Review: X-Men - The Animated Series (Season One)

With tensions between humans and mutants, the heroic X-Men are caught in the middle of a war for survival. They become the targets of the mutant-hunting Sentinels and must work against both Magneto and Apocalypse as they attempt to assert their dominance over the world. The X-Men also grapple with the loss of a teammate, the incarceration of another and the training of the new mutant Jubilee.

The first season of the animated series X-Men consists of 13 episodes and aired between 1992 and 1993. It features the voice talents of Cedric Smith, Norm Spencer, Catherine Disher, Cathal J. Dodd, Lenore Zann, Iona Morris, George Buza, Chris Potter and Alyson Court.

Originally airing in the fall of 1992, X-Men became a breakaway animated hit for Fox Kids. Its impressively large cast of mutant heroes tackled the heavy issue of discrimination all while taking on larger-than-life threats in the form of such baddies as Sabretooth, Magneto and the Sentinels. The first season presents audiences to the plucky Jubilee, a teenager who becomes our introduction into the world of mutants.  After being attacked by Sentinels at a mall, she is saved by the X-Men and joins their ranks after proving herself a capable hero. The rest of the season unfolds by documenting the fraying relations between humans and mutants, as well as the role Magneto plays in this conflict.

As far as cartoons go, X-Men is legendary. The question is though, does it hold up well to the ravages of time? The short answer is yes. The series tackles issues that are very much relevant to today’s society and never pulls its punches while doing so. The two-part “Night of the Sentinels” and “Slave Island” actively engage in themes of racism, while “The Cure” eerily mimics the rhetoric surrounding conversion therapy. The first season never attempts to resolve or reconcile the flaws in humanity and this is part of why this show in particular is so impactful. The writers were also smart to have varying points of view on these topics as well. On one side of the spectrum you have Wolverine, who is proud of being a mutant, while on the other you have Rogue, who views her abilities as a curse.

What strikes me as a comic book fan is the fact that X-Men actually adapts storylines from their source text, albeit fairly liberally. For example, the first part of “Night of the Sentinels” borrows from UncannyX-Men #244, the big fight in “Enter Magneto” mirrors the one from X-Men #1, and “Captive Hearts” closely adapts the events of Uncanny X-Men #169-170. In most cases, such as with “Captive Hearts,” the adaptation is seamless and the only changes made are to reflect the differing cast of characters from the original stories. In contrast, the two-part “Days of Future Past” is a messy hodge-podge that borrows elements from several different storylines despite being named after the storyline from UncannyX-Men #141. For instance, Bishop fills an amalgamated role once filled by Rachel Grey and Kate Pryde in an alternate future and the animosity between Gambit and Bishop is pulled in from UncannyX-Men #287. In this respect, odd choices are made in order to wedge Bishop into a storyline he otherwise wasn’t part of. In the same vein, not all episodes are of the same quality. “Cold Vengeance,” a Wolverine-centric story set in the Arctic, is an unbearably dull bit of filler that employs caricatures of Inuit people.

The voice work for the first season is strong, particularly from Cathal J. Dodd (Wolverine), Lenore Zann (Rogue) and Alyson Court (Jubilee). Expectedly, their characters are the standouts. Zann especially invigorates every scene she’s in, breathing life into Rogue and transforming her into a loveable bruiser with a one-liner for every situation. She also captures the softer side to Rogue as well and really understands the conflicted nature of the character. It should be a surprise to no one then that Rogue was featured heavily in most episodes, particularly in “The Cure” and “Come the Apocalypse.” On the other side of the spectrum we have Iona Morris as Storm. Despite being one of the most influential and important comic book characters of all time, Storm is portrayed as a fuddy-duddy blowhard in X-Men. During the first season, she’s either stuck playing the role of den mother (a role more suited towards Jean Grey) or she’s giving long-winded speeches demanding the weather to obey her commands. It’s over-the-top and does little justice to the character. While I find her scenes with Jubilee to be quite touching, she’s almost unbearable in action sequences due to her penchant for narrating her intent in battle.

