Beast Master By: Kyousuke Motomi

Title: Beast Master
Author: Kyousuke Motomi
PAPERBACK
Publisher: Shojo Beat
Amount of Volumes in this Series: 2
Amount Read: 2
Geared Towards: Teens/Shojo lovers

"Kubozuka Yuiko, High School 2nd year. Animals really hate me, but I love them. The first one who got close to me...is a kind of weird, beast-like guy."

Summary (From myanimelist.net): Yuiko Kubozuka is a high school girl who loves animals. Unfortunately, animals hate her and flee from her whenever possible. So when a new classmate, Leo Aoi, turns out to be a scary guy who resembles a wild animal than anything human, she is intrigued. Not only because Reo has an affinity with animals which she envies, but also because he isn’t the wild animal that he seems to be. He seems to hide a very sweet disposition behind his scary features.

Or so she thought. The truth is revealed when they are attacked and Leo immediately behaves like a wild animal and gets violent like a blood-thirsty animal, just to save Yuiko.

Will Yuiko be able to tame this wildest of all animals or will he be just like the others and flee from her? Or the better question, will she flee from him?

Wdebo's Review: I wasn't really sure what to expect when I first began this manga. The cover art was pretty meh, the title is, to put it simply, pretty stupid, but when I began reading, I for some reason was drawn into the story. Most likely because Yuiko's actions reminded me instantly of my best friend, who like Yuiko, enjoys jumping/attacking animals because she is so in love with them, but animals usually don't return that affection because they are pretty damn freaked out by her.

Though this manga definitely has the cliche aspect to it, in the sense that it is obvious from the very beginning that Yuiko and Leo are going to be together and it also follows many overused elements in Shojo mangas, there is something simple and sweet to the story and artwork that just makes me so happy.

Though I am a sucker for romance and any form of cliche fluffyness makes me happy, there was something about this story that just made me happier then usual and made me unable to put it down until I finished the entire story (Which wasn't that hard seeing as how there were only two volumes, with four chapters each-So I totally finished the entire manga in two hours because I'm cool and have no life like that). I also enjoyed how it wasn't all just "romance" there was darker scenes that were great, hey a girl needs some violence in her life, right?

I really liked all of the characters, there is just something loveable about all of them. (Except for the meanie-faces). You have the heroine, Yuiko, who, though at times is a total spaz and is like a child when she sees animals, she is the strong, mature girl that apparently many manga girls aren't able to become. Leo, the hero, is just the cutest thing ever. Period. GAHHH I love him! But I really shouldn't make this some sort of Wdebo-is-in-love-with-a-cutely-hot-fictional-character essay, so let's just leave it at that. Then there are all of the supporting characters, they were great, especially Taiga, Leo's caretaker. The main reason I like them is because they get really awesome banter.

There were also two one-shots included in this manga series. One story was called FLY which was featured in the first volume and the second was called CACTUS SUMMER SURPRISE which was featured in the second volume. I definitely loved the cactus one more then the other story, but I enjoyed both of them.

All in all, a very enjoyable little manga story that is perfect for a nice summer read.

Grade: A-

Wdebo :)