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Tamaki Otoya is a high school student who is also a Shinto shaman in training. With his future career as an exorcist already decided, Tamaki is still somewhat conflicted about his destiny.

An early work by the creator of Fruits Basket, Phantom Dream (a.k.a. Genei Musou) shows hints of Natsuki Takaya's future promise as a manga-ka, but it is far from the polished and well-crafted storytelling fans have come to love.

It's a so-so horror series that shows hints of Takaya's future successes, but lacks the heart and humor that makes her latter works so compelling. Strictly for hardcore fans.



Pros

• Provides an interesting glimpse into Natsuki Takaya's artistic evolution
• A straight-forward supernatural shojo horror story that mixes tragedy and drama

Cons

• One-dimensional characters who have almost no chemistry with each other
• Relies on shojo manga and horror plot clichés without offering anything new

Description

• Original Title:Genei Musou (Japan)
• Author & Artist: Natsuki Takaya
• Publishers:
  • TokyoPop (US)
  • Hakusensha (Japan)
• ISBN: 978-1427810892
• Cover Price: $9.99 US / $10.99 CANADA
• Age Rating:OT – Older Teens, Age 16+ for supernatural violence, mature themes
  More about content ratings.
• Manga Genres:
  • Shojo (Girls') Manga
  • Drama
  • Mystery / Suspense
  • Paranormal / Supernatural
• US Publication Date: December 2008
  Japan Publication Date: February 1996
• Book Description: 208 pages, black and white illustrations
• More Manga by Natsuki Takaya:
  • Fruits Basket
  • Those With Wings (Tsubasa o Motsu Mono)

Guide Review - Phantom Dream Volume 1

Well, she had to start somewhere. That's what I kept thinking as I read through Phantom Dream (a.k.a. Genei Musou), an early work by Natsuki Takaya, the creator of Fruits Basket. <i>Furuba</i> is one of the most popular shojo manga series ever thanks to Takaya's deft mix of drama, comedy and romance. Her stories are addictive reads that leave her fans craving more.

TokyoPop opted to bring Phantom Dream to English-speaking audiences hoping to tempt Furuba fans into reading more from their favorite comics creator. That's generally a good thing, but remember, it's rare that a manga-ka comes out of the gate drawing and writing their first stories at the same level of skill that's seen in their later works.

Phantom Dream centers on high school student Tamaki Otoya, the last in a long line of Shinto shamans who protect humans from vengeful spirits and help tormented souls find peace. With guidance from his mother and help from his cheerful girlfriend Asahi, Tamaki battles restless and dangerous souls, while trying to come to terms with his powers and responsibilities.

You'll see a few hints of Takaya's nascent storytelling style in Phantom Dream, and characters who will remind you of cheerful Tohru, scheming Shigeru and brooding Kyo. There are also a few echoes of the parent/child angst that is such a big part of Fruits Basket. But compared to Furuba, Phantom Dream is a darker and less deftly-told story. The art looks awkward and busy, and the characters flounder as they try to find a compelling reason to interact with each other. There's seeds of something interesting here, but time will tell if they'll blossom into something more compelling in later volumes.

While not completely horrible, at this point Phantom Dream Volume 1 is strictly for die-hard fans and curiosity-seekers with $10 burning a hole in their pocket.



Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.