Fans of Takaya's hit shojo series Fruits Basket
will gladly welcome this. Brooding beneath his girlish good looks and crushing sense of duty, Tamaki Otoya is the last in a line of ancient summoners who (of course) battle the evil forces threatening mankind. He draws strength from his bond with childhood friend Asahi—the pair is of course deeply in love and awkward with their emotions, as is often the case with the childhood friend figure. Soon enough they find themselves immersed in a struggle against demons when Asahi is revealed to be a descendant of the Gekka Family—a group that Tamaki is destined to destroy. Touted as a tale of love, loss and redemption, it offers a fast-moving, action-driven plot punctuated with moments of tender romance. Characters struggle to come to terms with who they are, as well as the definitions of their relationships. The character designs are delicate and romantic; the men are slightly effeminate and androgynous, typical of Takaya's style, which made Fruits Basket
so popular. There isn't much depth and the story is generally predictable, but Phantom Dream
is sure to please existing fans of Takaya's work. (Jan.)
