For more details on the challenge such as levels, guidelines, PRIZES!!!, just click here.
This post is to link to all reviews of the books I've read for this challenge this month. To check out books for this month read by other readers that are taking part in this challenge click here!
Rave Master Volume 1
By: Hiro Mashima
Summery from Amazon:
The all-powerful Dark Stone -- a magical stone and ruler of the dark side -- awakes after a fifty-year-long respite and falls into the hands of Demon Card, an evil organization bent on world domination. Only one thing can resist the Dark Stone`s evil powers: a sacred stone called Rave. Demon Card dispatches an assassin after the Rave Master; a man called Shiba and the only living person with the power to use the sacred stone. Mortally wounded in the assault, Shiba is distressed to learn that he no longer has control over Rave. Will this mean that the world will pass over to the dark side?But wait! Shiba was not alone. Next to him stands a boy called Haru. Miraculously, the boy rekindles life in the sacred stone when he takes Rave in his hands and becomes its chosen successor. With his friends by his side Haru sets out on a quest to locate the other four remaining Raves that supposedly exist somewhere in the world. Only with these other sacred stones can the evil Demon Card -- more awesome a foe than ever could be imagined -- be finally vanquished.
My Review:
So in volume one we
are introduced to Haru, his sister Cattleya, his "dog" Plue as well
as his other friends on Garage Island.
Plus we are also introduced to some of the members of the Demon Card,
Shiba, the previous Rave master, and the
Rave stones.
So the artwork wasn't
as detailed as some of the other manga's I have read recently, but it was still
good. If there was any specific way to
describe the difference I guess it would be that Rave seemed more
"cartooney". (does that make
sense?) There weren't as many large
scenic portraits either. But the ones
that are in the book, are very interesting, they had a lot going on in
them. Plus they are funny! There also weren't any side notes from the
author. There are a few pages where the
author gives little tidbits on the characters, but not little notes on every
page. It made it slightly easier to read
straight through without stopping every page to read the authors notes. But there were things that I wish had been
explained. To read the rest of my review click here.
Rave Master Volume 2
By: Hiro Mashima
So I'm not putting a summery with this one because the summery is the same as the one for the first book. (and in my review I do give a description of what is going on in this volume)
My Review:
So in this volume of
Rave Master Haru travels in search of the blacksmith Musica to fix his 10
powers blade. He leaves home and his sister behind and sets sail on a raft with
Plue. In the first four chapters he arrives at the town of Hip Hop and someone
dog-naps blue. Because of the dog-napping
he ends up encountering Georco, from the
Demon Card, and Elie a girl who has lost her memory. (a side note on Elie,
there is a scene near the end of the one chapter that seems to hint at who she
really might be...at least I think it does. Can't wait to find out if I am
right) The last five chapters are
focused on Elie and Haru as they travel to Punk Street, another town, and
searching for Musica. However there is
more than one Musica in Punk Street, there are also more Demon Card to deal
with.
So far I'm still
interested in this series. While it is
cartoony, it isn't poorly drawn. There
are also a lot of over the top parts that are extremely funny. I really like Plue and think he is adorable.
(even though the only thing he says is Puun)
I also like Elie. She always has
some highly amusing lines, and I love her obsession with shooting
everything. I like Haru, he's sweet,
always wanting to help people, I just happen to like Plue and Elie more.
One of the things
that I thought was kinda annoying though in this volume was Georco. He is the boss from Demon Card that is in
control of Hip Hop Town. Click here to read the rest of my review.
Rave Master Volume 3
By: Hiro Mashima
Again the summery is the same as the first volume. Repeating the same summery for every volume really annoys me. (This isn't the first series I've had this happen with) I notice that on the back of the book it can give a summery of the story inside, so why can't that just be put in the summery area??? Just wondering. I mean I know I should just copy the back of the book as part of the review, that way I have it for later, but I always end up forgetting.
My Review:
So volume 3 picks up where Volume 2 left off,
right in the middle of the battle between Haru, the rave master, and Lance, the
beast master.
