Is escaping a cage worth death? Are you willing to die in a world you don’t understand? Fade away because you broke a promise? 

That’s the questions coursing through me as I watched this book’s lead, Kudo, lay still in the snow in the first chapter. 

But, he is saved by a high schooler the same age as him. Kudo is taken to The Green Pharmacy, allowed to live above the building if he works for free, which he gratefully does. 

Too bad he hates Himura, the stoic, strong silent guy who saved him. Himura often teases Kudo in a cool guy manner. However, they are stuck together often between being roommates and working in the store. 

Green Pharmacy has another business. 

Kudo and Himura both have special abilities. Kudo can see the past of any person or item he touches. He also can get possessed by those memories if he’s not careful (which happens often.) Himura can break things with his skills, such as locks, walls, etc. With their skills, their boss and store owner, Kakei, who can see the future, sends the boys on errands for clients for extra money (which Kudo desperately needs) to usually retrieve enchanted items or stop supernatural occurrences. 

Their adventures are very engaging. I was hooked to the rich lore of each side job story and its supernatural lore along with Kudo and Hamuri’s banter and rapport. They act annoyed and dislike each other, Kudo a spaz and Hamuri smooth and

aloof. But, you see under those manly masks they wear, Kudo has a respect and tenderness for Hamuri and Hamuri cares about Kudo, almost protectively. 

But between the weekly episodic style errands, there are a few overarching mysteries. What was Kudo running away from? Who is this woman in Hamuri’s memories Kudo is forced to see when they touch? Why did Kakei and his lazy, always wearing sunglasses partner Saiga make the shop (Saiga is also unknown in his powers too although we know Hamuri asked him to find someone…) 

There’s a good balance of all the genres. Clamp is excellent at supernatural abilities and worlds within our own with heart, thought-provoking, mystery, and comedy. Like poor Kudo did not even know when rice is uncooked, it’s smaller and hard. Lol! 

The art style reflects Clamp’s era of falling in love with tattoos and silver chains. Ha! Hence why you see them often in this manga. They also wanted to do a manga with mostly boys (they joked in an interview it was due to drawing so many different women in “Miyaki-chan in Wonderland.” But in an older interview, they discussed how hard it was to draw different types of men due to hair limits. Lol!) 

The cross-overs are plentiful in this series! The main two characters in “Suki” appear in one chapter in volume two here and it was amazing to see them! In “Drug and Drop” volume one, Watanuki, the protagonist of “xxxHolic” and “xxxHolic:Rei” plays a key role in this volume! I was grinning seeing him. I read Kudo and Humari also make an appearance in one of the chapters of “xxxHolic:Rei” too. 

The store Piffle Princess of course is in this universe. And Yume’s tiny persocom from “Chobits” pops up. 

“Wish” also is directly connected to “Legal Drug” which stunned me in the best way! 

Sadly, this story cannot catch a break in the completion department. It was serialized in two magazines until both went on hiatus. Then about ten years later, the released “Drug and Drop,” a direct continuation. It made it two volumes then its publication got canceled too! In an interview, these wonder women stated they had about up to volume five in their minds written and wish to continue it. 

• Also, I did not get to read the final volume that was published of “Drug and Drop” because that volume used is, at its cheapest, is $55! So, I did some research on what happens to for this post, without spoilers.  I definitely want it, lol! But, I’ll have to save up for it.  I also was lucky and got the original three volumes like new at a used bookstore in Knoxville, TN for their original cover price.  At the time, they were going for $40+ each! I felt very lucky! 

I was surprised how much I liked this series and characters. It’s for older teens, but it has a lot of gothic modern enchantment with its edge. Wishing for more! 

********************

Educator of young minds by day, super nerdy savior of justice, and cute things by night, Morgan Straughan Comnick has a love for turning the normal into something special without losing its essence. Morgan draws from real-life experiences and her ongoing imagination to spark her writing. In her spare time, she enjoys doing goofy voices, traveling to new worlds by turning pages, humming child-like songs, and forcing people to smile with her “bubbliness.” It is Morgan’s mission in life to spread the amazement of otaku/Japanese culture to the world and to stop bullying; she knows everyone shines brightly.

For more information about Morgan and her works, check out her website, which also has links to all her social medias: http://morganscomnick.com