The Black Knight Mist returns in volume 2 of Digital Manga Publishing's Knights by Minoru Murao. Nina, the girl Mist rescued from being burned at the stake, follows her beloved knight to the capitol of Excludo, but finding Mist may be more difficult, and dangerous, than the young girl imagined. Mist must overcome an attack by the Saints, and then overcome his own anxieties in a jousting match. A review of Knights volume 1 is currently available.
Knights by Minoru Murao from Digital Manga Publishing
This volume of the fantasy manga starts slow, as we follow Nina trying to locate her beloved Black Knight, Mist. It still feels odd that Nina is continuing as a main character, and her as Mists's potential love interest seems awkward and forced. But the same bravery displayed in the first volume of Knights resurfaces, leaving Nina an interesting and commendable character, even if she isn't entirely necessary.
Action picks up halfway through as Mist and his fellow knights find themselves under attack from the Saints, with quick attacks that are easy to follow. The story then moves abruptly into a jousting competition. Everyone convinces Mist to enter as the Crestless Knight, but his fear of crowds makes this difficult for him.
Returning Characters in Minoru Murao's Shonen Fantasy Manga
Through volume 1 of the manga we've come to know Euphemia as a righteous, if rather sexualized character. It's a little eye-popping to see how she takes care of the "pent-up" clergymen after arousing them with one of her potions, but not entirely surprising.
How she interacts with Nina is surprising, however - while anxious to find Nina when she and Mist realize she's in the city, our "Ms. Witch" is borderline cruel when she finds the girl. Nina's understandably upset after seeing Euphemia's erotic actions, and is distraught over whether this women used these sexual tricks on her beloved Mist. Rather than comfort the girl, Euphemia gives Nina with some harsh words and then leaves her behind. These actions could be showing a complexity in her character, but mostly they're just confusing.
The knight Mist defeated in chapter one, Leonard Scott, returns in this volume of the manga. he simultaneously fills the roles of pretty boy and lovable pervert, but he turns out to be interesting and even hilarious.
Mist shows some growth, as he begins to overcome the fear that grips him in the midst of a roaring crowd - and understands that, under the right circumstances, the crowd isn't so frightening. Our Black Knight is almost too anxious when he looks for Nina, and while it might just be hid kindheartedness, it could also be a sign of Minoru Murao pushing too hard for a love story.
Knights Volume 2 Manga by Minoru Murao, Published by DMP
Some characters disappoint, while others surprise and delight in this volume of the manga. Nina's usefulness to the plot is still to be determined, though she's the most likable character in Knights, and Leonard Scott's reemergence adds a new dynamic, and some humor, to the story. Though Mist is a great hero I wish that he would gain more depth, but there is hope for that as the story puts more focus on his inner conflicts. And I still wish Euphemia would put on a shirt.
Knights Volume 2 gets 3/5.
- ISBN: 9781569705698
- MSRP: $9.95
- Rated: YA for 16+
- Release Date: August 4, 2010
- 192 Pages
Join the Conversation