DuskFey

Manga in 200 Words: +Anima

Premise: Children who go through traumatic experiences occasionally transform and gain animal abilities perfectly suited to their immediate needs. An unlikely group of +anima forms and explores the world together.

Art: Kawaii! +Anima is unabashedly cute, and it helps to offset some of the darker themes in the series.

Characters: Honestly, out of the main four, there isn’t a single one that I dislike! In addition, I think that their divergent personalities grow together realistically as time progresses.

Plot: Each main character’s past is explored, we get to see many cultures, and serious issues like slavery and murder are examined. Even so, the youthful innocence from volume one remains strong until the very end.

Audience: This is hard to pinpoint: it’s shounen, but it’s young shounen, and it’s cute enough for girls. Read about 2 chapters, and you’ll know if +Anima is for you.

Overall: Despite being a child’s story, +Anima actually has enough substance to entertain an older audience. What makes someone a monster? When does protection become control? How long should you carry your past? Whether you face these questions or ignore them, +Anima is quite enjoyable to read. I recommend it! ^_^