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Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane At only two volumes, Beast Master is the very definition of short and sweet. (Assuming, of course, that the second volume is at least reasonably similar to the first.) It has the kind of premise that at first glance elicits (in me, anyway) a "hmm, could be cute, but it'll probably get dragged out for way too long" response, so I'm glad that I knew the series' actual length before I cracked volume 1 open. Having said that, here's the premise: our heroine, Yuiko, is a good-hearted high school student whose love for animals is so intense that it sends them running in every direction but hers. Unlike her friends, she isn't particularly interested in boys--at least until she meets Leo, a transfer student who's just returned from abroad and whose life in another country has left him with an affinity for animals, a deadly survival instinct, and very little knowledge of how to function in Japanese society. Yuiko quickly realizes she's the only person at school who's not afraid of him, and then discovers that when Leo loses control of himself and attacks someone, she's also the only one who can calm him down. If you're getting the impression that there's basically nothing believable about Beast Master, you're pretty much right. It almost feels as if it ought to be a fantasy story, but...it isn't. Instead it's just completely implausible, but it has enough charm to compensate. (Although I should note that it seems to feed heavily into the stereotype of Japanese believing that other cultures are savage, what with Leo's actual behavior and the way Yuiko imagines his life away from Japan.) All of the charm I mentioned comes from the characters. Both Yuiko and Leo are endearing, and while most of the supporting cast fades into the background a bit, a character known as "Boss"--a gang leader who initially tries to pick a fight with Leo but immediately softens towards him--was really pretty awesome. As for the plot, I find my feelings on it are very neutral. I'm interested in reading volume 2, but that's because of how adorable Yuiko and Leo's relationship is, not because I'm dying to find out all about things like Leo's family history. But if that's what volume 2 is about, I'll be happy to go along for the ride. Volume 1 of Beast Master also includes one of Motomi's early stories, "Fly". Review copy provided by VIZ Media. 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 |
1 September 2010
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