Minima!

(Volume 2)

by
Machiko Sakurai

Del Rey, May 2008, 186 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-345-50407-4

Genre: Comics
Subgenre: Manga
Reviewed: 6/21/2008

Reviewed by: Conan Tigard

Book Cover

Manga Page

Synopsis

Ame Oikawa has been kidnapped by some guys that are interest in obtaining Nicori. Nicori awakens in an abandoned house because a cat brought him there. But Nicori has a problem: his head has been knocked off his body. Nicori is able to hold his head on using pins and is ready to go and rescue Ame. Nicori hops on the back of the cat and tracks down Ame. They charge in and Ame is very happy to Nicori, but mad at him because he could have gotten burned.

Midori has been doing some tracking himself and rides his bicycle through the window of the place where Ame is being held. The bad guys hold Midori as the leader of the bad guys confesses that he wants to cut open Nicori to see what makes him talk. When Nicori figures out that this guy must have heard a stuffed animal talk once when he was younger, the rest of his gang laughs at him and they all leave after their leader runs runs out with his head hanging down in shame. After Ame yells at Nicori, he leaves with the cat to go an live with the cat.

With all the bad guys gone, Ame and Midori head home. When the cat starts to cough up a hairball, Nicori goes to find Ame and Midori because he thinks the cat is dying. After some soothing words, Nicori returns to live with Ame. Later, when Ame learns that Sasaki is moving to a new school at the end of the school year, she is very upset at him and cannot stop crying, and crying, and crying . . .

Minima!: Volume 2 is a manga book written and drawn by Machiko Sakurai. This book was Translated and Adapted by Athena & Alethea Nibley and Lettered by Steve Palmer. There are also some special extras in the following sections: A) Honorifics Explained, B) Translation Notes, and C) Preview of Volume 3, although the preview appears in Japanese. The book reads from right to left and back to front, just like a book from Japan. This manga book is intended for readers ages 13 and up.

Review

Minima!: Volume 2 has some major flaws, in my opinion. The lead character is incredibly annoying. I am not sure who would ever like this girl. I know my 13 year old daughter didn't when she tried to read the first book and returned it to me unread, ands she likes manga.

Ame is weak quite a pitiful creature. When Ame learns that Sasaki is moving, she is upset at him for not telling her earlier. As I recall, they just started talking a day or two before. So, I am not sure when he could have really told her. Then she tears up the picture of him and won't stop crying. What good is all this going to do, I ask you.

Another issue I have with this manga is the lack of dialog. And the dialog that does exist isn't very good. I just seem to be lost and find myself not really caring about these characters at all. Maybe if something interesting was happing in the story, it would be better. I was enjoying her being kidnapped, but she got away . . . (sigh).

Overall, Minima!: Volume 2 is quite substandard in the writing. The concept is good, but the execution is horrible. Plus, I still cannot get over everyone looking shocked all the time. Those eyes are just plain scary. Well, there might only be one more book in this series, which I think is great. We will have to see what happens in Minima!: Volume 3. I will cross my fingers and hope for the best.

I rated this book a 4 out of 10.