About the Mangaka
Sadly no real information available on Ueda Rinko. If you have any please drop me a line
About the Manga
On it’s own there’s nothing really special about this volume, but if read as part of the Tail of the Moon series it sets a good stage, and answers a lot of questions.
I liked this volume, a lot. As I said it’s nothing special on it’s own, generic and predictable through out. However it really comes into it’s own when you read it as volume zero of the Tail of of the Moon series.
Ueda’s art style has grown on me, and I’m not sure if this was done first or later, but the art in this volume is a lot better than the early volumes of the series. Maybe as a single volume she was able to spend more time on it?
All of the characters are well drawn and consistent in their designs through out.
That said, there are some subtle changes to the characters in this volume, they have a more serious feel to them, lacking the cartoony atmosphere and design of the series.
It’s not a huge thing, but it does give the volume a different feel to that of the series. I also noticed slight character alterations, but that can be answered when you consider the time difference between the prequel and volume one of the series.
One of the elements that I really loved in this volume was Kaguya, aka Sara. Her design in this volume is perfect. She has a soft child like feel, but always a strong under current to her. I really liked the childlike way she acts in the first part of the volume.
As for the second, when the revelations come, and she changes, the facial expressions she has are amazing. You really do get to see her emotions playing across her face.
The story, on it’s own isn’t that great. However I do like it, but then I’m a sucker for shojo stories and tend to be a hell of a lot more forgiving with them hehe.
The thing about this volume that I loved was that, to me at least, it’s sole purpose was to explain Sara and Hanzo’s relationship. Which it does very well, it helps you to understand the relationship between her and the two Hanzo’s in the series, something I have to admit I’ve wanted to understand for a while.
It’s a perfect lead in for the series, and the collection isn’t complete without it.
Sadly, Viz have carried on their recent back slide with this volume, and have translated and edited the SFX’s, and while in this volume it’s not so bad, I do still hate it. Manga should be as pure as possible, and this is one of those unnecessary and pointless changes that lessens the true manga experience.
English SFX’s just look wrong in manga, especially when you consider how awesome the original japanese ones are, and the way they usually fit in with the scenery.
The translation is a bit odd at times, but to be honest I very rarely worry over the shojo teams work these days. They consistently do excellent work (unlike the shonen slobs).
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