Time Stranger Kyoko

Alright, here's the issue with Time Stranger Kyoko: it’s too short. It’s simple really, but this “it’s too short” issue brings up more issues. First, let me bring your attention to the cover used on MAL. You see that beautiful, colorful image that features those 12 characters? Yeah? Well, guess what? You won’t know shite about them at all except for the three in the center—Kyoko and her two knights—and even then, barely. You want to know the background about that elf girl? Too bad, you won’t. You see that Jeanne lookalike? There’s no story to her, sorry. And yeah, all those hot guys there? You’ll barely even remember their names by the end of this three-volume series. Here’s the conclusion I came up with, and hopefully this will help you understand why this series had potential, but utterly fell flat: It’s like Arina Tanemura wanted to make something big like Fushigi Yugi, but either decided she was too lazy to make twelve different and interesting background stories for each character and just wanted to get to the good bits of a large cast duking out a “war” OR her publisher decided to cut her off short because they realized it couldn’t compete with Fushigi Yugi and would be seen as just an imitation. I want to believe it’s the latter since I’m a fan of Arina (her older works at least) but we will never know. Honestly, I was looking forward to this series. I didn’t particularly like Fushigi Yugi, but I loved the idea of a fantasy world where the main character has to go and “collect” her warriors to fight for her. I’m sure any of you with the same interest was disappointed—and confused—to hear that Time Stranger Kyoko only had 3 volumes to it. And again, the issue is brought up: it’s too short. I will say that it was a nice short read. If you’re looking for something quick and easy to digest, in exchange for bad characterization, this is the series for you. But just acknowledge the fact that it could’ve been something even bigger and better. Whatever happened to Time Stranger Kyoko to make it this way…it’s unfortunate that it happened.

Art: The artwork is exceptionally beautiful. I'm a fan of Arina Tanemura's style, appreciating its inherent cuteness.

Story: Unfortunately, the storyline wasn't particularly impressive. It wasn't terrible, but it didn't stand out either. Several parts felt rushed, and events unfolded too quickly. Despite this, there were many humorous moments that I enjoyed. The author has a knack for incorporating humor effectively into the narrative.

Characters: The characters were decent. Their individual stories contained numerous unexpected twists. I especially loved the romantic and cute elements woven into the plot. The author excels at crafting incredibly sweet and romantic moments between her characters. Her unique artistic style, already charming on its own, perfectly complements these adorable scenes, making them even more endearing.