Orphen

    (ADV Manga, 2005)
™ and © 1998 Yoshinobu Akita

Though a young teen himself, Orphen teaches those who wish to learn magic. However, he must make a living by completing dangerous assignments for his former mentor, the aptly named Childman. Along the way, he must manage his student Majic, the bumbling troll brothers Dortin and Volcan, and the newfound affections of the clinging Cleao.

From one farcical mission to the next, Orphen displays impressive skill fighting men and fleeing from monsters. But he is destined to confront his past in his new quest to recover a valuable ring. Previously expelled from the Tower of Fangs, where he was instructed by Childman, Orphen now must challenge the fair Azalie, who was once his dear friend and co-student. But why has she changed and been targeted for destruction?

As with its anime brethren, this manga was originally inspired by Yoshinubu Akita’s SF novels. Hajime Sawada displays a clean comic flair, but, by now, many other comics have trod this familiar ground, so this series may only stand out due to its name recognition.

— Oliver Chin
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