X-Kai, Vol. 1

From out of the morass of the manga glut comes this real surprise that puts a new spin on the well-worn professional assassin genre. Kaito Yagami is a beautifully androgynous florist with a difference: he's a hired killer who uses his knowledge of toxic plant life to perform flawless, untraceable hits, all arranged by Sugaru, his beautiful handler. Thoughtful, methodical and morally sensitive, Yagami's character is an intriguing one, definitely at odds with the by-rote, hard-as-nails protagonists who populate many similar strips, and that's what makes his exploits compelling. In the first volume, Yagami encounters a doctor whose shady handling of a malpractice blackmailer could shatter his own nuptials, and a young yakuza whose girlfriend's medical needs cause him to enter into a bargain that yields horrifying results. He also searches for a killer who has copied his signature botany-based sleuthing style. Tohjoh's refreshing, suspenseful approach and somewhat ironic use of art usually associated with girl's romance manga send this book straight to the top of the highly recommended heap. (May)