Merry Month of Shojo: MUGEN SPIRAL

Today we look at another Hana to Yume title, from a creator who would go on to write one of modern shojo's blockbusters.

MUGEN SPIRAL (Mugen Supairaru), by Mizuho Kusanagi.  First published in 2004 and first published in North America in 2007.

PLOT:

Ever since her parents died, Yayoi has dedicated herself to carrying on their legacy, using her powers as a mystic to seal away harmful demons.  Her first target was a demon called Uru, whom she sealed away in the form of a cat.  Uru wants revenge, but as the two fight more and more together against both hungry demons and Uru's treacherous family, the more he and Yayoi realize that they will need to work together to survive.

Merry Month of Shojo: SNOW WHITE WITH THE RED HAIR

Well...this is certainly not how I imagined things would be like for the site's 8th anniversary.

I mean, there have been some bright spots over the last year.  My Patreon continues to (slowly) grow, I finally got to do a panels at both Sakuracon and Otakon, and have met plenty of new folks.

And then...well...the virus happened, and with that went any plans for anime cons this year, any hopes of getting a new job, and even a lot of the focus I had for all the various other projects I was working on, and that's not even getting into how it's affecting the wider world.

That just means that it's all the more important that I deliver my usual merry month of reviews in celebration.  Once again, we're going to be devoting this month to shojo manga.  After all, we could all use a bit of joy, love, beauty and excessive amounts of floating sparkles in our lives, even if it's only experienced vicariously.

So let's not delay things further.  Let's kick off this year's Merry Month of Shojo with a series that just missed out on last year's Holiday Reviews.

SNOW WHITE WITH THE RED HAIR (Akagami no Shirayukihime), by Sorata Akiduki.  First published in 2006, and first published in North America in 2019.

PLOT:

Shirayuki is a humble healer whose bright red hair makes her a target for men who see her as a beautiful novelty.  While running away from a pompous prince who wishes to possess her, Shirayuki ends up befriending another runaway royal named Zen.  After helping to dispose of her unwanted suitor, Zen offers Shirayuki the opportunity to not only pursue further study, but the chance for all sorts of new adventure.

Review: THE PROMISED NEVERLAND

Despite choosing to focus on Weekly Shonen Jump manga this month, I actually don't read a lot of the long-running series that run in it.  It's not something I actively avoid, it's just that many of them don't appeal to me.  Thus, you can imagine my surprise when one of the magazine's biggest hits currently managed not only to capture my interest with its original look and premise, but retain it.

THE PROMISED NEVERLAND (Yakusoku no Neverland), written by Kaiu Shirai & art by Posuka Demizu.  First published in 2016 and first published in North America in 2017.

PLOT:

Emma loves her home, Grace Field House.  She loves all the other orphans who live there with her.  She loves her "Mom" Isabella, who cares for all the children with tender sweetness.  Aside from the daily academic tests, things couldn't be more lovely for her.  Then Emma and her friend Norman discover the bloody truth behind their idyllic world, and their world view is shattered.  At that point, they resolve to save all the children of Grace Field House while avoiding the ever-watchful eyes of Isabella, a feat far harder than they could possibly have realized.

Review: BOMBER GIRL

Of course, not every series that runs in Jump can be a success.  Sometimes series fail, and fail quickly.  This is one of the few examples of such to see print in English.

BOMBER GIRL (Bonba Garu), by Makoto Niwano.  First published in 1994 and first published in North America in 2003.

PLOT:

In a future Tokyo overrun with crime, bounty hunters compete to bring down the worst criminals with the biggest bounties.  The most notorious of them all is Rashomon Emi, a 19-year-old bombshell known for her custom tonfa sticks and her vicious, no-hold-barred attacks.  Time and time again she and her hapless neighbor/fellow bounty hunter Guy find themselves facing down the outrageous agents of Megalith, a band of terrorists determined to take over Tokyo and remold it in their own image.

Review: KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD

Of course, Weekly Shonen Jump has always had more than gag series and straightforward adventures.  It's been home to more than a few romance stories over the years.  It's just debatable how well they have aged (or even if they were any good to begin with).

KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD (Kimagure Orenji Rodo), by Izumi Matsumoto.  First published in 1984 and first published in North America in 2014.

PLOT:

Kyosuke was just wandering around the park in his new hometown when he met with Madoka.  He was instantly smitten with her, but has a hard time believing that the same sweet girl he met in the park could be a standoffish deliquent at school.  That doesn't stop him from crushing hard on her, something that only becomes more complicated when he ends up stumbling into a relationship with Madoka's spunky best friend Hikaru.  Can Kyosuke sort out his relationship problems and keep his family's psychic powers a secret?