Geek of Oz

Don'tcha just love the circus? Karneval seems to be the lovechild of a mangaka who wanted to fold Final Fantasy , Soul Eater  and Spirited Away  together and see what came out of such an unholy union. That's not to say the idea couldn't produce something original, but at the same time there's a distinct sense of familiarity. It goes beyond mere homage or utilisation of the tropes of the anime medium and into "I could've sworn I've seen this before" territory. Whether you're one for going over well-trod ground or prefer the undiscovered country will largely determine how much you end up taking to Karneval 's thirteen episodes of colourful adventure making. The story follows Nai, a young platinum-haired protagonist (with strange purple hair-horns) who's snatched away from a fate worse than death at the hands of a shape shifting Eldritch nightmare who'd fit right at home in Yubaba's bathhouse. Nai's saviour, Gareki, brings...

Karneval (カーニヴァル or K∀RNEVAL) is a manga series written and illustrated by Touya Mikanagi. Although aimed at the shojo demographic, there is nothing particularly feminine about it. There is no boy love or long and drawn out lovey dovey nonsense to speak of. There is, however, some beautifully drawn art, stylistic action sequences and a good helping of humour which should keep even the most manly of manga fans interested. "When innocent country boy Nai sets foot into the sordid cutthroat realm of the city, he might as well have painted a target on his own back. Kidnappers, murderers and desperados abound, waiting to take advantage of a boy guileless enough to believe blood is merely "red water". When he is framed for a murder, it is the bandit Gareki who bails him out. Being a shrewd and sharp-eyed thief, however, Gareki's motives are less than pure. Nai is looking for a friend who has disappeared and left behind something particularly intriguing - an I.D bracelet fr...