The story-telling of Momogumi
Senki is on a level before manga fans graduate from mainstream titles like Sgt. Frog, and begin to realize there
are different realms of plots. Momogumi Senki barely grazes the full range
of human emotions, making it difficult to completely connect with an
experienced manga reader. Even the
comedy and action in the manga seems to be a ploy for holding manga fans to a
chuckle. Fortunately, the characters are lively enough to advance a workable
plot, handing Momogumi Senki a distinguishable
feature.
To help and save him, Yuuki is constantly accompanied by his
reincarnated minions, Literature Curriculum Yukishiro Kijinogi, Physical
Education Curriculum Sawa Koenji, and Science Curriculum Masahiko Inukai. Each
character is utterly infatuated with Yuuki, giving the Tokyopop-published manga
a flair for oddness as well as resuscitating rather overused plot elements. As the
manga progresses, Yuuki’s misfortunate curse brings him closer to his
protective friends and rumored foes, each one with different abilities and
personalities. In cliché fashion, Momogumi Senki takes on a Yu-Gi-Oh! spin with demons joining Yuuki’s
side and Yuuki’s over-optimistic, can-do attitude.
Ironically, Momogumi
Senki isn’t just about Yuuki and his need to discover as many reincarnated
demons as possible. His school is a breeding ground for other reincarnated
beings from various legends and folksongs. I am surprised by this fact—most
manga with reincarnation themes typically keep other characters in the dark
about the entire rebirth idea. I think it is wildly convenient to attend such a
school, although, it irks Yuuki to be surrounded by others casually clinging to
his former self.
The artistic quality is similar to Yoko Matsushita’s Descendants of Darkness manga series with
less control over the page layouts. In several action scenes, the movement of
the figures jumps around the page. The placement of word bubbles aren’t the
greatest. I find myself reading the bubbles out of order, but it only jars the
immediate dialogue. In spite of the manga’s incompleteness in regards to
two-dimensional motion and paneling, Momogumi
Senki captures sentiment almost flawlessly. With the appreciative pockets
of contentment, joy, and sorrow, Eri Sakondo’s creation can only be considered a decent manga in aesthetics alone.
In its entirety, Momogumi
Senki is best suited for younger readers lacking high expectations in
appearance with limited experience in in-depth story-telling. Maybe for an
unbiased manga enthusiast with “teenth” attached to their age, Momogumi Senki could be the perfect fit.
Rating: 6.0 out of
10
Bottom
Line: There are better manga out in the world, but if you like
reincarnated people chasing their past life’s mission, just read a few pages
before deciding to buy it.
