▪	RELEASED BY:		BROCCOLI BOOKS
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		SEKIHIKO INUI
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / B&W
		▪	PAGES:		224
		▪	RATING:		13+
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		12/10/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		10/17/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		HOLLY ELLINGWOOD

Betrayed by her own brother, Alita tries to hide her heartbreak while struggling to help Falis overcome her despondency and self-doubt over having lost her duel against the monstrous Black Knight. The revelation about special keys to a legendary treasure turns Alita and her kingdom into one giant target for the ambitious and the greedy. Can these two women save each other in time to save their kingdom?

The final volume of this brief but fantastic series comes to an action packed and intrigue filled conclusion.  Both heroines are dealing with hard issues, self-doubt, and unease over what to do. The self-doubts the earlier defeat has cost them may end up costing Alita even more when murders are occurring in the kingdom and the clues point to Falis. A sexy but evil witch, the truth behind the Black Knight, and the reveal of Alita’s special treasure all raise the bar for the climatic finale.

There’s great tense action in this final volume. The art work shines with the beautiful murder princess in battle. There’s even a very sexy and deadly image of Falis in her correct body on the full color cover page. The manga hits some surprises and unexpected moments with the characters. Readers get a fuller view of Falis’ past and the reason she became the vengeful woman she is today. But the most surprising is the choice Alita makes during the battle between her brother and Falis. The manga series on a whole was briefer than wanted for such a great story and characters, but it does come to a good resting point while still leaving the door wide open for a sequel (we can only hope!). It holds unexpected touching moments with the characters for such an action driven series and the art style is superb.

IN SUMMARY:
Betrayal, death, and surprises all around in the stunning conclusion of Murder Princess! Stellar fantasy sword action and captivating female leads make this manga a must read.