Fairy Cube: Vol. 3

by Kaori Yuki

Synopsis
Ian and Rin used to just see spirits. Now Ian is one. Using the Fairy Cube, Ian must figure out how to stop the lizard-spirit Tokage from taking over his life and destroying any chance he has of resurrection.

The Last Wing
Will Ian save Rin? Can he stop Tokage? Ian only has one chance left to get his life back!

Review
This is a pretty good series. It ends well and is a good read. There's nothing annoying or cliche about it, but there's also nothing spectacular about it.

The basics of this final volume is that the fairy god wants to recreate Faerie on earth, and to be resurrected, and he doesn't care who he kills or uses to get what he wants. Some of the minor players like Shira, the daughter of the president of the Gotoh Group, and Kaito, the mysterious man who helped Ian get his revenge, all have their own motives as well. The best part, though, is finding out what really happened to Ian and Tokage's mother, why she abandoned Tokage, and why she disappeared. It ends about how I expected, and was acceptable.

There's also a bonus story called Psycho Knocker, that actually is a side-story to this manga. It chronicles what Isaiah (you'll know who he is by the end of the main story) and Raven have been doing since the end of the story. It's pretty interesting, and I think it was a good inclusion and was well done. I'm glad it's not a regular series, because it would have too easily become a monster-of-the-week story.

Final thought: A good series that's worth reading, but not good enough to own.

Fairy Cube: Vol. 2

by Kaori Yuki

Synopsis
Ian and Rin used to just see spirits. Now Ian is one. Using the Fairy Cube, Ian must figure out how to stop the lizard-spirit Tokage from taking over his life and destroying any chance he has of resurrection.

Crown of Thorns
Tokage has troubles of his own when he gets involved with the Gotoh Group, conspiratorial fairies aiming at world domination.


Review
This is really a very fascinating manga. There's nothing wrong with it, very little that bothers me, and it continues to be interesting. I especially love the use of Celtic mythology that gives it a more authentic flavor. It's interesting that some characters, whose purpose was unknown become more developed. I'd actually like to see more of that, more about fairy characters and what life is like in the fairy world. But I probably won't, because that would shift the focus of the story too much.

There is just one little thing that bothers me, and that is the author's layouts. Sometimes things happen, and it doesn't flow in my mind, so I have to stop and re-read, to make sure I understand. Sometimes, I think if the author would show just a little bit more, I wouldn't get so confused.

Final thought: I'll read the next volume.

Fairy Cube: Vol. 1

(aka, Yousei Hyouhon, Fairy Specimen)
by Kaori Yuki

Synopsis(from the back of the book)
Ian and Rin used to just see spirits. Now Ian is one. Using the Fairy Cube, Ian must figure out how to stop the lizard-spirit Tokage from taking over his life and destroying any chance he has of resurrection.

Rebirth
Ian is transported to another world by the fairy Ainsel, who promises to help him stop Tokage upon their return to the human plane.


Review
That's a rather useless synopsis. What is should read is: Ian can see the fairy world, but no one believes him, even to the point that they call him "Ian the liar." Rin is the only person who would believe him, and because of her belief, he can help her and others see the things he can. Ian also has an "other" attached to him, Tokage, who has green hair and red eyes. Tokage is jealous of what Ian has, and plots to take it away from him.

Anyway, the point is, he succeeds, and now Ian has to get his body back before Tokage destroys the world. This story is really interesting, and I'm really curious to see where it goes. There's nothing that really irritates me about it, which is nice for a change. Ainsel has her irritating moments though. She's a little too bitchy for my taste. It's pretty cliche, actually, and I tire of the bitchy woman cliche.

What's not explained is Tokage's motivations for everything. I can understand that he was jealous and wanted a life of his own, where he could interact with the world, but it seems that he wants to go farther than that. It better not be that he's evil for evil's sake. I will hate it for that.

One little remark about the layouts. I found myself getting really lost in the beginning, about who was talking, and what it was in relation to. I think it's because the author isn't always that great about separating one scene from another, so in my mind, they bleed together. Once I got farther in the book, it wasn't nearly such a problem, and in re-reading it, the beginning was a lot clearer.

It seems like the story is really building towards something, and I really want to find out what's going to happen!

Final thought: I have to get the next book.