Ral Grad Volume 1

An action-packed introduction to a world of fantasy and adventure, Ral Ω Grad Volume 1 crams in a lot of complex information about its intriguing cast of characters; perhaps almost too much to absorb in one sitting. Fortunately, Obata's elegant, detailed artwork makes it easy to concentrate on the story rather than spend too much time figuring out who's who and what's what.

Ral Ω Grad also offers a heaping helping of fanservice, with extra emphasis on Ral's breast obsession. His innocence makes his boob-grabbing ways seem more funny than lecherous, but it's probably not for the easily offended.

Isolated in darkness since he was a baby, Ral has only known two companions: his tutor Mio, and Grad, the Shadow dragon that shares his body. Ral is locked away because the King fears the power of the Shadow dragon and neutralizes it by keeping it away from the light.

In Ral's quasi-medieval world, Shadows are malevolent beings of darkness that manifest as shadow parasites or human-consuming shape-shifters. Then there's Ral and Grad, who have a unique human/Shadow symbiotic relationship. It's their unique partnership and powers that convinces the king to release them from their prison to become the kingdom's main defense against Queen Bira, the evil and vain ruler of the Shadows.

Complicated enough for you? The one downfall of Ral Ω Grad is its complex cosmology. Much of the first volume is spent explaining the principles of Shadows, and this complexity (along with the sexual innuendos) makes this manga better suited for older readers.

Fortunately, Obata's elegant artwork does a good job of conveying the background info clearly. Obata manages to tell Takano's tale with detailed, action-packed art that deftly maneuvers between the worlds of dark fantasy and cheeky humor.

The other notable aspect of Ral Ω Grad is Ral's breast fixation. This provides Takano and Obata with numerous opportunities to show scantily clad cuties, but somehow, Ral's innocence and essentially honorable intentions makes his boob-grabbing ways more funny than lecherous. It's kind of simple-minded at times, but it does offer some levity in an otherwise dense tale, kind of like Lord of the Rings meets Benny Hill.

This first volume of Ral Ω Grad packs in a lot of action and information, but if you can get through it, it also offers tantalizing tidbits to hook you in to check out Volume 2. A fun ride for not-so-politically correct fantasy fans.