Manga Review: Tokyo Mew Mew Omnibus 3

Here we go, it's time for the final installment of my review of Kodansha USA's omnibus release of Tokyo Mew Mew. Lots of important things happened in this volume, so let's get started!

The big finale after the jump!

There were 3 major reveals in this volume, which covers the rest of the story, from when Blue Knight first apoears, up to Deep Blue's defeat at the end of the volume. The first major reveal (to Masaya) is that Ichigo is a Mew Mew, followed shortly by Masaya telling Ichigo that he's known since the TV station incident. To cap off what would be volume 5, we find out the Alto, the cat that repeatedly saved Neko-Ichigo, and Ryou are one and the same. The end of what is volume 6 is the stunning reveal that Masaya is the leader of the aliens, Deep Blue, initiating the final test and battle for Ichigo and the other Mew Mews.

A lot of the character emphasis in this omnibus was focused on the triangle of Ichigo, Masaya, and Kisshu, especially Ichigo and Masaya. Almost every reveal involved those two in some capacity. It's actually rather sad to see how frustrated Kisshu becomes with Masaya "getting in his way".

The quality of the writing is better in this omnibus, as the climax of a story should be. The reveals were planned out extremely well, with some of them foreshadowed early in the book, or even earlier in the story. As such, one's disbelief is easily suspended during the action scenes.

There is bonus content in the form of the Little Mew Mew and Sleeping Princess In Berry Forest short stories. They're quite cute, and provide a nice relief from the heaviness of the main storyline, and come at just the right time to provide a feel-good moment.

Overall, this is a fitting climax to a touching story, with just enough buildup to keep the reader interested. The bonus stories, as mentioned above, provide just the right amount of light-heartedness that the anticipation from the main plot isn't totally ruined.  The characters feel real from start to finish, and the love triangle, while by no means an original concept, adds an extra dimension to the characters of Kisshu, Ichigo, and Masaya. The reveals, as mentioned earlier, are well-written, so they hit you hard.

Scores:

Omnibus 3

Plot: 4/5 (it's the thrilling climax, but it still felt a bit cookie-cutter)

Characters: 5/5

Bonus Content: 4/5 (2 bonus stories, plus all the post-volume stuff from Ikumi)

Translation: 3.5/5 (still better than Tokyopop, thanks to Kodansha actually trying)

Overall: 4/5

Series:

Plot: 3/5 (very cookie-cutter, but still well-written)

Characters: 4/5 (characters are quite archetypical)

Bonus Content: 2.5/5 (no proper bonus content until second omnibus)

Translation: 4.5/5 (much better than Tokyopop's translation)

Overall: 3.5/5

Worth the purchase, re-read once in a while


This caps off my reviews for the main Tokyo Mew Mew manga series. I don't know if I'll review A La Mode. I don't have the omnibus for it as of this writing, but I could still do a review of the Tokyopop volumes. In the meantime, look forward to more Azumanga Daioh reviews, as well as other reviews!