Earlier in this review, I posed the question of whether this series stands the test of time. Though this series is still re-watchable, there are aspects of it that haven’t aged well. The voice acting, despite the A+ efforts done by the aforementioned talent, can be cheesy and dramatic at times. Most characters are cast well, but there’s still a tendency to overdramatize the dialogue. Worst of all is the animation. Even during its original airing, the animation for X-Men was subpar especially in comparison to its contemporary Batman: The Animated Series. It’s awkward, inconsistent and cringe-worthy most times. The difference in its quality would only become more apparent when Spider-Man debuted a couple years later, which featured far more fluid animation.

The first season of X-Men is unlikely to net any new fans. It’s a thoroughly ‘90s piece of nostalgia that is sure to re-capture the fuzzy feelings of childhood for Millennials. There are merits to the first season, particularly due to its themes and its portrayal of characters like Rogue and Jubilee. Some episodes are pretty darned good, particularly the two-part opener and my guilty pleasure favourite “Captive Hearts.” I also have to applaud the decision by the producers and writers to develop actual arcs, creating a serial form of storytelling for the first season. This keeps the viewer more engaged and gives a sense of direction to them. However, there are some real duds that are tough to sit through (“Cold Vengeance,” “Slave Island” and “Days of Future Past Part 1”) and the animation is uncomfortably dated.

RATING: B

Review: Batgirl Volume 1 - The Batgirl of Burnside

Having moved to the trendy Burnside, Barbara Gordon must start anew after a fire destroys her Batgirl equipment. With a new roommate, new costume and a new enemy, the scarlet-haired vigilante finds fame in her new surroundings and embraces her role as the beloved heroine of Burnside. However, when the citizens begin to turn against her after a motorcycle chase gone wrong, it becomes clear that fame might not be all it was cracked up to be. Welcome to Burnside Batgirl, we hope you survive the experience.

 Batgirl Volume 1: The Batgirl of Burnside collects Batgirl #35-40, written by Brenden Fletcher and Cameron Stewart with art by Babs Tarr.

It’s been no secret that I absolutely adored Gail Simone’s run on Batgirl during the New 52 initiative. She breathed new life into the character, tackled some heavy issues and created a colourful cast that I came to adore. When it was announced that she’d be leaving the title and a new creative team would be taking over, it became clear that the book would undergo a massive makeover that was intended to bring more of a lighthearted and accessible feel to the title. The art in particular emphasized a hipper and much more colourful aesthetic. It was an understandable and even admirable decision to make given the criticisms that had been heaped upon DC Comics for being too dark and gritty. Though much was gained in this process, there were also great losses. The supporting cast that Simone had so carefully cultivated was axed and the reader was now thrown into the often superficial world of college and social media. Indeed, the first few pages of issue 35 are tough to get through. The slang and dependence on forcing the title to be relevant to Millennials left me with an overall sense of a dumbing down of the series. Thankfully, that feeling would not stay with me.

There hadn’t been this big of a tonal shift on a female character at DC Comics since Ed Brubaker and the late Darwyn Cooke reinvented Catwoman for her 2001 relaunch. Much like with Brubaker and Cooke’s beloved turn on the feline fatale’s title, The Batgirl of Burnside proves that a strong creative team can transform and elevate a comic book into something truly special. There is an insane synergy between Fletcher, Stewart and Tarr here that is actually quite magical. From a strictly aesthetic standpoint, I absolutely love what they’ve been able to do with this book. They’ve made Batgirl into something that marries writing and art. The rough layouts Stewart provides and the gorgeous pencils that Tarr lays down are brilliant. For example, the use of the visual recreations of Barbara’s memories is an absolutely genius device for a character with eidetic memory. Tarr also does an impeccable job of distinguishing each character from one another. Her style is gorgeous and I’m in constant awe of each page. Her take on Black Canary in particular is especially stunning.

