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▪ | RELEASED BY: | TOKYOPOP | ||
| ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: |
NINI |
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| ▪ | FORMAT: | JAPANESE / B&W | |||
| ▪ | PAGES: | 192 | |||
| ▪ | RATING: |
T |
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| ▪ | RELEASE DATE: |
04/08/2008 |
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| ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | 05/16/2008 | |||
| ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
Inspired by the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the manga series Dragon Sister! retells the classic Chinese epic with all the heroes (and villains!) recast as young women!
The Han Dynasty has ruled China for nearly 400 years. But now through a corrupt government and a puppet emperor, its decline is surely at hand. A rebel army grows and unrest creates chaos. In the midst of it, three brothers make a promise using the mystical power in a magical scroll. They wish to rule the nation but in doing so set an unusual curse upon themselves and all heroes as they find themselves transformed into girls!
The tale of the Three Kingdoms is retold with sex appeal, some unusual twists, a spot of comedy and a high appeal in this fantasy manga adventure. It revolves around the two heroines, the unruly and strong tomboy Zhang Fei and the poised and educated warrior Guan Yu. Both are warriors of great might yet being female, they cannot serve in any army. When they meet the idealistic royal descendant Liu Bei, the three make a pact to fight as brethren to restore China to proper rule and peace.
The road will not be an easy one however, trying to raise a volunteer army with no money and only the dream of peace doesn’t appeal to the hard working everyman. But a chance meeting with a beautiful and savvy merchant named Su Shuang puts them on the first step to achieving their dream. Their army of a mere 500 has managed to find some success. But to make a significant impact they may need to join forces perhaps with others. The Huang Jin army seems unstoppable, but when the trio ends up joining with the army fighting them, the voluptuous general Dong Zhuo sets a price. She will give Liu Bei command of a unit in her army for the battle tomorrow, but if he doesn’t make a significant impact, his two beautiful “sister” warriors Zhang Fei and Guan Yu are hers to serve her in whatever manner she desires. With her fetish for beautiful young women, one can only begin to imagine what she has planned. With her loyal archer, the equally beautiful Xu Rong at her side, the cunning general has set up a trap that Liu Bei may not be able to escape and will seal the fate of his two comrades!
Comedy, battle and action overflowing with warrior women. The warring era of the Three Kingdoms is a historical odyssey that has inspired and ignited the imagination of many generations of stories movies, and even anime. The manga Dragon Sister! has an immediately engaging sense of fun and adventure. That it is overflowing with attractive women certainly doesn’t hurt, that the women are intelligent and effective fighters and war leaders makes it all the more irresistible. With its appealing art style, great character deigns and plethora of battling women, it’s must see fare for fans of Battle Vixens (Ikki Tousen), Lacking the far racier and controversial content of Battle Vixens, Dragon Sister! is also more accessible and appealing to a wider range of readers, including female fans who enjoy adventure manga with strong female characters.
The manga also has the great addition of historical notes about the actual era of the Three Kingdoms for readers to reference. It offers great background information and gives us foreign readers the cultural and historical context needed to fully appreciate the tale.
IN SUMMARY:
Heroic meets sexy in a manga series that is sure to thrill fans of Battle Vixen.