5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sure to gain legions of fans, April 27, 2011
This review is from: Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 1 (Paperback)
Rikuo Nura's dad died when he was a young boy, but he does not feel the loss so acutely because he has been raised by such a large family. There is one little wrinkle, however: The Nura Clan are yokai! Yokai are supernatural beings straight out of Japanese mythological tradition, but in the present age it's not as if Rikuo can just tell his classmates about, say, his latest game of hide and seek with the Yuki-Onna (Snow Woman). Talk about embarrassment. Worse still, it turns out that his Grandpa Nurarihyon is a yokai boss, and Rikuo himself is one-fourth yokai.
In this volume, Rikuo discovers his yokai heritage, and the rest of the Clan discovers that being one-fourth yokai means that Rikuo can become a leader worth following precisely one-fourth of the time. The other three-fourths of his life he is just an ordinary schoolboy who is intent upon denying his destiny as the future head of the Nura Clan. Unfortunately, he soon discovers upon starting middle school that his friends are arguably more obsessed with yokai than he is...and that he it will be awfully hard indefinitely hiding the truth from his friends.
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan is creator Hiroshi Shiibashi's first major work. He got his start in the manga business as one of Hirohiko Araki's assistants. The stylistic influence of the master upon the onetime apprentice is palatable, and the Nura shares a measure of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's quirky yet charismatic artistic detail. This, combined with the classic Shonen Jump fantasy-action formula, has produced a surefire hit worthy of the likes of other SJ blockbusters Naruto and One Piece. The animated adaptation, also available in English adaptation, will only further cement its popularity.
Some shounen manga ease into their creative rhythm gradually, with the first few volumes fumbling about trying to find that sweet spot halfway between durable momentum and renewable suspense. This is not one of those titles. Nura hits the ground at an all-out sprint, and all of the most important tropes are in place before the end of the first volume. The effect is as admirable from the standpoint of a critic as it is engrossing from the standpoint of a casual manga reader.
Thus, Nura's translation/adaptation was a bit of a surprise. Most Shonen Jump titles published by Viz Media seem to have been adapted with the widest possible audience in mind. This manga, however, reads as if it has been written by fans, for fans. For example, there is a reference to "the sakura tree in our yard," and the Japanese word sakura in this context means "cherry," as in "cherry tree." There is no conceivable reason why this word should not be translated, save that many manga fans are already familiar with the word in Japanese. The jury is still out as to whether hailing the fans so brazenly is a winning strategy, but there is not the slightest doubt that this manga is sure to accumulate legions of fans. Highly recommended.
-- Casey Brienza
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fated to be the new Yokai Leader, but only 1/4 Yokai himself, March 12, 2011
This review is from: Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 1 (Paperback)
Reason for Reading: I love yokai! These are a class of spirits, demons, or monsters from Japanese folklore which range from evil to mischievous. Some are vile and wicked, others can be cute and fun. They can be anything from a massive ogre to an animated umbrella.
An exciting beginning to a new manga series! Riku is 3/4 human and grew up in a house full of yokai, his grandfather is the supreme commander of the Nura clan. Growing up Riku has heard all the tales and thinks that the yokai are cool, special and the good guys but once he starts school he learns differently. He speaks up against someone who has done a report on the demons and tells the truth about his household, everyone laughs at him and doesn't believe him. He learns the truth at home. Five years pass and Riku is a young bespectacled teenager, who is supposed to take over as the leader of the Nura Yokai clan but he refuses to have anything to do with them. Being 3/4s human, this is easy for him to do but somehow that 1/4 yokai blood comes out every once in a while and that 1/4 of Riku is very different and *he* wants to be the leader he is meant to be.
For a first volume this is packed with story and background. Much happens and I was drawn into the world right away. Riku's city has a high amount of yokai activity so we see them popping up frequently and a rival clan comes to town to challenge Riku's leadership causing an instant conflict. Riku is a complex character wanting no part of the evilness of yokai, yet protecting his clan from being found out by school mates. He battles emotionally with the repugnance of the evil that some yokai do and the petty thievery of others, while at the same time obviously loving and caring for the yokai he has grown up with. On top of that, there is plenty of humour from many sides. The story is light but can get intense, though not dark, at this point anyway. I had a real fun time with this one and see that there is a steady publication release for future volumes throughout the year. I can't wait for volume two!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Nurarihyon no Mago, February 21, 2011
This review is from: Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 1 (Paperback)
This is one of my favorite series,it's good i'm finally going to collect some hard copies..to those who have now started the series..stick with it..you will grow to love it.
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