I’ll try not to give too
many spoilers in this one. To keep it
short Haru ultimately defeats Lance.
Although for awhile it is kinda iffy.
Plus we get to see why the younger Musica is the head of his gang.
After a short
recovery Elie and Haru set off to find the missing Raves.
While Musica leaves
their ensemble, they are joined by Griffon, a cart driver, and his horse, who
Elie has hired to take them north. The volume ends with
them reaching Ska. A village that
hasn’t seen the sun in over 5 years, and the rain is thought to be being caused
by the Thunder Man, another Demon Card member.
Ok. That was good
right? Not too many spoilers?
As for how I felt
about this volume itself. I am
interested in where the story is going, I like how the author has brought
different characters together. I’m
especially interested in seeing in the future if some characters return for
another appearance. I also think that
some of the characters are quite funny.
Especially Elie and Haru, and how they react to different
situations. For example even though Haru
is on a quest to recover the Raves and defeat the Demon Card in the process, he
isn’t always serious. Click here to read the rest of my review.
Rave Master Volume 4
By: Hiro Mashima
So this one picks up
where Vol. 3 left off. With Elie
standing outside the Thunder-Man’s mansion, and Haru trying to catch up to her
before anything happens. They end up taking on Go, the Thunder-Man, and his
girlfriend Rosa and bringing back sunlight to the village of Ska. However Go isn’t all he appears to be and
neither is Rosa, so the fight doesn’t end quite the way you might expect it to.
Then Elie and Haru
are off to Tremolo Mountain and Akumu Hall, where it is rumored that the
shooting star, a possible rave, landed 50 years ago. But Demon Card is there
looking for the rave also, and since they know Haru is on his way they have
traps and an assassin waiting.
I enjoyed this volume
more than volume 3. While the story
seemed to zip by, I did like some of the twists that the author threw in. While I think that Go and Rosa were kinda corny,
they were still funny, and I liked how the author chose to end the
confrontation between them and Haru and Elie.
Then there was the assassin.
Every new character had me suspecting them. Plus Musica shows back up. (Yay, he is one of
my fave characters) I still also really like how all the characters interact,
and sometimes are completely random.
Plus I like the extra
add ons about the characters at the end of the volumes, and this one even had a
“which Plue are you?” game that was cute. (I’m a crying Plue!)
Still kinda got
issues with some of the art work. (I
know, I know, get over it right? I’ve already committed myself to the story
enough that I ignore it and will keep reading, since I want to know what
happens) But there are still some scenes
that just seem to skip parts. To read the rest of my review click here.
Rave Master Volume 5
So this one picks up
where volume 4 left off. Haru has just
received the Rave of Knowledge. This
volume follows Haru through his battle against Shuda all the way to Experiment,
the largest city on Sonic Continent. We
also get to meet General Reina finally, as well as finding out who the mystery
man is that attacked Elie way back before she met Haru. The volume ends with
Elie having flashbacks, and a creepy fortune teller giving some REALLY bad news
to Haru.
This story is really starting to pick
up. While I’m still not crazy about the
art style, I do like some of the new work.
Especially in the Kings stronghold.
Plus I am really getting intrigued by Elie’s back story, and I can’t
wait to find out more.
The story is starting
to take on a more serious tone as well. (especially when it comes to Elie) but
the characters are still fun and have their utterly random moments. Click here to read the rest of my review.
Altogether I'm still on the fence with this series. I enjoyed the first book well enough, and the fifth book. However the books in between...Eh...that's about how I feel. I don't hate them, but I'm not completely in love with the either. If I get a chance to read the next volume I definitely wouldn't pass it up, but one of the main reasons is because in volume five the story really seems to be taking off and exploring Elie's history. Since she is one of my favorite characters in the story I really do want to find out more.
I promise I will start reading some non-manga now that the summer is here! Swear! I actually have a graphic novel and some video game novels at the top of my TBR. I've just been putting them off for other projects, and the Manga is a bit quicker to read. 'Til next month!
AimeeKay
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