The other thing Batgirl has with Brubaker’s Catwoman is its distinctive ability to build a world for its lead character that gives her a purpose and an identity. Of course, unlike the poverty-stricken East End setting in Catwoman, Batgirl’s Burnside is a trendy borough of Gotham City populated by college students and party-minded twenty-somethings. Technology, education and social media all play crucial roles in the makeup of Burnside and its inhabitants, which does a fairly adequate job of mirroring our own world. Though I was gutted by the removal of Alysia from the supporting cast, I was overjoyed by the diverse group of characters that was brought in to fill that void. Frankie is Babs’ stylish roommate who works as a developer for a dating app called Hooq, Nadimah is a fellow student helping Babs with her thesis and Nadimah’s brother Qadir becomes Batgirl’s equipment provider. I fell for each one, particularly since they were all very distinctive and thoughtfully conceived characters that served a purpose to the overall narrative. That said, I do feel Black Canary was misused throughout. She seemed out of character, sulking and being antagonistic towards Babs for much of this collection. The Black Canary I know, at least the one written by Gail Simone, would never harbor a grudge as long as she does here.

The overall narrative structure of The Batgirl of Burnside is extremely solid. The story itself revolves around Barbara’s move to Burnside and the mysterious presence of someone’s knowledge of her exploits as Batgirl. Over the course of each individual issue, she faces off against some heavily stylized (but ultimately amateurish) bad guys who are all part of some larger plan by her unseen foe. Meanwhile, Babs struggles to recover an algorithm she lost that was necessary for her schoolwork and must mend her relationship with Black Canary after it becomes frayed. As such, there’s a sense of direction and purpose to the book. It’s well-done and the issues themselves are very engaging.

I greatly enjoyed The Batgirl of Burnside. Though it was a sharp turn away from the world Gail Simone had built for the character, it was still entertaining and makes great strides in proving that DC Comics isn’t all doom and gloom. Despite OOC moments from Black Canary and slight issues with dialogue here and there, the creative team on this book is simply sensational. The characters are loveable, the setting is distinctive, the tone of the book is consistent and the art is jaw-droppingly beautiful. For fans of Bryan Q. Miller’s Batgirl, this book will capture the excitement and youthful exuberance that Batgirl represented while Stephanie Brown was under the cape and cowl.

RATING: A- 

Review: Thor Volume 1 - The Goddess of Thunder

After Thor is deemed unworthy, his hammer selects a new avatar to carry on his legacy. She is immediately thrust into the ongoing fight against the nefarious Roxxon company, the Dark Elf Malekith and the Frost Giants. She must also contend with Thor’s anger over losing his hammer and the impending storm of Odin’s desperate attempts to overthrow his wife as ruler of Asgardia.

Thor Volume 1: The Goddess of Thunder collects Thor #1-5, written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by Russell Dauterman.

The Goddess of Thunder immediately follows the events of Jason Aaron’s critically acclaimed Thor: God of Thunder, carrying over many of its plotlines and themes. Roxxon, along with its CEO Dario Agger, and Malekith remain key figures in this collection. They serve as the primary antagonists for the new Thor and her ability to stand toe-to-toe with them seems to prove that she’s certainly no pushover. In fact, her action sequences are beautifully choreographed by artist Russell Dauterman and show that she’s a little more creative with her powers than the more brawn-minded Thor. In essence, she is to Thor what She-Ra is to He-Man.

Where this series differs from Thor: God of Thunder is the way in which it actively engages with the criticism that was lined up against the debut of a female Thor. Aaron creatively finds a way to make a female Thor work, particularly when examining the theme of unworthiness and the magic surrounding the hammer. Furthermore, he takes aim at the way in which men underestimate and undercut women along with how some fans complain about political correctness “ruining” this, that and the other. The new Thor is treated inferior to the original by her opponents while Freyja is dismissed entirely by her husband as an ineffective leader. In both circumstances, we see that Thor is more than capable of filling the shoes of her predecessor and Freyja is in fact an incredibly successful ruler. As it happens, my favourite scenes in this collection are those that address these specific concerns. There’s a notable exchange between Titania and Thor in which the villainess praises what a female Thor represents, as well as a brief summit Freyja has with the new Thor on the moon.

