Kanna

"Kanna? Now whatever could this little ditty be about?"

A common guideline of mine when picking out Anime or Manga to watch or read would probably be: choose something you've never heard of before. Discovering new things is exciting, and even more so if what you've picked up turns out to be enjoyable. While browsing the Manga shelves in a specialty store once, I found a story with an amusing title and read the description on the back.

I'm just a sucker for stories about guys having to take care of little girls. :p Without further ado, I acquired the entire series and read it through hastily. Here's my conclusion...

STORY: 6/10
It starts off very well. This Kagura guy lives his ordinary life like any other guy you could imagine. Until one morning, he finds a tender little girl sleeping beside him in his futon. She can't talk, and Kagura doesn't really know what to do with her. As events unfold and most of the staff at the café where he works are slaughtered, he notices that darker powers are after this little girl. Soon enough, he learns from various sources that Kanna (as she's called) is actually his daughter from a parallel world. With the help of friends and other characters he meets, he embarks on a journey with her, traveling between his own world and the parallel one to find the alternate "him" and discover what has happened.

However, the storyline takes a rather sharp turn away from expectations. By around the third volume, it gets rather tedious with wars and battles in the parallel world, making it feel like reading a history book instead of a Manga, with detailed strategies and battles that don't significantly contribute to the main plot. But aside from this part, it's a very amusing read. I recommend it for anyone interested in Manga, as it could appeal to a broad audience and isn't confined to a specific genre.

ART: 8/10
I've seen a lot of Manga with downright awful art. Since it's a Manga, the artwork plays a significant role, in my opinion. This Manga, however, does not have awful art. Characters are well-designed and easily distinguishable from each other. The backgrounds are somewhat sparse but help focus attention on the characters and their interactions. Some caricatures feel a bit off, but every artist has their style. The artist should work on drawing hands—while the anatomy is flawless, little girls shouldn't have burly man-hands. :p

CHARACTER: 6/10
The characters leave a strong impression, making them hard to forget—which is good since they tend to disappear for periods and then reappear in unexpected places. Some need more development, but these examples are rare; most of the time, you know where you stand with them.

...couldn't think of anything more to say here...so well, let's move on.

ENJOYMENT: 7/10
As explained during the STORY section, it was enjoyable at times, and not so much at others. The awkward situations between Kagura and Kanna provide humor, as do random moments throughout the story. Most of the time, it's engaging enough to keep reading with enjoyment and suspense. It could be better, but it always can, right? The fact that it's only four books was a bit disappointing—it could've evolved into something really nice.

And that's my pros and cons about it. Not the best, but a very amusing (and sometimes rather cute) story to read. However, some parts feature bloody action and breast nudity, so younger readers should be cautious. Yeah...somewhat. :3