Hiroki Ugawa

Ugawa Hiroki’s story is usually seen as a seinen action comedy, but I always thought of it as a supernatural slice-of-life romance. In the fine tradition of many early 2000s dating sims, the story revolves around a loner teenage dude (Amatsu Tadahiro, usually referred to as Hiro) who returns to the home of his childhood and some of the girls he left heartbroken in his wake. In this case, the brokenhearted is his cousin Yuzu who is painted to be a fiery but loveable tsundere, as well as his closest childhood friend. Yuzu is the middle child of three girls: Kurako, the eldest, is quiet, thoughtful and spiritually driven and has made it her goal to bring the two star-crossed lovers back together. She reminds me of a cross between Belldandy and Toudou Shimako. Yuzu’s younger sister Tama-chan is the fun rascal who dotes on “Hiro Onii-chan” but often speaks with a maturity beyond her years. Actually she very closely resembles Yukino’s sister Kana from Kare Kano, except she isn’t a manga geek. Their father, in his insane knee-jerk reactions to everything, sketchy behavior and extreme unpopularity could easily be mistaken for Shimura-sensei of Azamanga Daioh! fame. A chapter or two into the series, we’re introduced to the girls’ mother Miyuki. I’m not at all sure how to describe Miyuki since she isn’t given a lot of dialogue in this volume. She’s really rather unlike other manga moms: she arrives on the scene with a samurai-like speed, agility and appearance, wielding a bouken and saves Hiro from becoming breakfast to a giant cyclops. The reader’s told she’d been sent to Izumo, so one might infer she’s a gifted Shinto priestess, but it’s not at all clear at this point. Finally, we’re introduced to Koma-san, a mysterious short-tempered but otherwise solemn woman who claims to have known Hiro’s father, though he had died before Hiro was born and this woman looks to be in her mid-to-late 20s. The way Koma is drawn, I can’t help but be reminded of Yumura Kirika, except Koma is endowed with some rather annoying feline qualities. No doubt inspired by a little known game at the time, Tsukihime.

The plot is tragically quite thin. Hiro has been traveling, searching out his way in life and has finally come home to the quiet town of his childhood (Miyoshi, in Hiroshima Prefecture). His cousins, the Hieda sisters put him up for the night but are hesitant to let him go since it’s obvious Yuzu still has feelings for him. From the moment he arrives, Hiro is hellhounded by a mysterious sorcerer who wears a tengu mask and summons a host of cruel-intentioned spirits to eliminate Hiro and his spiritual potential before it upsets the balance of something or other. Tengu-san and Hiro have many annoying random encounters in which Tengu-san is always easily defeated by the sisters, and a completely incompetent but nevertheless unappreciative Hiro is saved from certain doom in the nick of time. One might compare Hiro to Morisato Keiichi, except Hiro’s not all that nice or mature. He’s also unmoved by Yuzu’s total red-faced embarrassment whenever he’s around, though he obviously remembers what transpired between them five years ago. Yuzu’s mom and sisters are constantly trying to push Hiro and Yuzu together. That’s basically the entire plot.… (altro)

This is a fantasy with a touch of creepy monsters and it's pretty cute too. There's a touch of romance which adds some hilarious scenes to the story. Not much in the hot guy or cute animal department but there is a helpful black cat which appears late in volume 1. I have to say the genealogy chart they provide of the family doesn't make a whole lot of sense but then, it IS a fantasy, I guess! The story is fun and the art is nicely done. Will I read more? Yup! I have volume 3 on backorder and volume 4 is already in my possession - I bought 'em all.… (altro)

The first in a manga series. Tadahiro comes home to stay with his cousins Tama, Yuzu and Kurako. Spirits are attracted to him, especially evil ones, and his cousins want to protect him without having to perform an exorcism. They are priestesses who keep an eye on the spirit realm. Middle sister Yuzu and Tadahiro have a mysterious connection from a shared past before he left that her family attirbute to love. She seems to be able to sense when demons and spirits are attacking him.

Tadhiro feels abandoned. His father died when he was young and his mother never seems to have really been around. He is trying to learn more about the father he never knew and fit into a family life after spending so much time alone. There is the suggestion his father was evil and that Tadhiro's blood is traced from a long line of ancestors and has mixed in a new and interesting way.

I thought this was a great start to the series. It is beaitifully drawn and I will definitely be reading more as well as looking out for the anime based on it. I haven't really watched any anime before, but if it is like the manga I will be giving it a try.… (altro)