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Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane It's been a long, long time since I've read anything by Rumiko Takahashi, although of course I have a general familiarity with her work. As a rule I've preferred her shorter, darker stories to her long-running comedies, but Ranma ½ may have been my very first introduction to manga, back when friends began reading it in high school. However, having missed Inuyasha entirely, it's safe to say I'm really, really out of the Takahashi loop. Sitting down with the first volume of Rin-ne was a bit like running into a warm, friendly acquaintance I hadn't seen in about ten years. Takahashi's style is so distinctive, in more ways than just her artwork (which is, of course, immediately recognizable); while the characters don't specifically remind me of characters from her other work, they feel as if they'd fit right in in other stories. And like her other comedies, Rin-ne's basic plot is set up in such a way that the story could go on for a very long time. (And if Takahashi's earlier works are any indication, I daresay it will.) Rin-ne's heroine and viewpoint character is Sakuya, a high school student who's been able to see ghosts since she got lost in the woods as a child. It's an ability she's hoping to grow out of, but it seems like there's little chance of that, especially once she meets her classmate, Rinne, a red-haired boy no one else seems able to see. Rinne, who reluctantly describes himself as "a shinigami...sort of", is in the business of guiding stuck souls to their proper place in the afterlife, and Sakuya's curiosity and ability to see those souls--and other things--inevitably lead to her being caught up in Rinne's work. Volume 1 starts with two stories about ordinary ghosts, one of whom Sakuya has already been unwillingly interacting with on her own. The stories give readers just long enough to get to know Sakuya and Rinne a little bit before Takahashi begins adding more characters and more of Rinne's background. So far, Rin-ne is a fun, comfortable read, and pretty much what I expected. (Anyone who wants to see a self-fulfilling prophecy in there is free to do so.) I don't foresee falling in love with it, but I like the characters and am looking forward to the next volume. I'm also really pleased that VIZ is able to release online chapters simultaneously with the Japanese release; I hope it (and their other online releases) does well for them. Volume 1 of Rin-ne includes a page of cultural and translation notes. 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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