Mamoru the Shadow Protector Vol. #2
|
November 26, 2008
by: Adam Beck
A comical relief or will you find yourself in a deep sleep?
Manga Description:
Mamoru Kagemori is a dull high school boy who’s not handsome, athletic, or intelligent. But he is actually the eldest son of the 400-year-old Ninja clan specializing in protecting their neighbors, the Konnyakus. And the object of Mamoru’s protection is none other than their only daughter, Yuna Konnyaku, a natural born troublemaker. When Yuna enters an idol contest and makes it to the finals, despite her hilariously bizarre performance, Mamoru has to go all out with his ninja skills in order to fend off perverted judges and crazed fans! But if Yuna becomes an idol will Mamoru still be able to protect her?
Manga Review
Content: (This section may contain spoilers)
The rather charming story of Mamoru and Yuna continues, but we see a lot more of the side characters and a lot less of our favorite goofy heroine. Well, that isn’t entirely true, as Yuna gets center stage for the first couple chapters — but halfway through the novel, she disappears abruptly, and we see a lot more of Tsubaki and a brand new character, Yamame.
The first three chapters of the second volume focus on Yuna and her dim wit as she is looking to become the next big idol. Yuna continues to impress me, as her appearances offer a steady stream of comical experiences. Because she is so klutzy, she always comes out in an embarrassing manner, yet this never seems to bother her. It doesn't get old to see Yuna fall on her face again and again. Sadly, while the scenario is about Yuna, she only appears for about a third of the story. It is disappointing because she always has something funny to say, and I always find myself with a smile on my face when she enters a scene.
Most of the novel is, again, about Mamoru and his adventure. Everything seems to be in his perspective, even when Yuna is on center stage, but his part only becomes interesting when he defends Yuna’s name from the scumbag judges and when he saves those sexy idols. Nothing else really occurs in the first three chapters, apart from some bizarre singing from Yuna. It is really disappointing this event turned out so mediocre, as it could have been a high point for the series, offering an interesting concept that was poorly executed.
The second half of the novel starts things off with Tsubaki, proving how weak-minded she can be when a situation involves anything other than her swordsmanship. I personally enjoy Tsubaki’s personality, and this chapter only helps explore her world. Sadly, this feels like it ends too soon. We're just getting to know her better when she jumps out of the picture, and then the story skips forward in time. It felt like Sai Madara wanted to establish her as a better supporting character but didn't want her to have too much screen time either.
The second part is a little longer and introduces the new character, Yamame. Yamame is your typical, young, snotty girl who conceals a pure heart. I like her in the sense that she has a past with Mamoru, but I didn't like how she was used as a sex symbol, offering nothing but nearly naked appearances. At least we know this isn’t the last time we'll see her in the series, but I can only hope her young body is not used as much as it is in this volume, as sometimes it crosses the line. Personality wise, she is a girl who likes to jump to conclusions, which lands her in some rather bad trouble with an ugly yet familiar character from the first volume. Mamoru has to come to her aid only to find the most outrageous martial artist yet, who seems to enjoy dressing and acting like a cat. I found this to be one of the more comical events, and one of the craziest too. I just hope the series will produce more of the same.
Mamoru the Shadow Protector has something special about it, but the second volume doesn’t carry it well. There are a couple interesting moments that caught my attention, but most of it was a stale experience that merely drags on. If Yuna’s portion would have followed her actions and thoughts, maybe this would have been a stronger addition to the series. Instead we are forced to go through the dull and rather predictable mind of Mamoru, who doesn’t come off as much of a hero figure.
Artwork: The artwork is rather interesting. It doesn’t contain the most detailed pieces, but it has a charm that keeps the story moving. The style is mainly comical, similar to Comic Party or Puri Puri, and it suits the story really well. Each of the characters has a distinct look and visibly different reactions. There are rarely any dull moments when it comes to the character artwork, with the exception of some outrageous tertiary characters, but the environments take a major hit. There are times when backgrounds are eyecatching, but the majority of them look half-assed and don't really fill the void. The characters, thankfully, stand out and are the highlight of the artwork. The artwork of Sai Madara is highly comical but definitely not something that write home about.
Translation: DrMaster once again does a spectacular job in translating their products. Mamoru the Shadow Protector contains solid dialogue and no apparent translation issues. What’s more, they went the extra mile in making the novel larger in size, and there are three beautifully colored pages at the front of the novel. There is one, and only one, issue I found on page 127 where Yamame seems to be missing a part of her head. Other than that, everything is well done and offers a solid read.
As for extras, there is a thank you note from Sai Madara for supporting the series and an afterthought from Taro Achi. Sadly, this is it, and it really doesn’t offer a lot to read afterwards.
The Bottom Line: There is something charming about Mamoru the Shadow Protector, as it contains some really interesting characters, but there really isn’t a story. It’s about a boy who protects a girl, but this doesn't really happen in the second volume. He protects her once, and then the rest of the novel he spends his time around side characters. It’s one of those stories that is good for a quick laugh but doesn’t seem to ever get deep. If you’re looking for something to lighten your mood, this will certainly do the trick.
|
|
|
|
Content |
There are a couple intriguing ideas and characters, but most of the stories are boring and try to compensate with overly sexual moments. |
6.5 |
|
|
Art |
It definitely isn’t the most beautiful, but it does the job and has a comical style that is well outlined and always has you smiling. |
7.5 |
|
|
Translation |
A solid volume that contains a strong translation. Sadly with more advertisements than extras, and one minor issue, it doesn't make a perfect transition. |
8.0 |
|
|
Verdict
I'm sure Mamoru the Shadow Protector has a story, and I can see Sai Madara is trying hard to establish one, but the execution is way off and results in a mediocre read. There are moments that had me chuckling, but there are times when I just wished events never happened. The series has promise, but the second volume only brings out a so-so adventure.
|
|
6.5
[not an average]
+ Comical characters.
+ Relatively funny.
- There is no story.
- Yuna feels too shallow.
|
|
|
Title Media 
Return to Homepage
Discuss this in the Forums
|
