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SUGAR SUGAR RUNE (VOL. 5) |
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Thursday, 08 March 2007 |
 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | DEL REY | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | MOYOKO ANNO | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | JAPANESE FORMAT/ BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 208 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | T | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 01/30/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 03/09/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | CHRISTOPHER SEAMAN | | |
Vanilla and chocolate may make fine opposites in the flavor department, but in SUGAR SUGAR RUNE, the characters bearing these fanciful names are opposed to each other in more than just matters of taste. These two girls were once best friends. Now they are on opposite sides in a struggle between members of the Magical World and outcasts called Ogres. Volume Five of SUGAR SUGAR RUNE, published by Del Rey, continues this saga of sorcery for the younger set, notching up the tension to match the visually overwhelming sweetness of this ever enchanting shojo manga.
SUGAR SUGAR RUNE features pretty girls like Vanilla and Chocolat, going about wearing stylish clothes and casting spells with their wands (they look like candy canes capped with a heart-shaped jewel), to ‘take’ hearts of the humans around them in a contest to become the next Queen of the Magical World. The strain of this competition has damaged the close relationship these two shared, sending Vanilla into the clutches of the nasty Ogres, led by one darkly handsome creature named Pierre. In Volume Five, the story has gone a little sideways, with Vanilla sleeping through the whole volume, and the action focusing on Chocolat, who under Vanilla’s spell has ended up trapped with Pierre in a place called the Forgotten Path. Unless they escape soon, Chocolat will lose the contest, her powers, and all those dear to her. What happens in the course of this mis-adventure, however, ramps up the anxiety. Chocolat has fallen for Pierre. Chocolat has also found in this weird world the ancient witch Amber, who promises freedom for Chocolat from the Forgotten Path- at a price. Undertaking tests at Amber’s bidding, Chocolat is becoming one desperate witch in waiting by the end of the volume, and there is no certainty that she will prevail when the spells wear off.
This manga becomes better with each volume. The story is complex enough to hold the attention of young manga fans, and yet not so juvenile that adults cannot possibly be charmed by it as well. The flowery images and highly stylized character designs complement the text well, giving substance to a narrative that keeps growing in tension and complexity with each volume. Personally, I find myself looking forward to each edition as it comes out for reviewing, as it makes for a clean innocent break from some of the other worthy, but more weighty titles and their subject matter. For readers new to the series, Del Rey’s excellent summary of the characters, plot and props at the beginning put readers into the picture really fast, enabling them to read this story swiftly and enjoyably. The artwork is dynamic and richly textured, as is expected in shojo manga.
IN SUMMARY:
SUGAR SUGAR RUNE Volume Five builds on the sweet mix of wonder and love that brought fans to it in the first place. Filled with magic and mystery, it also gives young readers a tale that reflects sincerely on the value of friendship and love in one’s life. |
