By Da-Mi Seomoon (TOKYOPOP)
ISBN: 978-1-59816-834-1
This top-notch fantasy tale is the story of two half-sisters whose already unconventional life takes an outlandish and possibly deadly turn…
Ha-Ru is a real golden child, popular, easygoing, good at sports but her sister Mi-Ru is darkly sullen and withdrawn. Ha-Ru also has the ability to see spirits and supernatural creatures, but she keeps that a secret from her fellow students. She is breezing through school when she is summoned home for a mysterious ceremony. Taking her close friends Dong-Uk Lee and Joon-Hee, she and Mi-Ru travel to ‘The Last Island’ to reveal that she is in fact the heir of the family which owns the island and everything on it.
This matriarchal nation reveres Ha-Ru, practically worshipping her, but when a faction of the ruling family try to manipulate Mi-Ru into usurping control the bitter girl runs away, attempting to throw herself off a cliff. Ha-Ru gives chase but only catches her as they plunge towards the sea…
They wake up on an alien world, a feudal desert with three moons, and dragons, and rough warriors who think nothing of making slaves of any strangers they find…
This is an above average fantasy tale, with more texture than the norm, some solid laughs to balance the action and genuinely interesting plot threads. Da-Mi Seomoon’s art is stylish and innovative, especially the photo-collage pages, and the characters are well-rounded. The volume does end on a cliff-hanger though, so you’ll probably want to have the next one handy before you start.
© 2003 Da-Mi Seomoon, HAKSAN Publishing Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
English text © 2007 TOKYOPOP Inc. All Rights Reserved.