By The Sword Volume 1 (v. 1)

It takes a special man to wield a special sword. Long ago, a half-breed swordsmith forged the Moegi, a magical sword now sought by the demon hunter Asagi. Asagi has searched the land high and low in the hope that this sword can handle his awesome might, which tends to destroy ordinary swords. He meets Kaede, a half-breed demon girl, who leads him to the Moegi. There's just one problem - only the nephew of the spirit trapped inside the blade can draw it from its sheath! Will Asagi find the nephew and make the sword his?

Grade 8 Up-A rollicking tale of humans, demons, spirits, and swords. Asagi is a karinin (demon hunter), but whenever he kills one with an ordinary sword, the weapon falls apart afterwards. He begins looking for the Moegi, a magical sword that he hopes will be able to channel his powers without crumbling to pieces. He finds it in the possession of a girl named Kaede and her father Kurenai, who are busy fighting enemies of their own. Asagi discovers that whenever the Moegi is drawn, Kurenai's spirit enters Kaede. As one might imagine, this transformation has both good and bad results. The world of this story is smaller than it might seem; it's filled with demons and half-demons that just happen to be related to one another in highly improbable ways. Teens will be captivated by the twists and turns of the story line, as well as by the many kinetic fight scenes. The black-and-white artwork is impressive, especially during the sword fights where the characters' overly stylized hair flies even more dramatically than usual. The translator's notes are very helpful, especially in giving information about kappas, the water imps that can range from friendly and helpful to dangerous creatures that eat human livers. The last page of this gripping story will leave readers clamoring for the next volume in this series.-Andrea Lipinski, Kingsbridge Library, Bronx, NY
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Gr. 6-9. Demon-hunter Asagi meets Kaede and her demon father, Kurenai, while searching for the magic Moegi Sword. Kaede and her father have the sword, and Asagi needs it to channel his own powers. In exchange for the sword, he agrees to help the father and daughter find Kurenai's real body. The story is action packed, and the characters are well crafted. It's fun to watch the developing relationship between hotheaded Kurenai, tough but innocent Kaede, and Asagi, the noble hero. The art is in the typical manga style, with an abundance of great demon-fighting scenes. Translator notes at the end are a nice addition; they'll serve as an encouragement to learn more about Japanese language and culture. Readers will look forward to the next volume. Tina Coleman
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