Arata: The Legend 1

Yuu Watase – Viz – 2010 – 5+ volumes

I’ve since reconciled with Fushigi Yugi, but my dislike for that series kept me away from everything Yuu Watase for quite some time.  She’s got quite a bit translated to English, but none as unusual as this, her current series.  Unusual because… well, unlike all the others, it’s a shounen series that runs in Shounen Sunday.  Interesting how many female artists run in that magazine.  Well, at least two, anyway.  It’s unusual.

The story is about two boys named Arata from two different dimensions switching places.  Fantasy Arata lives in a land of magic and wizards and whatnot, and his family watches over a sword that houses the power of a God.  He is sent by his grandma to stand in for the princess of his world, but when the council carries out a plot to overthrow the government, they frame him for murder and chase him into the countryside.  He escapes to an enchanted forest where he switches places with Present Arata.

Present Arata is a high school boy who suffers from one of the most severe bullyings I’ve ever seen.  Things are going well at his new school, but he is quickly followed by a boy who seems to enjoy nothing more than ruining in retribution for a small slight he imagined Arata to have committed some time ago.  This is the most unrealistic part of the story, since not only is it hard to believe this boy is following Arata around, but that he could so thoroughly ruin him, and convince everyone around him (Arata’s former friends) to do the same.

Well, the two switch places.  Most of the focus is on Present Arata in fantasy-land, where he becomes master of the God-Sword and is able to fight back against the corrupt council.  He is mighty confused, and doesn’t know who or what to believe, especially after being betrayed by his friends.

Fantasy Arata in modern times is only looked at briefly.  I’m looking forward to seeing him succeed at beating up the bully and conquering all injustices.

There are lots of anomalies that bothered me (everyone assumes the two Aratas are just acting strangely and don’t really comment on their appearance or matter of dress, which are obviously very different), and… other things, like the extreme bullying and the God Swords that look like something out of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, but I really enjoyed the first volume.  It had a pretty good balance of action/adventure and exposition, and difficult fantasy terms were handled without too much of a wall of text.  I also have a fondness for time/dimension shift stories like this, when done right, and so far this one seems to be succeeding at what it does.  Both Aratas are also likable, and I’m looking forward to seeing the story balance between them.

Good stuff.  Again, I’m surprised Yuu Watase works for Shounen Sunday now, but the results are quite enjoyable.

This was a review copy provided by Viz.