I found The Goddess of Thunder to be incredibly enjoyable. I’d read Aaron’s preceding series that followed Thor’s exploits and found it satisfactory, though at times it suffered from a dragging pace and meandering narrative. For me, this series breathes new life into the stories that Aaron was telling and brings in new themes that are worthy of exploring within the usually male-dominated world of Thor. I also appreciate that the original Thor wasn’t tossed aside and that his struggles are still being documented alongside those of his successor. To top it all off, Russell Dauterman’s art is absolutely stunning and elevates Aaron’s writing. His work is certainly reminiscent of previous Thor artist Oliver Coipel, whose art I adore. Dauterman’s design work is incredible, particularly on the Thors. Of the female-led material Marvel has published in recent years, Thor Volume 1: The Goddess of Thunder is worthy of gold.

RATING: A-

Review: Street Fighter - Sakura Ganbaru!

Inspired by the famed martial artist Ryu, schoolgirl Sakura Kasugano rushes headfirst into the world of street fighting. She instantly garners the attention of rival fighter Karin Kanzuki, who eventually aids Sakura in her quest for finding Ryu. Along the way, she’s joined by a host of iconic Street Fighter characters.

Street Fighter: Sakura Ganbaru! is a two volume manga series originally published between 1996 and 1997, written and illustrated by Masahiko Nakahira.

Sakura Ganbaru! immediately follows the events of the Street Fighter Alpha manga, also by Masahiko Nakahira. Sakura has been saved from Bison by Ryu, an enigmatic karate fighter who instantly becomes Sakura’s greatest influence and idol. She sets out to be just like him and even hopes to reunite with him in order to challenge him to a battle. During her journey, Sakura encounters many familiar faces and becomes fast friends with the likes of Dan Hibiki, Chun-Li and Cammy. This adventure gives readers an exuberant look at the life of one of Street Fighter’s most beloved characters, showing her to be a tough, resourceful and plucky young heroine who readers will root for (as the title of the manga suggests we do). Being treated to the aforementioned guest spots is just the cherry on top.

The two collected volumes of this series reflect two individual story arcs that detail Sakura’s entrance into street fighting. The first arc focuses almost entirely on Karin Kanzuki’s mission to test Sakura’s fighting abilities and to eventually see her defeated, be it at her hands or at someone else’s. It is here where we meet Sakura’s pseudo-mentor Dan Hibiki, a rather incompetent fighter who is used almost exclusively for comedic relief, and the all-American fighting champ Ken Masters. This particular arc has a tendency to meander and feels almost exclusively like filler. It’s not bad by any means, especially since it does an adequate job of introducing readers to the cast in a way that is accessible and entertaining. I also must give props to Nakahira for including the Final Fight 2 character Maki, who has gone woefully unused by Capcom over the years.

The second volume is far superior to the first. It is here where we get to the meat of the story and where Sakura is actually actively searching for Ryu. She and Dan first travel to Hong Kong, where they are saved by Chun-Li after they get caught up in a human trafficking ring. Chun-Li then aides them in tracking down leads for Ryu’s whereabouts, which ultimately leads the duo to Russia, Thailand and, finally, back to Japan. This brief trek outside of Japan is a page-turner, especially as we finally get to see Sakura meet up with some of the most iconic characters from the Street Fighter franchise. What’s great about this is that it adds further depth and allows Sakura to play off different personalities. I especially found her interactions with Cammy to be particularly poignant and added to both characters’ narratives.

