Dragon Half (1991)

[ドラゴンハーフ]

Volume 3

Author/Artist: Ryusuke Mita
Publisher: Fujimi Fantasia Comics

Synopsis:
Mink is confronted by Gaya, a vengeful suitor of her mother's.

Story/Characters:
There's a lot going on in this volume. First we have Mink's fight with Gaya, which hearkens back to the original premise of Mink being targeted due to an old grudge with her parents. We reunite with Dick Saucer, learn a bit about his past, and Mink gets a great Cinderella moment at the royal ball. We then have a rematch with Dug and Damaramu which provides Pia with the opportunity to be more than just a tagalong kid. (Rufa remains more a hindrance than a help, of course.) Next we get into the Dead Lai Arc, which adds the element of Mink's ecdysis and what that means for her powers. We're also introduced to the other sons of Azatodeth, who will be increasingly important as the story progresses.

Art:
The fight with Gaya is actually rather well-done and when rendered in dramatic style, he actually looks fairly intimidating. However, it's his comic "no sell" face that rally steals the show. You'd think it might get old after a while, but it never does (at least for me). Ballroom-style Mink is really cute, by the by.

Conclusion:
In the previous volume, the individual episodes felt more self-contained, but there is more of a sense of continuity flowing from one to the next in this volume and that might appeal to you from a narrative standpoint. The humor continues to be good and it's all-around a pretty good read.

Rating:
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