Saint Tail #1 [Paperback]

Megumi Tachikawa (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: TokyoPop (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892213656
• ISBN-13: 978-1892213655
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,238,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The cutest little thief!, September 30, 2001

By 

"chaineddove" (Aurora, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saint Tail #1 (Paperback)

This is, quite honestly, the sweetest thing I have read in a long time. Megumi Tachikawa is new to the US manga scene but I think this one measures up to the well-established and revered Card Captor Sakura by the ever-wonderful CLAMP. Not only is the artwork a clean and pretty style, the storyline is refreshingly light and fun, with not too much romance trying to overpower it.

The story is interesting-something of a take on Robin Hood. A teenage girl, Haneoka Meimi, seems pretty normal by day-a student at St. Paulia Academy, a carefree girl. But at night, she becomes the famous thief Kaitou (phantom) Saint Tail-a thief who steals back things that have already been stolen for their proper owners. Chasing Saint Tail is the very determined son of a local detective-Asuka Junior, who just happens to be in Meimi's class at school to boot. Add to that a nun-in-training as a best friend and a million magic trics, and you get something truly new.

I won't wreck the plot here, but the first volume really delivers, and the scene at the end with Meimi and Asuka Junior is too cute for words. Not only that, but you get the added bonus of two original short stories from Tachikawa-"Portrait of a Morning Glory" and "A Music Box for Spring". In my opinion, the second is especially good.

So, for fans of shoujo manga in particular, I wholeheartedly recommend this! You won't be disappointed (and as a side note, check out the animated series, it's great too!)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute, funny, romantic, and magical., November 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Saint Tail #1 (Paperback)

This book is a must read for anyone who is totally into manga. It's all about this eighth grade girl who is secretly the thief Saint Tail. There's a twist to all of her thefts, Saint Tail only strikes those who have acquired their items through wicked ways. She is a good theif if there ever was one. Meanwhile, Saint Tail is being tracked down by the son of a detective, Asuka Jr. In her disguise as common schoolgirl Meimi leaves various calling cards to challenge the "great" deductive skills of Asuka Jr. I left a WHOLE lot out and I'm not tellin' what so you'll just have to read it and find out. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books like Sailor Moon or Cardcaptor Sakura, or to anyone who is into manga. This book is totally sweet and charming with a magical and romantic twist, sort of like a hint of lemon (although not nearly so sour).

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars On the whole Saint Tail manga series..., May 3, 2006

By 

S. Suh - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Saint Tail #1 (Paperback)

I remember reading the manga and watching the anime when i was young. So this series really has a deep place in my heart. That said this manga series truly is the epitomy of cute, sugary, and nauxiating shojo style. Generally it will remind you of mangas like Alice 19th or Ceres. Card Captor Sakura is also not so far away from this genre.

this mangas good point lies in its sugary cuteness,likable characters, and all the situations between the theif and the detective. How they will end up being is very obvious, and you probably can tell what will happen on the way pretty easily, but you will also find that it's very hard to to just push this book aside and say that "it sucks." Comedy and the cuteness certainly will keep you flipping you pages through till you reach volume seven and say "that was a fun read." romance also works out really well here as well I thought. I found myself cheering for the main characters in each event though the result was obvious. The characters are likable and attractive and the storyline cheerful.

the negatives? If you expected deep analysis of the psychology of love that you would see in Kare Kano, that is not here. this manga really isn't about depth. But it certainly is about getting you cheer for its chracters. It's length is too long considering its content, but then again it could've gone longer as dragonball which has no depth and perhap no story went on for 42 volumes. If you do not enjoy these cute shojo manga, don't even try reading it. Don't force your self to read it so that you can say this manga sucks. Go read something else i would say. But if you like shojo genre certainly this manga is worth a try.

But even for shojo manga this isn't the best. Among Shojo mangas I enjoy mangas like Kare Kano (Masami Tsuda), Fruits Basket (Natsuki Takaya) or Paradise Kiss (Ai Yazawa) more. New manga "NANA" by Ai Yazawa seem to be promising as well. Card Captor (CLAMP) is certainly better than this one as well. But hey if you already read most 1st rate shojo mangas this one certainly won't be a bad read.