Angelic Layer Omnibus Edition Book 1 TP (Manga)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: September 19, 2012
Price: $19.99
Creator(s): CLAMP
Format: 426 pgs., Black & White, Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-61655-021-9
Age Rating: Teen
ICv2 Rating: 4 stars out of 5
 
Originally created in 1999 by the manga supergroup CLAMP, Angelic Layer tells a very sweet story about determination and finding your own inner strength by following a seventh grade student named Misaki as she enters the world of Angelic Layer.  After arriving in Tokyo to move in with her aunt, Misaki discovers the world of Angelic Layer by seeing a battle on a large television screen.  Soon afterward she meets the odd scientist Icchan who takes her into a toy store and helps her get started in the world of battling angels who are controlled with the power of the owner's mind.  In this first omnibus collection, Misaki gets her first angel and enters her first tournament where she must do battle against some of the best angel handlers in her region.
 
To be flat out and perfectly honest, I really enjoyed this release.  While I haven't always been the biggest CLAMP supporter, every so often they come out with something special and this is one of those exceptions.  The artwork in this book is unlike many other releases that you might see from the manga group in releases such as Code Geass or xxxHolic and instead has a soft, gentle quality that reminds you of their other shoujo series such as Kobato.
 
The storytelling is where this release gets the highest amount of praise however.  Swift and filled with incredibly likable characters, there is no one in this release that you ever wish would be quiet. From the love interest to the best friend, everyone shines in their own way as they cheer on Misaki in her first public tournament appearance (which is where the majority of this release tells its story).
 
If there is one complaint to be made about this book it would be that the battle sequences make this a very quick read.  With so many panels devoted to the fights that Misaki and her angel participate in, the 400+ pages that make up this omnibus really just go by much too quickly.  Add in the fact that it's so easy to get absorbed into this book and not want to put it down and you have something that you can easily get through in just a few hours which can be disappointing to some.
 
Regardless of that however, this is a solid release from Dark Horse and a wonderful addition to your manga collection if you missed your chance to get it the first time around.  Sweet and charming doesn't begin to describe the story and characters within these pages.  Pick this one up the first chance you get.
 
-- L.B. Bryant