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.