Though it initially only establishes story context and main characters, the guide soon after dives into the basics of databases. The plot brings the reader to the Land of Kod, a country with major exports and imports in fruits. The main characters, Princess Ruruna and her male attendant, Cain, open a book sent to them from Ruruna’s vacationing parents. In opening the book, a fairy named Tico becomes their magical guide to... you guessed it, databases! With the power of invisibility, Tico, Princess Ruruna, and Cain form a close bond as they zip through lessons on databases and minor side-plots related to love and proposals.
One of the smartest attributes of the book is the way the story twines together with the subject matter. The Land of Kod has problems with keeping track of certain products, which makes their system of business less efficient. Tico, the cheerful database fairy, builds Princess Ruruna and Cain’s knowledge of databases around the current inefficient system, explaining the basics of data models down to the smallest detail. Anyone having problems creating a better system for their company or business could easily relate to any of the problems encountered by Princess Ruruna and the Land of Kod.
While learning databases, questions that would cross any database-challenged mind are inquired and answered by the characters in the guide. At the end of each session, practice exercises, a summary of the newly learned material, and steps to certain database formations end the chapter. Although the information in this guide is heavier and more difficult than other manga guides, it still beats out any other book on databases with its simplistic language, summative pages, and entertaining (but cliché) plot.
Bottom Line: 9 out of 10
All in all: If you need to learn about databases and you're tired of the Databases for Dummies-type fare, pick up this guide! If you plan on running your own business and are a manga fanatic, drop everything and pick up this guide!
Publishers: Ohmsha (Japan), No Starch Press (US)
Author: Mana Takahashi
Illustrator: Shoko Asuma
