Phantom Dream Volume 1 Paperback – January 1, 2009

I'm looking forward to picking up the next volume. The characters are very enjoyable and the story line makes me curious for the next.

"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.

The first three pages of this completely colored the rest of the manga for me. Why? Because in those first three pages, the main character hits his girlfriend because he's in a bad mood, she dismisses it because he's "really sweet nd strong", and her friends reveal that she's hit on a regular basis, and proceed to laugh this off.That's right- abuse is totally normal, and from this manga, supposed to be totally okay in a romantic relationship.A good amount of focus is put on the relationship between Tamaki and his girlfriend, and everthing that happens between them ended up in this lens. Abuse is not funny or romantic.I can't believe this is the same mangaka that made Fruits Basket, because the subject is handled with far better tact in that manga.

First in the series, it was a bargain price in the sale. Great artwork, magical storytelling. Great for lovers of manga's everywhere, even though some may not appreciate it.