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A review by iffer
Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 1 by Kiiro Yumi
3.0
I found this entertaining, particularly for anyone who loves reading (which I'm sure is everyone on Goodreads), even if it's in the same generic vein as most shojo. As per usual in most serialized manga, whether oriented toward girls or boys, the main character is somewhat bland, has some skills, but her only notable good quality, which is even spelled out in the text, is that she never gives up, since we like giving children The Little Engine that Could message. Kasahara is basically like a commando/librarian version of Naruto, minus a demon that she can channel to give her power. I acknowledge that main characters in these types of serialized works are normally bland with a slew of insecurities to be more broadly appealing to their target audience, in this case, bookish pre-teen girls, but it still bugged me that the main character was just kind of...lame. The straight-A Tezuka, the only recruit other than Kasahara to be selected to serve on the elite taskforce, is a jerk, but I couldn't help myself agreeing with his assessment of Kasahara as kind of a lazy airhead. I hope that as the series progresses, Kasahara (and all the others) becomes not only a better-developed character, but a kick-ass librarian ;p
This was nothing particularly unique or creative in this series's first volume, with the main character's motivational prince reminiscent of other shojo (and Utena, even though that was a deconstructed use of the manga prince archetype), and a love interest that the main character "hates," but with whom I am sure she will end up falling in love. All of these seemingly terrible things said, it's only a first volume, and I think that the series has the potential to become much more interesting depending on character and plot development. I would definitely like to see an examination of the politics and power struggles of censorship that are touched upon, and even if the series doesn't get drastically better, it'll be fun to read more of a "fighting" series about books.
This was nothing particularly unique or creative in this series's first volume, with the main character's motivational prince reminiscent of other shojo (and Utena, even though that was a deconstructed use of the manga prince archetype), and a love interest that the main character "hates," but with whom I am sure she will end up falling in love. All of these seemingly terrible things said, it's only a first volume, and I think that the series has the potential to become much more interesting depending on character and plot development. I would definitely like to see an examination of the politics and power struggles of censorship that are touched upon, and even if the series doesn't get drastically better, it'll be fun to read more of a "fighting" series about books.