Sengoku Nights

    (Tokyopop, 2006)
™ and © 2006 Kei Kusunoki & Kaoru Ohasi
Black and white series; read right to left.

Teen Masayoshi has more than hormones on his mind: Once his parents sold their ancestral land, he’s begun having a living nightmare that he is actually a feudal princess named Oni-hime. Long ago, she made a Faustian bargain for power. But her plans went awry as she killed thousands of people whose spirits are now being unsealed and now seek to curse Masayoshi in her stead.

Plagued with dead people, the boy is fortunately protected by the demon Nozuchi no Mikoto. He originally signed Oni-hime to the contract and still hungers for more fresh souls, such as Masayoshi’s fantasy-loving girlfriend Yoshino. Aided by the exorcist Mizuki, can a boy deal with his demonic protector, female past, and painful memory?

The creators are a sister act who twist the common resurrection theme through a gender-bending lens. This shojo story is well-drawn and reminiscent of such historical series as Fushigi Yugi. But ultimately there is a lot of set-up for readers to digest for just a two-volume manga.

— Oliver Chin
Jump to issue:
  NotesWriterArtist