“It's springtime at Kimberly Magic Academy, and that means the arrival of a fresh crop of first-year students. Whether it's the quiet and studious Oliver Horn or Nanao Hibiya, a samurai girl from a distant land, they come with wands and swords at their waists, ready to take their first steps on the road to magical mastery. However, beneath its brilliant facade of cherry blossoms, the academy hides countless dangers and dark secrets, ready to take the lives of the unprepared…!” (Yen Press)
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A mixture of action, comedy and drama, “Reign of the Seven Spellblades” takes a diverse cast of magic students from different backgrounds and plops them into the one of the toughest academies. Undeniably, this ‘tried and true' formula has been utilized ad-nauseum in the world of manga, but it is one that has proven effective when well executed. Adapting from the original light novel series from Bokuto Uno, the series does justice to the fantasy/magic genre through a strong visual direction and eccentric cast.
Introducing several students, the book manages to navigate their differences into a pretty strong bond, born from being freshmen at the prestigious “Kimberly Magic Academy”. The charm here is that the difference in both mannerisms and attitude is instantly recognizable and it is easy for the reader to balance the large cast. Furthermore, the sharp execution of bringing these characters to manga allows the reader to instantly connect with their favorite archetypes, common to a series of this ilk. This direction is advantageous to the opening novel as, beyond the character introductions, the story has little to offer at this point.
For those who prefer the light novel format when available, often worrying that the adaptation misses the beats and details only attainable through literature, the manga does an adequate job standing on its own. The story is easy to follow, with a complimentary flow, and the characters are perfectly realized under the art of Sake Ensuno. Author Bokuto Uno even describes in a postscript how enthused they were when they learned of the artists' inclusion in the project, exclaiming “this is too good to be true!”.
The enthusiasm from the original author is certainly warranted, as Ensuno's artistic vision of the series is stunning. The characters are expressive and action sequences capture frenetic nature of battle. However, the most pronounced aspect of Ensuno's skills comes from the creature designs that is reminiscent of the best fantasy art in the genre. As the plot, thus far, has barely had time to develop past introducing characters, the art direction will give readers reason to get instantly enthused for the next release.
“Reign of the Seven Spell Blades” is a series in its infancy, with the first volume offering no major conflict, antagonist or plot progression – it exists to introduce the characters and give readers an idea of their eccentricities. Thankfully, the cast is a fascinating mix of personalities (particularly the samurai student Hibiya Nanao who steals the spotlight in every scene she is in) and a lush visual direction that will garner instant appeal among fans.
