The manga-ka known as "Maybe" is famous for the popular series Dusk Maiden of Amnesia, and Tales of Wedding Rings marks his first foray into fantasy storytelling. I have to say, it's a smashing success so far!
The story revolves around childhood friends Satou and Hime, who met under unusual circumstances involving a blinding flash of light. After ten years, its made clear through some rather gorgeous artwork that the two have feelings for each other. But on the night of the local festival, where Satou tries and fails to confess his feelings for Hime, he's crushed when she announces that she's moving away.
Unable to sleep, he sees the same blinding flash of light he remembers from his childhood in the distance, and instinctively runs to it. He arrives in time to see Hime about to pass through the portal to another world, and following his heart, he dives in after her. Of course, Hime is an actual princess from this world, and is about to marry a prince as Satou arrives and she chooses him instead. Cue a demon who can only be defeated by the "Ring King", and Satou must become the hero of legend. This wouldn't be a manga without complications however, and it turns out that Satou must now marry four other Princesses who also possess wedding rings of power.
Yup, this is a harem manga!
Normally I'd be rolling my eyes at this point, but I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised at this book. The artwork has a slightly rough quality to it, due to the way the lines are inked, and it looks terrific. More than that, the way the relationship between Satou and Hime is conveyed through glances and nervous body language is hugely endearing. They're an adorable couple, and the relationship feels completely genuine. Where many harem manga will throw you several beauties to root for, it's clear that Maybe's initial couple is the one you'll be pulling for.
There are some other nice touches too. Those who followed my reviews elsewhere will know I have a severe distaste for milquetoast protagonists. Nervous, stumbling, weak leads that are pursued by beautiful women are not my cup of tea. My heroes need to have something about them that makes them stand out, and Satou has several admiral qualities. Firstly, he's drawn as a tall and athletic. You can see why the maids find him interesting, and beyond that, he'll stand and fight when required (one of Tenchi's most admirable qualities).
Hime is also a well-rounded character. She's shy and there's a weight of both sadness and responsibility hanging over her. Initially we find out that she always knew she would have to leave Satou, and kept him at a distance for that reason, but once he crossed worlds for her, she had the courage to choose him as her husband. While that may have doomed Satou to undertake a role he isn't suited for, Hime's emotional moments always feel genuine. It's a terrific dynamic.
Overall then, this is a great start. It's certainly on my pre-order list for subsequent volumes, and with some beautiful artwork doing the rounds online, I can't wait to see how Satou copes with his remaining brides. I, for one, will be cheering him on and hoping he can save the Kingdom and get the (right) Princess!
Tales of Wedding Rings volume 1 is available from Yen Press now. This volume used for this review was purchased by the author.
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