Review: Gate 7 Volume 1

The last time I reviewed books, I usually broke it down into summary, and my review on plot, characters, art (if it was manga or had illustrations), along with a favorite quote, character, and my star rating, and then disclaimers. Sometimes I would possibly include minor spoilers in the last section, if necessary. I don't think I'm going to stick so rigidly to that format this time around, but we'll see...

Clover Volume 1 was first book I ever read by CLAMP, but I do recall not really liking it very much at all. And then I believe I read Volume 1 of Cardcaptor Sakura, and thought it was "okay". That being said, I then read their Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles series, and loved it! I've been meaning to pick up their Chobits series for some time, as well as their xxxHolic series. I don't remember how I first stumbled upon Gate 7, but it looked interesting. I've just got to say that their art is gorgeous. It's so whimsical and airy feeling, and I just love the character designs, and their intricate plot twists. I figured it was high time I got back into reviewing and since this is one of the only first volumes in a series that I have read recently, I might as well start with it.

I've always felt this way about CLAMP: You start reading, it takes a bit of time to get into, mainly because the art isn't at that eye-catching stage or there's a lot of dialogue or background info in their beginning chapters, and the plot just really hasn't kick started yet. But once you get into it, you're sucked in. I feel that if I continue with this series, it will probably make its way into my top 10 favorites.

Summary:

Chikahito Takamoto has always read about the beauty and mystique of Japan's ancient capital city, Kyoto. Now, two years into high school, he's finally visiting there for real. But wandering the grounds of Kyoto's legendary Shinto shrine of Kita no Tenmangu, he chances upon a mystery that his guidebooks didn't prepare him for - two handsome men and an attractive woman, all strangely-garbed, wielding powers...and fighting monsters! The two men treat poor Chikahito with suspicion - but the girl seems to like him. They aren't worried about what Chikahito's just seen, because they have the power to erase his memory...except for some reason, that power doesn't work! And why does the girl kiss him before sending him away? One thing's for sure: Chikahito is going to be seeing a lot more of these three strangers... (taken from Shelfari)

Gate 7 currently has four volumes out. I was previously unaware that it was their newest series, but now that makes sense. It's an ongoing Shōnen (geared more towards the male audience, generally 10+, basically, battle manga) series that began as a one-shot in December 2010, and then was originally run in March 2011 in Jump Square. Currently, the series is on hiatus, unfortunately (CLAMP Wiki).

The main characters (from left to right) are Tachibana, Hana, Chikahito, & Sakura.

As a whole, it's a nice blend of fantasy art, action, and humor. CLAMP knows how to mesh all these elements together brilliantly to create an interesting story that keeps one turning the page. I personally wouldn't categorize this as a battle manga, since most of CLAMP's "battle manga" don't fall under the same level of violence as, say, Bleach. It's all about the art.

I love how each character has their own intriguing personality. We have Hana, the innocent looking, noodle loving (love interest?) for Chikahito, our average high school student, who apparently is not quite so average, and Hana's two older comrades, the stern, quiet Tachibana, and the much more carefree  (but possibly dangerous?) Sakura.

Oh yeah, and there's kissing...

Without spoiling anything, the plot of the first book focuses on Chikahito's move to the city of Kyoto and his interactions with these strange people and their mysterious powers, and how he relates to this world of magic...

★★★★☆

So far, Sakura's my favorite...

Let me know if you decide to check it out! Enjoy!


Next week's review:
Crimson Shell