Title: Angelic LayerVolume: 1 (of 5)
Creator: CLAMP
Format: Unflipped
Original Publisher: KADOKAWA SHOTEN
US Publisher: Tokyopop
Release Date: 6/25/02
Pages: 200
ISBN: 193151447
MSRP: $9.99
Genre: Action/Fantasy
Rated: A (All Ages)
Description: 12-year-old Misaki is beginning school in Tokyo. Upon arriving in the city she spots a competition being broadcast called Angelic Layer - the latest high tech battle game fought by using dolls (Angels). Enchanted with one of the Angels she sees fighting, Misaki is inspired to create her own Angel and it leads her on an adventure that she never in her wildest dreams would have thought possible!
Now Misaki has entered the tournament with her doll, Hikaru, and together they plan to take the sport by storm!
Contains Chapters 1-5:
- Battle 1
- Battle 2
- Battle 3
- Battle 4
- Battle 5
Review:
Cover: The cover for the first Manga of Angelic Layer is one of the nicer original covers that Tokyopop first released. First off we have a solid blue background, with a faint white light. The top we have the Series Title, kept to the original logo. Under that we have a big image of Misaki looking very cheerful (isn’t she cute!!!). Sitting on Misaki’s hand is her Angel, Hikaru. To the left of Misaki we have the Manga Volume. To this series however, they made the Volume name Original. We have a nice little Angel Egg with “Battle 1” written on it. The bottom has the Mangaka. To the side we have the usual Tokyopop side bar.
The Spine looks just as nice as the Cover. From the top to bottom we have the Tokyopop logo, the Series Title, a full shot of Hikaru, the Mangaka, and the Volume Number. I really like the full shot of Hikaru, a very big bonus on the cover.
The back of the cover has the same background. There is a little cedar color box with the summary in it. To the right of that we have a nice big, full shot of Hikaru. To the bottom left of Hikaru is the 100% Authentic Manga Stamp.
One thing I REALLY love about this cover is the finish of it. The texture of the book has a glossy feel to it, as well as a smooth creamy feel.
All in all, this cover has to be one of my favorites that Tokyopop has done.
Artwork: The Artwork of Angelic Layer is another masterpiece. When it comes to CLAMP’s style of drawing, it’s just pure perfection. Angelic Layer is no exception. The battle scenes run very nice and smooth. Characters are nicely drawn. It even has some abstract shots with Misaki at school which is nice and pleasant to see from CLAMP.
Translation: What I love about Tokyopop is they have yet to ruin any of CLAMP’s works. The translation of Angelic Layer is so dead on; it’s like reading the original. It even leaves in all the references from the CLAMP universe. The only problem I have is the Sound Effects. Some Sound Effects are left in, while others are translated. It would have been nice to have it consistent, but at least the CLAMP Universe Plotline was left in tact.
Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): Angelic Layer begins with a nice smooth start. Misaki moves to Tokyo where she is to go live with her aunt. When she gets off at the wrong train station, she witnesses an Angel battle on a TV. There she meets this strange man in a lab coat, Icchan, who tells her all she needs to know about playing in Angelic Layer. Misaki uses all her money on an Angel Egg and has to call her aunt for a ride home. That night, Misaki makes her own Angel and names it Hikaru.
The next day while Misaki is going to school, Misaki runs into a girl named Hatoko, who also plays Angelic Layer. Hatoko is only in Kindergarten. Hatoko’s brother, Koutarou, shows up and tells his sister to go to school. Koutarou and Misaki head to school together, since they are both in the same class. When they arrive at school, Misaki meets Tamayo, a girl who seems to always beat up Koutarou for some odd reason.
After school, Misaki runs into Icchan again, and he gives her some material to make some clothes for Hikaru. It takes Misaki several hours to make the clothes, but Hikaru is then finally complete.
The next day, Icchan takes Misaki to the Angelic Layer store where she practices for 2 hours with Hikaru. Misaki learns a lot in those two hours, so Icchan enters Misaki in a small tournament.
At the tournament, Hikaru goes up against some cat-like Angel. Misaki still has a little trouble using Hikaru in battle. She eventually figures out how to control her Angel better and wins the match.
Misaki is then entered into a bigger Tournament. Her first match is up against Hatoko. Hatoko does not go easy on Misaki, and Misaki loses the match. Misaki has only one more chance if she wants to make it all the way to the finals. In the second match for Misaki, she goes up against a pop star, Ringo Seto. Ringo uses the Angel Lanka. Lanka and Hikaru begin their duel, and they both look evenly matched.
The manga ends with a cliffhanger (Those always suck). The manga is done rather nicely. It kept me interested all the way to the very end, and it made me want to read more of the later volumes. All in all, this was another great start of another great series brought to you by CLAMP.
Objectionable Content:
- Language: No
- Violence: Yes
- Nudity: No
- Sexual Situation: No
Overall Rating: 5 (Out of 5)
Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 11/26/03
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