Haridama Magic Cram School

Two teen sorcerers-in-training study for their exams – but they're tested on subjects that are much more exciting and difficult than history, math or science. They must use their smarts, spells and swords to battle magical monsters.

Atsushi Suzumi, the creator of Venus vs. Virus gives readers a one-shot shonen fantasy adventure that's simple, but satisfying. Haridama's brevity doesn't allow for a lot of deep character development, but Suzumi's appealing artwork and her story's positive (and vaguely familar) themes make this a fun read for tweens and younger teens who love Naruto and Harry Potter.

Two young sorcerers-in-training try to hone their skills at a magical "cram school" in preparation for their upcoming exams. Unlike their peers, Harika and Kokuyo are "obsidians" who were born without the requisite mix of yin and yang powers that sorcerers depend on to wield their spells. Harika responds to this challenge by studying. Kokuyo is often off playing hooky, a habit that frustrates both Harika and their teacher Sekiei.

As these tween apprentices encounter mystical creatures and meet other student-sorcerers from rival schools, Kokuyo and Harika discover that they're more powerful than they thought and that their friendship is the key to unlocking their potential.

If Haridama Magic Cram School sounds morally uplifting and somewhat less than subtle about encouraging young readers to "stay in school and study hard" – well, you're probably right. Japanese school kids deal with an immense degree of pressure to make the grade from the day they start pre-school until they graduate from high school. In Japan, cram schools, or exam preparation classes are a common after-school activity. So it's only natural that these kids would enjoy a little fantasy about schools that are more exciting than your average history, math or science class. What keeps Haridama from being a preachy, goody-goody bore is Suzumi's appealing artwork and her simple, yet delightful story.

You'll recognize a lot of typical shonen manga characters here – spikey-haired Kokuyo and pink-haired Harika will remind readers of the young and spunky ninjas, Naruto and Sakura, with a hint of Harry Potter and Hermione. But at least these two student sorcerers act like true friends and equals. Heroine Harika manages to save the day as much as her classmate Kokuyo, which makes this book an appealing read for boys and girls alike. A fun, low-commitment comic for tweens.

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