Kiss of the Rose Princess Vol. 1 TPPublisher: VIZ Media
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Price: $9.99
Creator: Aya Shouoto
Format: 180 pgs., Black & White, Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7366-3
Age Rating: Teen
ICv2 Rating: 3 stars out of 5
This blend of romance, adventure, and odd creepiness has gorgeous shojo artwork blended with a story which rarely makes sense. Each chapter of the story is referred to as a "punishment," and the main character’s magical defenders are each summoned by kissing a special playing card. This overlay of punishment and reward, both deferred, is a continuing theme. Since the main character is only a high school freshman, and her servants all manifest as older teen boys, this gets odd very quickly. With each servant, there are various forms of social interaction and romantic tension, and the stylized "pretty boy" artwork heightens this.
The main character’s father gave his daughter a distinctive choker, and drilled into her the idea that something terrible would happen if she ever took it off. Then, he apparently disappeared. So, of course, the story begins as something totally unstoppable and unpreventable removes the choker, leading to her finding out some of the many things that her father failed to tell her, including the fact that she has magical servants at her command.
As an introduction to a longer story with a complex mystery, it's not a total failure. Even readers who don't care for the style will be intrigued in what comes next, but may drop away if the payoff doesn't manifest within the next couple of volumes. The intended audience of teen girls may enjoy the gorgeous boy servants.
--Nick Smith: Library Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California.