Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (2014)
[小林さんちのメイドラゴン]
Volume 1
Author/Artist: Coolkyousinnjya
Publisher: Action Comics
Synopsis:
A computer programmer takes in a dragon as her live-in maid.
Story/Characters:
This is a fun little slice-of-life where most of the comedy comes from the mismatch between fantastical characters and the everyday modern setting. The deadpan Kobayashi makes for a great foil to the energetic Tohru. In a more dramatic story, Tohru's OP nature would be more difficult to manage, but here it works nicely for comedic effect. Once the situation is established, we slowly start to introduce the rest of the primary cast. In addition to the cute factor, Kanna brings an innocence to play off the lessons Tohru has (mis)learned. Quetzalcoatl and Fafnir don't get much screentime here, but they'll become more prominent later. Like most slice-of-life, the story is mostly episodic in nature, but character development does carry over.
Art:
Coolkyousinjya's style is a bit on the loose and sloppy side, but that doesn't take away from the appeal. If anything, it adds to the lighthearted feel of the series. I do like the hatching he does for shading and textures. It gives the art a nice old-school feel.
Other:
We get an afterword that depicts how the series came to be.
Conclusion:
This is a nice little slice-of-life comedy with a fantastic bent that hinges on the relationship between Kobayashi and Tohru and is bolstered by interesting supporting cast. It's good stuff and worth a read.
Rating:
Read It