Arata: The Legend: Volume 10

by Yuu Watase, 192 pages

Accidental body-swapping leads Hinohara and company to the home of Yataka, the shinsho responsible for the Princess's attempted murder.  How are they going to convince him to voluntarily submit to Hinohara so the latter can save her?

Ah, the schmaltziness of misunderstandings and a broken heart leading to unnecessary conflict.  I'm sure Hinohara and the gang will clear things up soon and move on to the next cheezy escapade on the way to their goal.  Sadly, we don't get any Arata-in-the-real-world or Kadowaki time at all this volume.

Arata, The Legend: Volume 9

by Yuu Watase, 192 pages

Hinohara's infiltration of sho Kugura's territory gets complicated due to a too-successful disguise, and then things get much worse with the arrival of Kadowaki, who's set on making Kuguru submit to him.

I like the Hinohara storyline just fine (minus the hokey bits, which are admittedly many), but I seriously want to know what's going on in the normal world with Arata and Oribe and scary Harunawa.  All we get here is a little portal-side chat between Arata and mopey Kotoha, who's trying to let go her crush on him.  Is there just nothing happening over there?  *sigh*  And now we're going to have Mikusa, a warrior woman who lives as a man for clan security reasons, starting to look at Hinohara as her destined partner.  The romantic melodrama just makes both her and Kotoha look a little foolish (in Kotoha's case, make that a lot).

Arata: The Legend: Volume 8

by Yuu Watase, 190 pages

Kanate has an unwelcome reunion and makes a fateful decision while the rest of the gang infiltrate the palace of the local shinsho, Kugura, who's been absconding with local young ladies.

This volume is all about being happy with who you are (or confident enough in who you are not to freak out about a little cross-dressing). :P

Insert my usual grumbles about Arata and Kadowaki not getting nearly enough panel-time (all of five or six pages, this go-round). *sigh*

Arata, The Legend: Volume 7

by Yuu Watase, 192 pages

Hinohara has a showdown with another shinsho in order to get his submission and cooperation in the companions' efforts to save the princess. But Hinohara has little time to enjoy his success before receiving tragic news from home.

Sadly, I didn't much care for this shinsho-submission showdown. It was just a little too easy and quick and cheezy. And once again Arata gets short shrift (he doesn't even get a whole chapter to himself this time, and what he does have is mostly flashback) and poor disturbed Kadowaki also just gets a partial chapter at the end. The art's still polished and attractive, and I still like the overall story and characters, it's just grown a bit formulaic in the "fight" event sequences and rather unintentionally silly in its efforts to present new shinsho with weird, unique powers and undying devotion from their subordinates.

Arata: The Legend: Volume 6

by Yuu Watase, 190 pages

Hinohara must deal with the repercussions of Kadowaki's presence in Amawakuni, but he's still on a mission to make the other shinsho submit to him so they can present a united front against the greater enemy. Meanwhile, Arata faces the flipside of Kadowaki's swap in the form of one of the Twelve Shinsho, the deadly Harunawa.

After the drama of his earlier encounter, Hinohara's current mission in a town that lives and dies by cold, hard currency seems a little silly. Also, I'm annoyed that Arata only gets one (one!) chapter. Kadowaki clearly needs some time focused on him, wherever he is (and with the introduction of another new character, it looks like he might get some more dedicated page time in the future), but even split three ways that would give Arata more than one little high-octane chapter. *harumph* I'm still enjoying the story just fine, but the continued lack of equilibrium in the telling's perspectives disturbs my sense of artistic rightness.

Arata: The Legend: Volume 5

by Yuu Watase, 191 pages

Hinohara finally acknowledges to his friend Kotoha that he's not the Arata she has known and served all her life. Luckily for him, she's got a forgiving nature, although now that they are no longer master and servant he'll get to see a whole new side of her surprisingly tough personality. On the flip side, Arata makes friends with a strange classmate of Hinohara's named Oribe, a girl who's always felt like someone else...and who's the first person to immediately see Arata as himself and not Hinohara. Damaged bully Kadowaki overhears the two talking and struggles with the confusing thought of Hinohara not being Hinohara. If the target of all his rage isn't who he thought he was, then where's the real Hinohara?

The heroes aren't the only ones who can play at switcheroo.... Yay, Arata and the mundane world get much more balanced coverage in this volume as the two worlds collide and crossover even more. I hope the trend continues!

Arata: The Legend: Volume 4

by Yuu Watase, 190 pages

In the magical world, Hinohara faces off with Kannagi, agonizes over whether or not to tell his new friends who he really is, and finds himself and his party trapped on an island populated only by children. Meanwhile, in the mundane world, Arata has run-ins with Kadowaki--Hinohara's bully--and learns a little about what it's like to have a mom.

I love stories of baddies who aren't exactly baddies at heart, so this pleases me. And the story with the island children makes me sniffle. Arata, unfortunately, still only gets two chapters in this volume, which is frustrating. He's unintentionally funny and always so straightforward. We need more of him to balance out shy Hinohara's timidity.

Arata: The Legend: Volume 3

by Yuu Watase, 190 pages

After witnessing--and being framed for--the attempted assassination of his world's princess, Arata runs to the forest where he hides in a hollow tree...and emerges in the modern world, having somehow switched places (and faces) with a boy named Arata Hinohara. A longtime victim of bullies, Hinohara now finds himself a fugitive from the law in a hierarchical magic-based world he doesn't understand while Arata tries to fit in as an ordinary high school student and faces off with his counterpart's victimizing adversaries. Undetected by their own families, friends, and enemies, the two boys do their best to take up each other's missions and take care of each other's loved ones.

In this volume, Hinohara and his companions are working their way back toward the capital in order to foil the unfolding coup and save the princess's life. To do so, they'll have to travel through the territory of Kannagi, the dangerous young ruler who actually wielded the blade against the princess and then pointed the finger at Arata.

Don't let the pretty art and Watase's history with shojo like Absolute Boyfriend fool you--this is a dramatic action series with lots of deadly magic and swords that don't stay sheathed for long. If the first volume didn't get the hint across, this one certainly will. Owy. I've read five other series by Watase, who's usually known for her strong female leads and for not shying away from depicting realistically edgy physical and emotional drama, and so far this one is ranking up there with Ceres, my favorite of hers. She likes her alternate world-jumping and the notion of shared destiny, but as long as she keeps telling her stories with this much care and skill, I don't mind if I see some familiar themes and devices. My main worry at this point is the imbalance between the two Aratas' stories. Hinohara's carrying most of the burden, and getting most of the page-count, so far, leaving poor Arata to do little more than fret over what's going on at home and take notes in class for Hinohara so he doesn't miss anything. I'm hoping Watase gradually gives Arata's role more substance and attention, but I'm happy to keep reading until she does.