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Sunday, 18 February 2007 |
 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | DEL REY | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | AKIRA SEGAMI | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | JAPANESE FORMAT / BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 195 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | T | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 12/04/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 02/19/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | CHRISTOPHER SEAMAN | | |
He is dedicated to the code of the ninja. Yet his heart is proving to be a far greater menace than any one enemy ever could. Kagetora, a young ninja given the job of tutoring a young, awkward, but very cute heiress named Yuki in the martial arts has a difficult job, as Yuki’s awkwardness on the training floor is matched only by the difficulties both she and her mentor face in denying their growing love for each other. With Kagetora’s job and the honor of his clan at stake, both must struggle to keep an emotional distance even though Fate seems determined to bring them together. It doesn’t help that temptation is put all too readily in his way, however, and thus begins another volume of KAGETORA, from Del Rey.
In Volume Four, Kagetora receives visits from his brother and one of Yuki’s relatives, who both test him and his resolve to stay true to his honor and Yuki. Of course, being Kagetora, it can get pretty wild, especially when he accompanies Yuki to a summer fair and ends up competing with her in a no-holds barred couples race. Also, when Yuki accidentally mistakes sake for juice and gets herself drunk, she takes on Kagetora in a sword duel…and holds her own! The going gets tough later, though, when Yuki seeks to fulfill a quest to climb a steep set of stairs up a large hill to see the first sunrise of the new year. Will Kagetora leave her to her own devices and honor her wish to accomplish this task alone? Sorry, this reviewer is not saying…
KAGETORA remains a manga well suited for the young teen crowd targeted in the 13+ rating on the back jacket. It continues to appeal to anyone seeking a romantic comedy with a dose of Asian martial arts thrown in for good measure. The pace remains fast, making this manga a quick read. It is becoming much more engaging, though, as the story progresses. The conflict within Kagetora and Yuki over their place in each other’s lives and the love that is clearly growing between them is building swiftly. How might this be resolved in the future? Are we in store for a tragic ending to this story? One hopes not, for these characters have grown in the story to the point where devoted readers would have a hard time not being engaged in their plight.
As in earlier volumes , KAGETORA remains free of extreme violence and language. The artwork is likewise clean, with images and panel developments that are uncluttered and easy to follow. For example, during a poignant flashback sequence, the gutters and borders of the frame are black, making the memory scene easy to recognize for what it was. This sequence, which goes far to explain how Kagetora first began to grow as a ninja in training, is among the most emotional in the whole story so far. One wonders what other emotional wallops may be heading our way after reading this.
IN SUMMARY:
KAGETORA: VOLUME FOUR balances action and young love in a fine display of deftly drawn art and breezy writing. It continues to capture the attention of the reader, playing to our hearts and tickling our funny bones at the same time. |
