The "Magic Knight Rayearth" manga is a popular fantasy adventure series created by Clamp. Set in the fantastical world of Cephiro, the story follows three ordinary schoolgirls named Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Hououji. One day, while on a field trip to Tokyo Tower, the girls are transported to Cephiro where they meet a guide named Mokona. Mokona appoints them as the legendary Magic Knights, destined to save Cephiro from imminent destruction. As Magic Knights, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are granted powers and weapons to combat the villains threatening Cephiro. Each girl possesses a unique element: Hikaru has the power of fire, Umi controls water, and Fuu controls wind.
The book had me enamored from the very beginning. Even more so once Will went to live with Arrogan. Though the actual magic training was slow, the dialogue between Will and his grand dad was priceless.
Will ends up in the army in the latter half of the book but because I didn t have a lot of background on why the two factions were at war I had a hard time engaging. I like how they delve into the different types of mages and I like Wills learning how to use his Turyn is what will set him apart from other mages even if he doesn t know as many spells as everyone else.
Each girl possesses a unique element: Hikaru has the power of fire, Umi controls water, and Fuu controls wind. Throughout the series, the girls face numerous challenges and encounter various allies and enemies. They learn to harness their powers, strengthen their friendship, and uncover the mysteries of Cephiro.
The Choice of Magic by Michael G Manning
I’ve been in a bad reading slump this year, this was the fifth book I finished, and I’m nine books behind my goal according to Goodreads. I picked this one specifically because of the narrator, I knew nothing about this book except for the fact it was narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds.
I finally fixed my reading slump! After I finished with this one I immediately bought two more in the series. That in an of itself is rare, I almost exclusively read first in a series and move onto the next series.
This will appeal to people who like a lot of magic, magic training, master apprentice relationships, and military training/war.
At the beginning, William lived with his mother in a small backwater village and had a fairly simple life. His mother is a healer and midwife who sells herbs and such, and although they aren’t wealthy, they get by. At the start, he doesn’t know who his father is, or why he was never around, but it doesn’t bother him much. He has an uncle and cousins who lived near by and they filled that void for him.
One thing lead to another, and Will ends up being trained by a hermit who lives nearby the village but never actually comes into town. He shows him that magic is real and will has potential… but in order to start training for magic… he’s got to learn the basics. Like how to read. Magic in this world is restricted, not necessarily forbidden. If you’re registered and the King knows about your powers it’s okay, but you’re basically the King’s lackey. If you’re off the grid and doing magic on your own the best you can hope for is prison. The mentor doesn’t want to teach Will real magic, just enough to keep him hidden and out of trouble. Once you know how to do true magic things can get complicated. Although there are Sorcerers still left in the world, his mentor is the last known Wizard. There are different types of magic users that focus on different talents and different ways to harvest and use magic. Sorcerers enslave elementals, Warlocks make pacts with supernatural beings, and Wizards harvest the latent magic present in the world.
I would say the storytelling style is straight forward without a lot of flowery language or simile/metaphors. It makes the book go by super quick despite the fact it’s nearly 700 pages long. I finished this in two days on audiobook put at 1.5x. The dialogue was a highlight of the book, the mentor is absolutely relentless with his insults… which is shitty thing to do to Will, but it’s also really funny at times. I would say it’s kind of like Dr. Cox and JD from Scrubs but with actual cursing. There were definitely a bunch of info dumps about how magic worked, the different types of magic users and things of that nature. However, the delivery was usually from Will’s mentor and the way it was explained was highly entertaining for me so I didn’t mind.
Will is an okay character, he’s pretty par for the course for a younger character who also happens to be headstrong and stubborn. He makes a lot of risky and stupid decisions where I was like “DON’T DO THAT”. He does grow throughout the book, both literally and figuratively, at the start he’s 12 and by the end he’s 17, and he does mature a bit which makes him more palatable. My favorite character was his begrudging mentor with a foul mouth, and my second favorite is a guy he meets up with in the army, Tiny. Tiny is actually huge, and most people consider him a dolt, but he’s not. I enjoyed the fact that the big guy in the army isn’t just brawn but he has some depth to his character.
The pacing was pretty good, but there was a part that I had a hard time connecting with. Will ends up in the army in the latter half of the book… but because I didn’t have a lot of background on why the two factions were at war I had a hard time engaging. The battle scenes were gripping, but afterwards I kept thinking, “why are they doing this?” There was a brief explanation given for the war, but I just found it too weak and without enough information for me to emotionally invest.
One of the things I most enjoyed was the constant flow of teasers, mysteries, and subplots that were introduced and then explained at an even pace throughout the book. An example of that was The God Damn Cat. The wizard lives in this cottage in the woods with a Cat that he talks to. The cat doesn’t talk back, or make any human like movements… but it does appear to understand. Also, Will learns later on that the Fae are genuinely scared of The God Damn Cat and won’t go near the cottage because of it… immortal beings… scared of a cat. But why? Things like that kept me interested in reading more and figuring out the mysteries of this world. Not all of them were solved in this book, and because I enjoyed it so much I picked up the next one.
Ratings:
- Plot: 13/15
- Characters: 12.5/15
- World Building: 13.5/15
- Writing: 12/15
- Pacing: 10/15
- Originality: 11/15
- Personal Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Final Score: 80.5/100 or 4/5 stars on GR
Along their journey, they also discover their own inner strengths and resolve personal conflicts. The manga explores themes of friendship, courage, and growing up. It delves into the complexities of relationships, highlighting the importance of trust, loyalty, and understanding. The story also touches upon the power of belief and the impact of one's actions. With its engaging plot, vibrant artwork, and well-developed characters, "Magic Knight Rayearth" has captivated readers worldwide. The manga ran from 1993 to 1996 and spawned an anime adaptation and several spin-off series. Overall, "Magic Knight Rayearth" is a beloved manga that has left a lasting impression on fans. Its timeless themes and captivating storytelling continue to resonate with readers, making it a must-read for fans of fantasy and adventure..
Reviews for "The Impact of Magic Knight Rayearth on Western Media"
1. Liam - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the "Magic Knight Rayearth" manga. The story was confusing and lacked depth. The characters were one-dimensional and didn't have any real development. The art style was also not to my liking. Overall, I found the manga to be uninspiring and it didn't engage me at all.
2. Sara - 2 stars - I found "Magic Knight Rayearth" to be quite underwhelming. The plot felt disjointed and rushed, leaving me feeling lost and uninvested in the story. The character development was minimal, making it difficult to connect with the protagonists. Additionally, the artwork lacked detail and the action scenes were confusing to follow. This manga just didn't live up to the hype for me.
3. Alex - 3 stars - I have mixed feelings about "Magic Knight Rayearth." While the concept was intriguing, I felt like the execution fell short. The pacing was inconsistent, with some parts dragging on and others feeling rushed. The character designs were also somewhat generic, and it was hard to root for the main characters when their personalities weren't fully fleshed out. However, the action sequences were visually appealing, and there were moments of genuine excitement throughout the manga. Overall, it was an average read for me.
4. Emily - 2 stars - I didn't enjoy "Magic Knight Rayearth" as much as I hoped. The plot felt convoluted and hard to follow, with little explanation of the world or the magic system. The character interactions were also lackluster, and I couldn't find myself caring about their struggles. The art style was decent, but it wasn't enough to make up for the shortcomings in the storytelling. Unfortunately, this manga just didn't capture my interest.