Slightly Biased Manga

When I get to loving a series as much as I do this one, I can be easily disappointed by things that do or do not happen.  I mean, I’m not really all that depressed, just bummed in a fangirl way.  This volume is a good example.  There’s a serious lack of Argent/Primula.  Seeing as how one of the things I like best are the bare scraps of Argent/Primula that get occasionally thrown our way, this made me a little cranky.  Plus, a perfect opportunity for a teary (or at least very sentimental) goodbye was squandered.  I would have been very cranky if I hadn’t been reading some of the more recent chapters of the series, because this volume also sets things up for an extended separation between Argent and Primula.  Bah.  Memories of the two together as children will hold me over, because they’re cute, but I crave romance in my fantasy.

Don’t get me wrong, though.  When this dishes romance out, it dishes it out quite well, and I couldn’t be more happy with it.  There just wasn’t any opportunity in this volume, and… unfortunately, it seems like there won’t be much of an opportunity next volume either.

Argent is an awesome character, though, so as long as the story sticks with him and doesn’t move away for extended periods with Primula (who’s good, but not as good), I’ll be happy.  He has to go through some dramatic and sad changes in this volume.  There’s a really good chapter at the end of the volume where he has to help Prince Lorca try and convince his subjects that dyes made out of bugs are no less quality for having been made with insects. It didn’t actually have that much to do with the overarching plot other than Lorca needs to get his kingdom to succeed within a time frame specified by Beazol’s king, but it was a cute, lighthearted chapter, which works really well considering how serious last volume was and how serious things are sure to get after this point.

Basically, Argent cuts out in the middle of the volume to go on an extended journey as part of his quest to detoxify himself.  Of course, along the journey, it looks like we get the beginnings of some sabotage stuff for both Beazol and Navara, and it looks like it will tie back into the basilisks.  I’m kind of sad that Argent’s eventual goal is to not be a basilisk anymore.  As tragic as it is for him, it’s an interesting characteristic, and if he no longer has the power, the fights involving him will be much less interesting.

I’m kind of a huge geek, and I kind of buy Princess Gold every month to read this series.  Seriously.  I like it that much.  As much as I may gripe about this volume and not liking the new direction with Argent’s journey, I’m in for the long haul, and it will take a tremendous amount to get me to fall out of love with this series.  Especially since I know the romance comes back eventually, and with a vengeance.  Once again, anyone who enjoys fantasy romance would do well to check this out.  It’s no Nana, and it’s probably not even Basara, but it is wonderful.

VAGUE, MINOR SPOILER: Absolutely nothing in the world bums me out more than seeing a character with long hair cut it.  It’s just… such a waste.  I can’t quite understand why I feel this is so profoundly wrong.  My own hair goes halfway down my thighs, just to prove how seriously I take this.  I’m glad this happened at the end of the volume, because it would have put me in a sad mood through the whole thing.