My Thoughts:
Manga, like comic books, are meant to be consumed, passed on, returned, exchanged, collected. But it is a series, so one can never stop at volume 1. The appeal for me of manga, then is the art first, and then the fantasy or over the top violence. This particular one is based on a video game from Disney, which is probably why I don't recognize the subhead, The Manga: Book of Heartslabyul. I am an outsider to what the video is actually about, so from my lens, this is a mix of Alice and Wonderland meets The School for Good and Evil. Nothing really gets resolved regarding the conflict, since this is only Vol. 1. What we do know is that for Yu, the androgynous main character, he is in the wrong place, Night Raven College, and unlike the other students, he has no magic. Or does he? Stay tuned.
As far as the art, it is reminiscent of the manga from the late 70s and early 80s in Japan. I used to read manga in Japanese as a way to retain my language, so my first manga was Candy Candy by Nagita Keiko and Yumiko Igarashi. The manga was colored like bubblegum rainbows. The young girl was an orphan with huge eyes, irises that sparkled, blonde wavy hair and a cute upturned nose. The males were also very western, with big eyes, long hair, slim faces and clothes with big collars, ruffles and/or bows, so again, androgynous. The other manga I liked was Black Jack by Osamu Tezuka with his skunk hair, heavy eyebrows and large scar going down his face. His adventures got me interested in medicine as he was an unlicensed medical practitioner.
The art in Wonderland by illustrator Yana Toboso has the same feel as these early manga. As I was reading it, the art just felt familiar and nostalgic like I was meeting an old friend, o-hisashiburi desu ne.
From the Publisher:
Manga based on the hit mobile video game from Disney, Twisted Wonderland!
Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!
Yu is whisked away to Night Raven College, an arcane academy in the world of Twisted Wonderland. Stranded until he can find a way home, Yu is allowed to stay on campus despite having no magic of his own. But when his new friends land him in trouble with the headmage, his future at the school looks bleak. Now Yu’s only hope of avoiding consequences hinges on bringing together a pair of argumentative first-years and a fire-breathing monster cat…
Publication Information:
Authors, illustrators: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki, Sumire Kowono
Publisher: VIZ Media (July 11, 2023)
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