While Sakura Ganbaru! is buckets of fun, the one issue I had with the series was the overall portrayal of Sakura as a vaguely messianic figure. She veers into Mary Sue territory with her distinct lack of faults and her tendency to win just about every fight she gets into, despite being woefully inexperienced. She also learns how to channel her chi and deliver the iconic hadouken move on her first attempt. Nakahira’s insistence on having Sakura be the focus of every fight and of having her win nearly every fight makes all the other characters seem incompetent in comparison. Sakura’s victory over Karin seems laughable, considering how much Karin is built up as a martial arts savant, while both Chun-Li and Cammy come across as weaklings when both fail to prove themselves as individual threats to Gen and Zangief respectively. The downplaying of Cammy’s abilities is actually quite puzzling, especially since she was supposed to be Bison’s greatest assassin.

Overall, Sakura Ganbaru! is a cute little entry into the Street Fighter franchise. It’s a fun and entertaining read that works as a brilliant introduction into one of the franchise’s most recognizable heroines. Despite Nakahira’s tendency to portray Sakura as unstoppable and a lackluster first arc, this collection of stories presents a more cohesive and engaging narrative than the actual games do. Sakura Ganbaru! is a must-read for every Street Fighter fan.

RATING: B

Review: Batman vs. Robin

With Batman and Robin’s relationship left strained after a mission gone awry, Robin begins distancing himself from his father and mentor. He agrees to a dubious partnership with the assassin known as Talon, while Bruce Wayne is invited to join the ranks of the elusive (and filthy rich) Court of Owls. Batman and Robin must repair their relationship in order to survive the nefarious schemes of Talon and the Court of Owls.

Batman vs. Robin is a 2015 animated film starring Jason O’Mara, Stuart Allan, Jeremy Sisto, Sean Maher and David McCallum.

Based very loosely off of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s critically-acclaimed “Night of the Owls” storyline, Batman vs. Robin sees its titular characters facing off against one another while the wicked Court of Owls plots to unleash their powerful assassins on Gotham City. Where Snyder and Capullo’s arc concentrated on Batman and established a new set of mythologies surrounding Gotham’s past, this film shifts its perspective to focus on the unraveling relationship between father and son. This departure from its source text wasn’t as effective as it could have been as it offers little character development and stumbles with its portrayal of the film’s antagonists.

The film opens with Robin going off solo on a mission to recover missing children from a psychotic villain known as Dollmaker. Batman is furious at Robin for his perceived recklessness and is bothered by his unwillingness to work as a team. While Batman vs. Robin wants its viewers to see Robin as an impetuous boy rebelling against his father, it comes across more as a young boy seeking his independence from an authoritarian that is denying him freedom. There’s a clear sense of the “my way or the highway” mentality with Batman, which is ultimately skewered later on by Alfred who recognizes such stifling will only drive Robin further away from his mentor. In this respect, Batman more or less drives Robin right into the proverbial arms of Talon. Let’s get one thing straight, Damian Wayne is often the most intolerable of the Robins in the comics and his bloodlust and rebelliousness is often quite irritating. However, the version we see in the DC Animated Movie Universe seems less reactive and like he’s genuinely trying to be a good hero. This makes it all the more infuriating to see Batman refuse to give him the benefit of the doubt in any given situation.

As far as villainous organizations are concerned, the Court of Owls is one of the most intriguing comic book creations in a good long while. They were envisioned as an ancient cabal of aristocrats who have been pulling the strings in Gotham City for centuries. There was even a creepy nursery rhyme invented to describe them. The Court of Owls thus became a shadowy organization that operated in the very veins of Gotham City, giving further depth to DC Comics’ most famous locale. Sadly, Batman vs. Robin gives them a very cursory portrayal. We don’t get the same scope as we do in the comics and they feel like secondary characters in a storyline that’s so heavily focused on Robin. That’s not to say that they’re not great villains. The reveal of the identity of the leader of the Court of Owls is a nifty twist and the final battle against the Talons pushes all of the film’s heroes to their limits. The assassins are an incredible threat and deal some rather stomach-turning damage to Nightwing. The film even allows itself to portray Batman as fallible and beatable, something fans often deny.

