Comics / Manga

7thGarden: Volume 3 manga review

By Leroy Douresseaux
February 1, 2017 - 15:02

7thGarden Volume 3 cover image

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

It is the Age of A.N. (Annu Nuntius), year 78.  In Exive, one of the seven great continents, in the Holy Braith Kingdom, specifically in the village of Karna, there is a young man.  His name is Awyn Gardener, and he protects his beautiful mistress, Mariphiel “Marie” Fiacre.  Awyn lovingly tends the beautiful gardens on her estate, but he is about to discover that there is a demon in the garden.  Vyrde wants to kill six angels and to dominate the world – with Awyn's help

As 7th Garden, Vol. 3 (Chapters 9 to 12) opens, a young princess is forced to face her dark powers, but she would rather return to a dreamland.  Meanwhile, Vyrde adjusts to being part of the Fiacre household, but Marie is jealous of the attention Vyrde gives Awyn.  Vyrde has other things upon which to concentrate and crashes a meeting of old friends.  Also, the childhood of Awyn Gladiolus is revealed, as is the past of the country.

[This volume includes bonus manga, “Epilogue: The Princess.”]

THE LOWDOWN:  The 7th Garden manga is a dark fantasy shonen manga that is still filled with beautifully-drawn art.  It is in the vein of shonen fantasy series, Rosario+Vampire, which also has moments of shojo drama.  This is a shonen-shojo historical drama blend with shonen action, violence, and innuendo.

The best of 7th Garden Volume 3 concerns domestic drama and history.  I enjoy the scenes depicting life in the household of Karnecie Fiacre, Marie's father, especially because creator Mitzu Izumi enjoys contrasting Vyrde's mission with life at a simple country estate.  Secondly, the history of Awyn is quite intriguing, involving the rumblings of war and a mysterious serial killer.  I still see the possibilities of 7th Garden, and it is starting to hit its stride.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of shonen dark/action fantasy will want to try 7th Garden.

B+

Rating: B+ /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12