Phantom Dream, Volume 1

"Phantom Dream" is the debut work of wildly popular manga artist Natsuki Takaya, author of "Fruits Basket." And while this story isn't as complex or original as that one, it still makes a good read. Manga about exorcists are nothing new, but Takaya still gives the story some interesting aspects. For instance, Tamaki sometimes ends up hurting the people he's exorcising, and he feels guilty that he can protect himself but not others. He has to make choices about what he wants to protect. The story is a little episodic at first, with Tamaki dealing with various Jaki (humans possessed by their own negative feelings). These stories were very typical of this kind of manga, and I thought they were predictable, but they were still able to strike an emotional cord. They also helped set up the characterizations and rules of the manga world. I liked the characters, though they weren't so origial. Tamaki is a moody teen overburdened by his supernatural powers, and Asahi is his bubbly but devoted girlfriend. The relationship between the two was interesting. They have the childhood friend dynamic, with Tamaki teasing Asahi occassionally, but there was none of the usual will-they/won't-they involved. The two are already a couple, and despite their playful flirting, they have a pretty mature relationship. Tamaki relies strongly on Asahi for emotional support, and she's willing to give it without expecting anything in return. Asahi isn't as ditzy as she seems, either. She shows more maturity as the story progresses, and she seems to know more that she lets on. The art is ok. You can tell it's Takaya, but you can also tell it's her early work. The eyes are large, even for manga, and the faces are angular. It's typical for manga from the early 90s. It's not bad, but it's not as fluid as the art in "Fruits Basket." "Phantom Dream" has a good enough beginning, but it looks like it's going to get more interesting. The plot thickens near the end, and questions about the fate of Tamaki and Asahi's relationship arise. There's nothing really original yet, but the first volume did what it was supposed to do well- it held my interest throughout, and made me want to read volume 2.

Back before Natsuki Takaya hit it big with her romantic comedy/fantasy "Fruits Basket," she tried a few other types of stories. One of those early results is "Phantom Dream Volume 1," a supernatural tale about a young exorcist and his bubbly girlfriend. It's a pretty dark series of stories most of the time with plenty of blood, death, possessions and a slight Romeo-and-Juliet romantic twist, but the upbeat Asahi and her love for Tamaki keeps things from ever becoming too grim. Tamaki is the heir to a venerable line of exorcists, who get rid of demons called "jaki." But one day at school, he and his girlfriend Asahi encounter an old friend named Mitsuru -- and it's quickly revealed that Mitsuru is possessed by a malevolent ghost that wants its revenge on her. However, the source of this evil power is not what it seems to be... Then Asahi and Tamaki encounter a sensitive young man named Shouichi, who is enamored of butterflies -- and half possessed by a jaki, which entered him after he committed suicide. Unfortunately, exorcising him will kill him. As Shouichi's powers spiral out of control, Tamaki makes a terrible choice. Finally, Tamaki's powers go on the blink when he experiences a sort of magical growth spurt, and a young man named Tokiwa arrives from the branch family. Having a massive boy-crush on Tamaki, Tokiwa is dismayed by the bubbly, ditzy Asahi -- and he tries to break them up by revealing to her that the family will arrange a marriage for Tamaki. At the same time, a man-hating jaki starts targeting Asahi and Tamaki -- and a sinister young man reveals the true nature of Tamaki's enemies. Those expecting anything resembling "Fruits Basket" will be badly disappointed by "Phantom Dream's" Ghost-Hunt-with-a-dash-of-Bleach darkness. And Takaya's early artwork is rather rough -- her characters tend to have a problem with doll-face, and most of them look a bit too androgynous (you can literally mistake Tamaki's mom for a man). Fortunately it's also obvious that Takaya's grasp on atmosphere and horror is absolutely brilliant -- she swathes the spooky stories in possessed eyes, mad smiles, glowing butterflies, spurts of blood and the inner pain of those affected. And she gives a haunting sadness to many of the stories, whether it's a girl haunted by her sister's death, or a dying boy pleading with his uncaring parents to love him. Additionally, while the first story is rather straightforward, Takaya starts experimenting with more complex styles in the second and third parts -- for instance, Shouichi's clash with his parents is intertwined with glimpses of Tamaki and Asahi making love. And she does an excellent job with the jaki, who seem to be spawned by human emotions. In fact, the whole thing would be pretty bleak without Tamaki and Asahi. Tamaki is reminiscent of Tite Kubo's Ichigo -- a powerful teenager who initially acts like he doesn't care, but actually cares very deeply. And his counterpoint is the bubbling, sweet-natured Asahi,