Publisher: Viz Media

Release Date: April 2011
Price: $9.99

Creator: Arina Tanemura

Format: 182 pgs.; B&W; Trade Paperback

ISBN: 978-1-4215-3882-2

Age Rating: Teen

ICv2 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

Sakura has been betrothed since birth to Prince Oura whom she’s never met but the last thing the bratty fourteen year old wants to do is get married, especially after meeting Aoba, a disagreeable court emissary sent to escort her to the wedding.  After running away she gives into temptation and does something she’s been forbidden to do; look up at a full moon.  Once she does she sees a Youko, a flesh eating demon who promptly attacks her.

 

It turns out she’s the granddaughter of a moon princess and its her destiny to use her grandmother’s sword Chizakura to kill the Youko who prey on mankind.  When in fight mode Shakura’s outfit switches from something era appropriate to more of a Sailor Moon number, and though she initially has trouble controlling her recalcitrant sword she eventually proves effective at demon slaying.

 

With a beginning like this I assumed this was going to be a collision of elements from the magical girl, adolescent exorcist and historical romance manga genres.  But it quickly takes some unexpected turns.  The triangle between Sakura, Oura and Aoba might be predictable but how it turns out certianly isn’t.  And there’s a sudden shift in the plot that has Sakura finding friends in ninja girl Kohaku and Hayate, who thanks to a ninja technique gone horribly wrong has been turned into a frog.  Sakura Hime is a fun and heartfelt take on some pretty standard material and should appeal to its intended teen audience.

--Steve Bennett: Writer and retail services consultant