Mermaid Saga, Volume 1

~by Rumiko Takahashi

I came to read Mermaid Saga as part of the April 2011 Manga Moveable Feast focusing on the series' creator Rumiko Takahashi. I'm ashamed to admit it, but before the Feast I had never read any of Takahashi's works except for Ranma 1/2, which I adore. Mermaid Saga is one of Takahashi's shortest series and she completed it between 1984 and 1994. Also in 1994, Viz Media began publishing the entire work in three volumes: Mermaid Forest, Mermaid Scar, and Mermaid's Gaze. In 2004, Viz re-released the series in a smaller sized second edition under the title Mermaid Saga, this time in four volumes. Mermaid Saga, Volume 1 contains all but the last chapter of Mermaid Forest. Once again, the Manga Moveable Feast has given me the excuse to read something I've been meaning to get around to for quite some time.

Mermaid Saga is told in a sequence of related short stories. The first volume collects "A Mermaid Never Smiles," "The Village of the Fighting Fish," and frustratingly only the first half of "Mermaid Forest." There is a legend that eating the flesh of a mermaid will bring a human eternal youth and longevity. However, it is just as likely, if not more so, that the person will be poisoned by the flesh, either killing them or transforming them into a monster. Yuta, who has eaten mermaid flesh, is arguably one of the lucky ones. Although immortal, he is tired of the suffering and pain of dying only to return to a life where he is lonely and ostracized. And so he searches for the mermaids, believing that they are the only ones who know how to return his body to normal, allowing him live his life, grow old, and die.

I was happy to find that Takahashi executes dark and creepy in Mermaid Saga just as well as she handles comedic and absurd in Ranma 1/2. Her mermaids are not gentle and kind supernatural beings. Instead, they are vicious and selfish creatures, not only towards humans but towards their own kind as well. (Not unlike humans, actually.) They are also somewhat of a mystery--other than the fact that their flesh and blood has strange and powerful properties when consumed, very little is actually known about the mermaids.Still, whether out of obsession or desperation, mortals pursue the mermaids and immortality. But without complete knowledge or understanding of the circumstances, this can lead to severe and dire consequences for all involved. Unfortunately, because the details regarding mermaids are only slowly revealed, it sometimes feels like Takahashi is making them up as needed for the story rather than having a coherent and consistent vision to begin with. But even if that is the case, the mood remains the same throughout Mermaid Saga and the stories are effectively disconcerting.

I really enjoyed the first volume of Mermaid Saga. My favorite story, despite some over the top dialogue, was "The Village of the Fighting Fish." The chemistry between Yuta and Rin is excellent and the development of their relationship over such a short period of time is completely believable. While I find Yuta to be the most interesting character at this point, they all have distinctive personalities and well developed backgrounds. This is true for most of the minor and secondary characters as well. I've come to expect dynamic and exciting action sequences and fight scenes from Takahashi and Mermaid Saga doesn't disappoint in that respect either. The art is skillfully done: the backgrounds and landscapes are wonderfully detailed, water and spray look wet, the mermaids are terrifying and beautiful in turn, and the panel and page layouts show effective variation. Overall, I feel that Mermaid Saga is off to an excellent start with engaging stories, art, and characters. I look forward to reading the rest of the series--I may have found a new favorite Takahashi.

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Ranma 1/2, Volume 1: Battle of the Sexes

~by Rumiko Takahashi

I had seen Ranma 1/2 sitting on the shelf many a time before I finally gave it a try (at thirty-six volumes, it's kinda hard to miss). Part of the problem was that I didn't particularly like most of the covers except for the first one and after a quick flip through a volume or two the artwork simply didn't appeal to me overly much. Eventually though, I did pick up the first volume, Battle of the Sexes. In the United States, Rumiko Takahashi is debatably best known for her series InuYasha although Ranma 1/2 makes for a very close second. Viz Media first started publishing Ranma 1/2 in English in 1993. Beginning in 2003, they re-released the collected volumes in a smaller sized second edition. This smaller format was retained from volume twenty-two through the end of the series in 2006. (In Japan, the series ran from 1987 to 1996). I've only read about a quarter of Ranma 1/2 so far, but let me tell you, despite my initial hesitation, I'm absolutely loving it.

During a training exercise in China, highly skilled martial artist Ranma Saotome, sixteen, suffered an unfortunate accident. Now whenever he's splashed with cold water he turns into a girl, although hot water will turn him back. His father Genma fell victim to the same incident, except that he turns into a panda. Years ago, Genma made and agreement with the owner of the Tendo "School of Indiscriminate Grappling" that one day Ranma would marry one of his three daughters. When the Saotome's returned from China, it is the youngest daughter, Akane, that is chosen. Of course, Ranma's "condition" causes a certain amount of commotion. He's very sensitive about it, although he's more than willing to use or brag about it to his advantage, unfortunately often at the expense of Akane. He eventually realizes he may sorta-kinda like her, but there are plenty of obstacles in the way. Akane has a crush on the acupuncturist Dr. Tofu while upperclassman Kuno has declared his love for both Ranma (well, the girl Ranma, anyway) and Akane. And then the embittered and ever directionally challenged Ryoga shows up seeking revenge.

Although it is growing on me, I am not particularly taken with the style of artwork in Ranma 1/2. Most of the younger characters, especially the girls (even including Ranma), have very similar faces, the hairstyle often being the only distinguishing feature. Although, I do suppose this means that the Tendo sisters actually do look like sisters. However, I will gladly say that Takahashi's layouts and attention to detail are fantastic. Page designs show a nice variety and exhibit flawless comedic timing. Things that at first seem like mistakes are readily, and sometimes unexpectedly, turned into gags. Small, seemingly unimportant and easily missed trifles, like a sign reading "To defeat owner in savage combat, use rear door," are delightful additions. Another thing that was particularly well handled was Ranma's sex changes. His character designs as a boy and a girl are close enough that it is obviously the same character (at least to readers) but different enough that it's apparent at a glance which sex he is sat any given moment. Plus, his body is smaller as a girl while his clothing remains the same and Takahashi never forgets this.

The first volume of Ranma 1/2 is a whopping three hundred pages, so there is plenty of time to get acquainted with the story and characters. I'm not entirely sure why this series makes me so incredibly happy, but it does. It is absolutely ridiculous, over-dramatic, silly and completely unbelievable--which is what makes it so wonderful. Frequently, I would find myself laughing, chortling, and snorting out loud while my housemates wondered about my sanity. The humor in Ranma 1/2 is probably not for everyone, it can be rather absurd and random at times and even the basic premise is preposterous, but I found it to be hilarious. I love Ranma 1/2, it makes me grin, and the first volume gets the series off to a great start. I'm definitely looking forward to rereading volume two, Challenging Situations.

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