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MY-HIME (VOL. 2) [ADVANCE REVIEW] |
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Sunday, 11 March 2007 |
 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | TOKYOPOP | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | SATO KEN-ETSU / KIMURA NOBORU | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | JAPANESE FORMAT/ BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 200 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | 18+ | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 03/13/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 03/12/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
The second volume of this racier and more adult themed manga version of the anime sees Natsuki joining the A-list Ori-HiME team, pitting her directly against Mai and the members of the Anti-Orphan Squad. The Ori-HiME leader isn’t happy with just that though, and sets her agent Nao to seduce Tate! Now Mai is battling the dangerous Nao to protect Yuuichi Tate’s virtue and Mitoko has her hands full when she is suddenly ambushed by a mysterious ninja. It all culminates into a battle royal between the Anti-Orphan Squad and the Ori-HiMe Squad with the loser having to leave Fuka Academy! If this volume proves anything, it’s that all’s not fair in love and war!
More risqué, more action, and a lot more fan service than the anime, this all new take on My HiME has energy to spare. These latest chapters are chalk full of action sequences and the beautiful ladies of My HiME at each other’s throats. For fans of the anime, there is a special introduction of Akane and Kazu as well as the appearance of the leader of the Anti-Orphan Squad – Midori! The big battle at the end may see not a building left standing at the academy but it sure is a lot of fun to see the girls of My HiME get this chance to run amuck in these pages. The end result will be a resolution between the squads that no one could expect. All of it rendered gorgeous with rich, glossy art work.
For all its fun, the manga series does have its serious side. There’s the painful past of Tate and his sister that still isn’t fully revealed and also Natsuki’s yearning to find out which Hime is responsible for her mother’s death. Although only a little bit of time is spent on these issues in these latest chapters, it should be expected that answers to their questions will come up soon as the manga series isn’t a long one. The story is also doing a good job of building up the Natsuki – Yuuichi – Mai triangle. With these recent battles the three grow closer and yet so much still keeps them apart.
Manga extras include text interviews with voice actress Saeko Chiba (voice of Natsuki) and Hiroyuki Yoshino (My-HiME TV Series Writer), and some pin-up art of Natsuki, Mai with Mikoto.
IN SUMMARY:
My HiME is a manga series that takes the characters of the anime into a whole new perspective. It’s fascinating to see this alternative version of the series that’s filled with exciting action sequences, fan service and underlying intrigue. |
