Angelic Layer

Publisher
Tokyopop
Writer
CLAMP
Artist
CLAMP
Country of origin
Japan
Length
5 volumes
Year
1999

Angelic Layer GN 2 to 3

By David Rasmussen
2nd Dec 04

Studio - TOKYOPOP
Age - E for Everybody
By CLAMP
TOKYOPOP Staff
Translator - Anita Sengupta
English Adaptation by Jamie S. Rich
Editor - Jake Forbes

Angelic Layer
Previously...
So far you've met all the major players.
Misaki Suzuhara, newly arrive in Tokyo to go to school there, is instantly seduced into the competitive world of Angelic Layer. Angelic Layer, a combat sport using mini-android robots called "Angels" who link with their user through a special headset that allows their controllers full command over their every move.

With the help of a "Mr. Icchan" (who happens to be the man behind the Angelic Layer craze), and her schoolmates Koutarou and Tamayo she might get through her first tournament in one piece.
Even if she lost to Koutarou's little sister, who she's forged a friendship with, she is still in the game as we go onwards through the tournament.

Graphic Novel 2
Basically the entire book for the most part is the rest of the tournament story.
Her battles, new meetings with new opponents and the guy who is the master of the Angel known as Wizard (who happens to be related to "Icchan" and... well... I'll talk about that later).
At the end she makes it through to the semi finals of the tournament, but receives a cryptic warning about her "weak spot"... which she better figure out and fix ASAP before it's too late.

Graphic Novel 3
So what is Misaki/Hikaru's "weak spot"? And how can they overcome it before it's too late?
That is the question to ask as we roll into this book, heading towards the semi finals of the tournament that has been on since Graphic Novel 1.

Too bad she doesn't have enough time it seems to figure it out because well before the book reaches it's halfway point we're thrust right back into combat as the semi-finals get underway.
But with Misaki fighting against a Angel version of a Goddess (Shirahime, the snow goddess... of which CLAMP has a One Shot written about... the goddess, not the Angel) it looks like her weakness is about to come to light whether Misaki is ready or not.

Whether she can overcome said weakness won't be learned until next time though.
So that's it. Breakdown time.

Angelic Layer Breakdown the 2nd & 3rd
What's Hot? - While it's not as endearing as Cardcaptor Sakura, and not as exciting as Magic Knight RayEarth, it is still a good solid read overall. I liked it, and if you've been watching the anime then you should be reading the manga (without question).

What's Not? - Uh... well I could say the long fights that seem to eat up lots of space, but there is something more disturbing than that which centers around how the book ends.
However since this is only a review of the 2nd and 3rd books I'll keep my thoughts on that silent.

Moments to Remember? - Besides the many fights you mean? Yeah, there are some great moments (all focused on Misaki of course, and her interactions with Icchan and the others of the series).
The fights might drag on, but there's still plenty memorable things about these books.

What to Ignore? - I'll tell you about that later on...

Overall? - It's another good series from CLAMP. They're A-No. 1 hot stuff with a bullet and series like this shows you why. Sometimes I don't agree with the endings (this being no exception to that rule) but that doesn't mean I don't have lots of praise to go the CLAMP's works, which I do.

Now all I need to do is get back to buying the DVDs and seeing how the Anime ends.

-- David Rasmussen 2nd Dec 04