Wanted (Shojo Beat Manga) (Paperback)

~ (Author, Illustrator), Nancy Thistlethwaite (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This single-volume trilogy of connected short stories will be a quick read for shojo fans. Armeria is a girl with a powerful singing voice; while performing for a wealthy family, she falls in love with the handsome Luce, only to see him captured by pirates a short time later. Eight years pass, and she comes across the ship that took her love and manages to sneak aboard disguised as a boy. It's not long before she's outed, though, and soon discovers why Captain Skulls, the handsome pirate with the heart of gold, looks so familiar. To call Skulls's identity a twist or a surprise is being overly kind, but this is a book that is more about emotion and the exploration of longing than about any real plot emphasis. The third chapter, however, does revolve around an interesting story idea, a piece of music that appears to be cursed. Throwaway running commentaries from the author (I did study the various historical backgrounds, but I've ignored them to make things convenient) are a bit of a distraction, but romantic-minded readers won't be bothered by them, and instead will enjoy her lush detailed art. (Sept.)
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Product Description

In the Mediterranean at end of the 17th century, former songstress Armeria disguises herself as a boy and boards the ship of the pirate Skulls--the man who kidnapped Luce, her first love. Captain Skulls is arrogant, violent, and a skirt chaser! And unfortunately for Armeria, he discovers she's a woman...

 

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC (September 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421519348
• ISBN-13: 978-1421519340
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #175,441 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "The Princess Bride" Meets "Pirates of the Carribean"(?), August 26, 2008

By	Hakajin "Ecclectic Student" (GA) - See all my reviews

"Wanted" is a pirate love story from popular manga-ka Matsuri Hino. A singer named Armeria (aka "Arto") falls in love with an aristocrat, Luce. However, Luce is soon kidnapped by pirates, and Armeria vows to rescue him. Eight years later, she boards a pirate ship in search of him. But first, she'll have to deal with the surly pirate captain, Skulls.

Is there anyone out there who hasn't figured out where this is going? Didn't think so. Forutnately, Hino realized the obviousness of her plot twist and didn't focus the story around it. Unfortunately, the manga is kind of rushed. The episodes are pretty interesting, but they seem to happen all at once. The characters are stereotypical and don't have much development. But the art was pretty, and it was a fun story. Also, I appreciated that the other pirates on board Skulls' ship had their own personalities. Background characters like this have a tendency to blend into one one entity, and it was good to see that Hino avoided this. The short story at the end was also enjoyable.

Overall, I'd say that this manga is good for a one-time read. After that, you can just flip to your favorite parts or look at the art. "Wanted" is an especially good manga for fans of Matsuri Hino, because the author's notes talk a lot about her creative process and how her style has developed through her different series.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable read, January 15, 2009

By	GraphicNovelReporter.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

"Death shall scythe your soul," reads the tattoo of the evil pirate Skulls. Yar, matey. This be Matsuri Hino's Wanted. Not that other Wanted that was recently made into a movie with Angelina Jolie and featured the curvy bullet trick.

Once upon a time, there lived a young girl named Ameria. She was an orphaned songstress taken in by a troupe of performers. She even sang for Governor Lanceman, a nobleman who had taken in a rebellious orphan lad named Luce. Ameria admired Luce for his kindness. Luce resented his uncle for the way he treated those below him, including Ameria and her troupe. One night, a group of pirates led by the infamous Captain Skulls took Luce hostage and burned down the Governor's home. Since that night, Ameria has been searching for Luce.

Eight years later, Ameria has finally located the pirates who kidnapped Luce. She disguises herself as a boy named Arto and joins the crew. She fools the pirates for a while until an accident blows her cover and reveals her as a female. Captain Skulls takes her under his wing, but he has neither a kind nor generous heart. Captain Skulls reminds Ameria of Luce, but only physically. The two even share the same hair color, but there's no way this heartless captain could be Luce . . . could he?

Come on. You saw The Princess Bride, didn't you? Matsuri Hino doesn't try to hide the obvious resemblance, but she makes it quite clear that Skulls is not the man Luce once was. Luce was warm and protective. Skulls is a womanizer who couldn't be any more cruel and pitiless toward Ameria.

Wanted is a standalone graphic novel. Hino indicated that she would like to write more, but the outlook isn't too bright. The first two chapters, "Captain Skulls" and "The Enemy of Pirates," work well as a cohesive whole and might even make for a good feature film. Hmm . . . movies about pirates and romance at sea. Think that'll sell? The third chapter, "The Legend of the Devil's Musical Score," functions as a new adventure, most likely because Hino wasn't planning on making an entire singular volume. The problem is that the third chapter feels rushed and certain moments are "told" instead of "shown."

Wanted, as a whole, is a very enjoyable read and would make for an excellent series should Hino ever get around to doing more. As for the art, you should be aware Hino is the author behind the popular Vampire Knight series, which means large eyes and detailed hair. Hino is a master of capturing just the right angle to convey a sense of mystery and sex appeal. However, one of her weaknesses is that her lead characters tend to resemble each other throughout her works. Ameria, Luce, and Commander Reid look very much like Yuki, Zero, and Kaname, respectively, from Vampire Knight. (Note: Hino has stated that Ameria was modeled after Aram from Merupuri.) They have the same faces. Only the hair is a bit different. It's mildly frustrating, but only to those who want to be picky about it.

But wait! There's more! This publication of Wanted also comes with a bonus manga called Spring Cherry Blossoms, a short story about a girl in the early Meiji era who falls in love with her arranged fiancé's brother. It's not one of Hino's greatest works because the relationship between the proper young lady and the scoundrel happens so suddenly, and once again, the male protagonist is cruel and aloof toward the heroine. But let's face it: Some girls always fall for the jerks.

-- Courtney Kraft

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!, September 26, 2009

By	Samantha Carder (Murphy, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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As for some Shojo Beat manga, Wanted is sweetness. It has a bit of curiosity thrown in because you're not exactly sure what is going to happen. It is a great story in my opinion and the art work is excellent.