Like its predecessor Son of Batman, Batman vs. Robin excels with its action sequences and is overall an entertaining film. We’re once again invited into an adventure through which Robin is our eyes and ears. We relate to him and follow him as he’s doubted and cast out by a restrictive father who disapproves of his past. The film has its shortcomings (why do these Batman animated films always feature so few female characters?) and it really hinders its chance to be considered a homerun. It’s clearly inferior to its source text and it feels more like an episode of a TV show than an actual film, but there’s no denying that viewers will feel invested in these characters and that the action is totally engrossing.

RATING: B-

Review: X-Men - A Skinning of Souls

When Colossus returns home to Russia with the X-Men, he and his teammates are recruited by a Russian paramilitary outfit in order to investigate a series of disappearances in a small village. After many of the X-Men are incapacitated by the malicious psychic known as the Soul Skinner, it soon becomes clear that the only way to stop their mysterious foe is to re-activate the powers of the innocent Illyana Rasputin – Colossus’ baby sister.

Then, a ghost from the past re-appears, casting doubt on the loyalties of X-Men mainstay Psylocke.

X-Men: A Skinning of Souls collects X-Men #17-24, written by Fabian Nicieza and illustrated by Andy Kubert and Brandon Peterson.

A Skinning of Souls picks up immediately after the events of X-Cutioner’s Song, but also pulls in threads from Bishop’s Crossing and Acts of Vengeance. It is divided into two distinctive arcs – the first of which deals with Colossus’ return to Russia and the X-Men’s battle against the Soul Skinner, while the second sees Psylocke’s allegiances called into question when a woman claiming to be the real Betsy Braddock appears. There’s also a subplot regarding Cyclops visiting his grandparents in order to come to terms with the revelations he’s learned from the villainous Stryfe and the continued tensions between himself and his girlfriend Jean Grey.

It must be said that this collection is not new reader friendly. Its plot relies heavily on prior events, making it continuity-focused. It’s easy to get lost, especially during the second half. The return of the “original” Betsy Braddock, now using the codename Revanche (which is never actually explained), is a direct follow-up to Acts of Vengeance. This means that the reader needs to know the context and circumstances surrounding the already confusing body switch that happened with Psylocke in 1989. Illyana’s de-aging is also referenced, as well as the concluding events of X-Cutioner’s Song. As such, it is absolutely necessary for the reader to have a working knowledge of the X-Men and their canon. Otherwise, A Skinning of Souls loses its weight.

With all of that said, the stories collected here are incredibly engrossing and speak to just how iconic the ‘90s were when it came to the X-Men. Nicieza does a stupendous job writing the characters’ dialogues, especially Jubilee’s. She’s sassy and spunky, but also full of heart. He’s also quite adept at creating organic and relatable dynamics between the characters. At its core, the X-Men are a family and Nicieza keeps that alive here. There’s a tangible closeness between these characters. Of course, it also helps that there’s a large dose of soapy drama to go along with it. One particular standout subplot involves Psylocke’s lustful pursuit of Cyclops, despite the fact that he was with Jean Grey at the time. What makes the storyline all the more juicy is Cyclops’ fantasies of Psylocke, as well as the foreknowledge that Cyclops would later have a rather infamous affair with Emma Frost. Let it be known that for all the hate Emma Frost receives for her turn as Cyclops’ mistress, Psylocke tried it first. It’s also worth mentioning that there are a few tender and rather touching scenes between Rogue and Gambit (whose tumultuous relationship is one of the most iconic within the X-Men canon).

