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Reviewed by Dan Polley In “Miki Falls: Spring,” the latest original English language work from Mark Crilley, creator of the “Akiko” series, the main character, Miki, tries to befriend the newest student at her high school. But when she goes out of her way to make the new boy — who, by the way, is tall, dark and handsome — feel comfortable, she is rebuffed by his admonitions that he simply wants to be left alone. And Miki spends a great deal of her time trying to make Hiro Sakurai open up. After she is finally successful, the two find themselves breaking off the friendship after Miki catches a glimpse of his secret. When she does, she sets her plans into motion to learn more about him, especially after he cuts all his ties with her. But when his secrets become known to her, he’s forced to make a decision he may soon regret. Crilley makes the characters jump off the page and become more than just archetypes. Still, there are parts that have been trodden to death. While Miki’s best friend, Yumi, plays a role in the volume, it really seems to focus far too much on Miki and Hiro. If other, secondary characters played a larger role in the volume, it would have freshened up a volume that singularly focused on the Miki-Hiro relationship. Crilley’s art is aimed at teens, but that doesn’t mean that anyone older than that won’t enjoy it, too. The volume is smart, funny and endearing. It’s a very quick read and part of that is because the volume is a tad shorter than most manga. Despite that, the volume is a good start for the series, which is planned to span four volumes, one for each season. It’s a generally light-hearted and uplifting story that readers teens and above will enjoy. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
8 April 2011
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