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Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane Let's start with a refresher on Hisaya Nakajo's Sugar Princess: Maya, an eighth-grader who'd never figured skated before vol. 1, has enough natural talent to mimic a jump she saw on TV, and to do it well enough that she catches the eye of a skating coach. The coach doesn't stop at deciding that Maya is a diamond in the rough; instead, he pairs her with Shun, a famous ex-pairs skater who switched to mens' singles after his sister (and previous partner) died. If you can suspend your disbelief over Maya's incredible innate talent (which isn't that hard, especially since this volume makes less of a big deal out of it than the first one did), volume 2 is an enjoyable read. Shun begins getting used to the idea of skating with Maya, just in time for them to train intensively; they've agreed to enter a competition, with the understanding that the rink they train at will be shut down if they don't place well. The stakes are high, but amid the training and the actual competition Nakajo takes the time to show us things like Maya figuring out what to do about a skating costume (she has no idea, and worse, no money) and Shun meeting Maya's family for the first time. Nakako's depictions of the actual skating continue to be one of the highlights in this series, although her cute between-chapters sketches of real skaters have disappeared. Her enthusiasm for skating is still very apparent, though; most of the book's side notes involve anecdotes from her research. If you're looking for a pleasant series that doesn't require a long-term investment, Sugar Princess (complete at two volumes) may be the one for you. 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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