Customer Reviews

Princess Ai Volume 3: Evolution (Princess AI (Tokyopop)) (v. 3)

5 star:		(3)
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3 star:		(1)
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First, a general warning:Lately, Tokyopop has been sticking small pamphlets into thier books. This usually isn't a problem, but in my Princess Ai 3, the pamphlet left a stain on the page that resembles blood. All other 7 copies at the store were stained too. I don't know if this happened in all of them, but I'd check.

Onto the Review:
When we left off in Volume 2, we knew that we had a lot of plot to get through in the final volume. Ai only just started confronting her past for real, after all, instead of skirting around the issue by chasing a singing career. The series' pacing was ideal up until this last volume. Since they had to cram everything in, little makes as much sense as it would have if they'd bothered to given it some importance or explanation previously. If we had maybe two more books to let the conflict and emotional growth thing work itself out, Princess Ai would have read better over all. But no, it's a confusing marathon of answering dozens of secrets and ignoring key characters in 200 pages.

There are a lot of questions surrounding Book 3's material. What's going on with Nora and Kent? What is Fa'an's purpose? Why are the Furies so important? What's going to happen with haybusa's scheme and those crazy condemners/worshippers of Ai? What the heck is up with her box? Some of these questions go unanswered, while some are addressed-but even then it's usually a lame explanation that has no real merit. The conclusion will be a head scratcher- it's more speculation than an ending. Like many any other parts of the book it has a "look, this is just the way we say it is, now accept it so we can get this done!" kind of feel to it.

A few other comments-The lyrics aren't half as good as the first two books. The art is as beautiful as ever, and what's really spectacular is the extras. There's gorgeous paper dolls, and 4 colored pictures with the same cool/gothic/beautiful glamour that the artist has always shown in her illutrations. The coverage on the Princess Ai cosplayers in the back is also very interesting.

Overall, Princess Ai was excellent in the beginning and middle, but collapsed at the end. If only they had spent more time and more books giving us the story with better timing and coherency, Princess Ai could have been legendary for a great plot and art instead of just the latter. It's a disappointment, but at least most of it was good while it lasted.

A young, amnesiac girl known only as Princess Ai is mysteriously transported to Tokyo, Japan. With only a heart-shaped box to clue her to her past, Ai works as a rock star at Club Cupid. She finds love with a sensitive musician, Kent, althoug Kent's gay possessive roommate, Hikaru doesnt like it. But Hikaru is the least of Ai's worries when gun-toting talent agents and demons seeking to take control of Ai's homeland, Ai Land, are hot on her trail.

Over all great book it needs to come back stronger. Rummors have it that three other books/series will be released in summer and Fall of 2008, Princess Ai: Encounters, Princess Ai of Ai-land, and Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn (fall).

I love the the series Princess Ai!! Ai is a Princess from another world and pretty much isn't human. But she ends on earth somehow and ends up finding a really hot guy that likes her too. Some bad guys and bad girls are after her trying to bring her back home and some are trying to kill her. And plus while all this is happening she sings on stage for her fans. She's loved by everyone because of her beautiful voice. Well, I've pretty much said it all now it's your duty to CHECK IT OUT! Also did I mention her unique clothing line!

the book came in great condition it was wonderfull no missing or damaged pages and no dents or scratches to the cover the packing it came in was very nice and i appreciated the speed in which i recieved this purchase the item looked very nice and i was glad to have it complete my collection