this story along.  Not full of any real surprises, and so far following a routine narrative formula, the content is safely predictable and designed to fit perfectly in with shelfmates in the same genre.  The art is typical of the kind of boy own adventure story one would expect.  Tetsu is a sloppily dressed barefoot ragamuffin with spiky hair, upturned nose and eyes that dance with anticipation of the next fight.  The other young men in the group are drawn as either your typical manga thug types or as pretty boy shoujo sorts with willowy bodies and uncertain sexual preferences.  Yes, there are women in the story, mostly in the form of live-in concubines who appear for one purpose only, or in the form of a young girl who barely escapes sexual slavery at the hands of debt collectors with the help of the ever impetuous Tetsu.  However, this is mostly a boys only clique, as would have likely been typical of the time in which the story was based.  The narrative flows swiftly, and wastes little time on sentiment in any form.  It is meant to be a rollicking adventure from the first frame and never strays from the intent of the author.

EXTRA:
A brief summary on Japan during this period appears at the end of the book, along with ads for more Tokyopop products.

IN SUMMARY:
PEACE MAKER is the highly charged and highly anticipated manga from Tokyopop that will have fans of period sword and wooden sandal adventures clamoring to their comic shops.  Slashing action and comic misadventures with a dark historic twist defines this as a real contender among popular new entries from Japan.  Don’t miss out on this one!