Title: Phantom Dream Vol 1
Author: Natsuki Takaya
Publisher: Tokyopop
ISBN: 978142781089
May Contain Spoilers
Tamaki Otoya is an exorcist. The last in a line of ancient summoners, he’s finding his duty a heavy one to bear. With help from his childhood friend, Asahi, he is discovering the strength to carry out his calling. To protect Asahi, Tamaki will push himself to the limit – can he keep her safe from the demons that haunt him?
I found the first chapter of this book a little hard to follow. Things quickly picked up, though, and I found the remaining chapters engrossing and hard to put down. Tamaki’s internal struggle to carry out his duty of exorcising spirits was tearing him apart as he tried to reconcile his obligations with his reluctance to destroy the demons possessing their human hosts.
I enjoyed the relationship between Asahi and Tamaki. Asahi is bubbly, almost to the verge of being annoying, while Tamaki is more restrained. He’s the thinker of this pair, and Asahi moves strictly on emotion. She doesn’t stop to weigh consequences, she just does whatever her heart tells her to do. Above all else, she wants to support Tamaki, and be his anchor. She’s always there for him, she always believes in him, and she loves him with all of her heart.
Tamaki, on the other hand, is quiet and introspective. He’s resisting his destiny as an exorcist, and fighting against his responsibilities. He’s not ready to banish the demons created by people’s negative emotions, and he is struggling to accept the fact that he must kill them. It’s not easy for him, as he shares some sympathy with these tortured beings. I found this the most compelling facet of the book – Tamaki is trying so hard to do what’s right, but he can’t figure out what that is.
With a very different feel than Fruits Basket, Phantom Dream kept me entertained and, more importantly, left me wanting more when I reached the end. After an uneven start, the characters really came to life for me, and the supernatural elements ensured that the pages kept turning.
Grade: B
Rated for Older Teen
Review copy provided by Tokyopop
November 22, 2008 at 3:51 am
[...] 1 of Papaya Gundan at Okazu. There’s a new manga out by Fruits Basket creator Natsuki Takaya, vol. 1 of Phantom Dream, and Julie gets a look at it at the Manga Maniac Cafe. Lissa Pattillo reviews vol. 1 of The 9Lives [...]