Manga Review: Graineliers, Volume 1, by Rihito Takarai

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: December 2017

Volumes: 3+

Spoilers?: No.

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Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Rihito Takarai (Ten Count) pens anything but a garden variety fantasy! In a world where the seeds of plants are imbued with power, the wheels of fate begin to turn for Luca, an illegal seed cultivator, when the government-sanctioned Graineliers come to take away his father, who in turn hands Luca a rare and powerful seed...!

Review:

I've only read Takarai's yaoi series, Ten Count, which I enjoyed but I know was met with some issues. This seems to be a very different kind of series, though, and I'm pretty sure it's not labeled yaoi, at least.

We're introduced to a dystopian world, where plant seeds are hard to find and illegal to grow on your own, and very expensive. Luca does what he can to make money, even growing some plants and selling them on the blackmarket; he lives with his dad, who he doesn't see much of, and who he knows is doing something bad, but he's not sure what. It all goes downhill very quickly, though, when the police show up and he swallows a seed that makes him black out for two years.

This is an intriguing world, though the seed thing is a little weird. The effect it has on Luca, in particular, is very odd. And then we meet this little girl, who might be similarly odd, though she could be a whole different matter as well.

I'm very intrigued. I don't feel like we got enough in this volume, and yet there was a lot explained in this volume, and we got to know the characters relatively well. I was a little unsure at first, but I might pick up the next one. I kind of want to know where this goes next. And I do rather like how Takarai develops characters, and the humor put in.