X-Men: A Skinning of Souls gives me everything I need for a nice bit of ‘90s nostalgia – the drama, the action and those legendary Jim Lee-designed costumes! The narrative itself is a bit convoluted, but keeps its focus squarely on developing the characters involved. Andy Kubert’s art is defining of this era and is quite beautiful, particularly when he’s drawing the women. Although, he does have a tendency to draw mouths a little too wide. I’d recommend this collection mostly for the more hardcore X-Men fans or those who are already massive fans of Psylocke (or even Colossus). Otherwise, you might want to read up on preceding storylines before giving this one a go.

RATING: B

Review: Wedding Peach (Manga)

When ordinary schoolgirl Momoko Hanasaki is attacked by a demon, she is saved by a mysterious angel named Limone and is gifted magical powers. She, along with her friends Yuri Tanima and Hinagiku Tamano, learn that they are the mythical Love Angels and that they must find the Sacred Four Somethings in order to defeat the maniacal Reine Devila.

Wedding Peach is a six volume shōjo manga series written by Sukehiro Tomita and illustrated by Nao Yazawa.

Originally published in 1994 during the height of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon’s popularity, Wedding Peach is a magical girl series that is often (unfavourably) compared to its iconic predecessor. Much like in Sailor Moon, its lead characters use magical items to transform into warriors of love and whose goal is to seek out legendary artifacts. Further similarities exist in its themes and the concept of past lives ruined by an evil queen. That said, Wedding Peach manages to hold its own against its forerunner. It proves itself to be a heart-warming series about the inexhaustible power of love and the ultimate triumph over evil.

Wedding Peach focuses on a trio of likeable characters – Momoko, Yuri and Hinagiku – as they navigate through their first experiences with love on top of having to fight the forces of evil as Love Angels. In this respect, there is a surplus of character development. As readers, we quickly understand who these characters are even in the broad strokes that are initially used to paint them. Momoko is the scatterbrained leader, Yuri is the soft-spoken and elegant one, and Hinagiku is the impulsive tomboy. We’re able to see the characters grow through their relationships, especially with Hinagiku and her increasing feelings for her childhood friend Takuro. Even still, much of the attention is squarely placed on Momoko. There’s poignancy to her family life, particularly in how her loneliness and forced independence is acknowledged through the absence of a maternal figure in her life. There’s also the complex relationship she has with the soccer player Yousuke, who goes from being a total lout to being a sweet guy who genuinely cares for her.

Wedding Peach has its fair share of shortcomings. Despite being immersed in a world where angels must protect their heavenly realm from the invading forces of demons, this series is remarkably light on world building and on developing its own mythology. Yazawa and Tomita borrow from Christian and Greek lore, juxtaposing it further with traditions from wedding ceremonies, but do little to elaborate on anything. The first few volumes of this series work nicely and unfold an engaging plot, but things begin to fall off the rails by the fifth volume. A fourth Love Angel is introduced, Angel Salvia, but her personality is extremely aggressive and there’s very little to like about her. Her introduction also leads into a random, but welcomingly unexpected, plot twist about Yousuke. Sadly, the series is abruptly wrapped up before the team behind Wedding Peach can execute anything worthwhile with these revelations. This also means that the conclusion to the series feels tacked on and wholly anticlimactic. The final battle against the Big Bad Reine Devila is depressingly underwhelming.

Wedding Peach is unlikely to ever crawl out from under the shadow of its more famous antecedent Sailor Moon, especially since the latter became a media juggernaut and whose manga series remains a sweeping epic with elaborate mythologies and multi-dimensional characters. Wedding Peach is a satisfying, but somewhat disposable, read. The action sequences are well done and the adherence to the wedding motif is thankfully kept to a bit of a minimum, instead opting to focus on character development and the fight against the forces of Reine Devila. As a whole, what makes Wedding Peach fun to read is its colourful cast of characters who are easy to relate to and its overall youthful tone. However, it fails to build an immersive world, provide necessary backstories and motivations to its villains, and never quite settles on a cohesive narrative that has a distinct sense of direction.

RATING: C+