Scrapped Princess

    (Tokyopop, 2005-2006)
™ and © 2002 Chiro Sakaki, Go Yabukl
Reads Right to Left

Twins, a boy and a girl, are born to King Linevanbut. A prophecy foretells that when the girl turns 16 she’ll become “the poison that will destroy the world.” Understandably, the king orders her killed (or “scrapped,” hence our unwieldy title: Scrapped Princess). She avoids her fate, but, when she turns 15, the king’s guard learns she’s alive and the hunt is on. The only ones she can rely on for help are her silly magic-using [adopted] sister Racquel and quarrelsome swordsman brother Shannon.

Here’s another manga series supposedly derived from a cycle of Japanese novels, which seems wholly unlikely, given just how thin both the characters and situations are. The most basic aspects of the concept aren’t addressed, such as why her brother and sister decide to help Pacifica or whether she actually believes she’ll destroy the world.

The only characterization provided the trio of leads is low-comedy bickering, and all the “adventures” are strangely listless affairs. Although professionally written and drawn, it’s ordinary in every respect.

— S.A. Bennett
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