 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | TOKYOPOP | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | KAISHAKU | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | JAPANESE / B&W | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 192 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | M | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 05/13/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 05/08/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
A bloody destiny, a forbidden love and the fate of the world hang in the balance of two young women in Kannazuki no Miko, the cult manga that inspired the internationally acclaimed anime. At an elite school in a quiet town everything is about to change. Sweet and innocent Himeko, a poor girl from an abused past, finds solace with her secret friend, the rich and much admired dark beauty Chikane. Like light and dark, they are as two halves of a whole, complimenting each other perfectly. But that symmetry comes at a price. When strange people show up using giant machines to create devastation and chaos, these two girls are about to discover on the eve of their sixteenth birthday that they share more than friendship, more than hidden desires, they also share a fate mired in tragedy and despair. Kannazuki no Miko is unlike any manga you’ll ever read. It has robots but I wouldn’t classify it as mecha. It has romances but this not a shoujo. It has action but it’s the drama that stands out. It is a brief manga series of only a couple of volumes and yet it packs a bigger punch than most books that go on into the two digits. In many ways the story reveals itself to be many things and its true nature is part of the mystery to be discovered. The story starts off fairly formulaic, with two girls, a boy and a love triangle during a sudden attack from unknown enemies. But the tale is so much more. By the end of the first volume, the love triangle is revealed to be quite different than what is typically expected. The mecha scenes in the story are brief so far, the battles fierce but fast and since in a way they are personifications of mythical deities and monsters of ancient Japan, they too are not quite what they appear on the surface. The two girls also are not just ordinary girls but the reincarnated priestesses of the sun and the moon. However what happened in the past between the Lunar and Solar priestesses is shrouded in secrecy and blood. The present may prove to be the same when Chikane is pushed to do something shocking and horrific with her reasons as yet to be made known. The manga is not for the light hearted. It quickly becomes a compelling tale with a brutality within it that is gut wrenching. Many readers will be shocked at the final pages of the first volume. Although this can be classified as a yuri (lesbian) themed story, it is not the frills and pastels of such fare as Strawberry Panic or Maria-sama ga Miteru. Kannazuki no Miko is a harshly dramatic and edgy tale that is heart rending and riveting from the very first page. It has a gorgeous and lush illustrative style that makes it an obvious choice for anime adaptation. Kaishaku has a detailed evocative style that has been present in all their series including Steel Angel Kurumi and UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie. Kannazuki no Miko is a hard hitting drama, with action, mystery, and an ominous fate for two girls trapped by a destiny filled with potential despair. In a surprise bonus, the manga has the first four pages in full eye-catching color. It also has the mecha design illustrations at the back of the manga.
IN SUMMARY:
It’s a hard hitting dramatic action series that will shock and captivate readers. It is a must-have for yuri fans.
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