The World Exists for Me

    (Tokyopop, 2005-2006)
™ and ©2002 Chiho Saitou

The Book of S&M was once the source of the devil’s might, until someone took scissors and paste to it, transforming it into two papier mâché dolls: a girl named “S” and a boy named “M,” each of whom holds half the devil’s power. While on a school trip to France, Sekai is almost killed in a train wreck that does kill everyone else on board, while she’s inexplicably hurtled back to the 17th century.

She’s learns it’s due to the mysterious Sovieul and her strange connection to “S,” which the evil Machiavello (a dead ringer for her sweetheart Midou) wants for himself. Sekai just wants to find Midou and go home, but to do that she has to learn to use her strange new powers.

As you might imagine from that summary, this isn’t the promised “dark and gripping Gothic fantasy” as much as it is a profoundly silly (The Book of S&M? Demonic paper dolls?) school-girl fantasy. It lacks both sexual frisson or thrills; I’d expected more from the creator of Revolutionary Girl Utena.

— S. A. Bennett
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