Manga Review: Blade of the Moon Princess 1

Manga Review: Blade of the Moon Princess 1 by Tatsuya Endo

Mukashi, mukashi (a long, long time ago) the Moon was inhabited by scientifically advanced humans whose civilization happened to resemble aspects of ancient Japan and China. The Pure World was ruled by a line of Empresses who wielded the Three Sacred Treasures of the Silver Court, including the divine blade Futsunuji. The current and 44th Empress was Fujiya Takenouchi,

But she’s not the protagonist of this tale. Fujiya’s daughter Kaguya Takenouchi is about to have her fourteenth birthday and the coming of age ceremony where she will be crowned the official heir. Kaguya is a spunky young princess who feels stifled in the palace and neglects her lessons (except swordplay) in favor of running around and getting into mischief. She doesn’t pay much attention to politics.

Of course, politics isn’t going to be ignored for very long. There are two main branches to the Imperial bloodline, Takenouchi (“bamboo”) and Umenouchi (“plum”). The Umenouchi line has lost much power due to its last Empress, 42nd Empress Hatoya Umenouchi being overthrown for abusing her authority. The current Plum heiress, Kamadoya Umenouchi, and her supporters, want to make her the 45th Empress, supplanting Kaguya. They’ve been “secretly” funding the terrorist group Tengu Revolution, which claims it’s for freedom and equality but mostly just blows things and people up.

Empress Fujiya is aware of the existence of this plot, and has been trying to accelerate Kaguya’s training, only to make her daughter think their relationship has soured. The Empress has been concealing that she is seriously ill and near collapse.

Everything comes to a head on Kaguya’s fourteenth birthday, and the Umenouchi make their move. The Takenouchi faithful are forced to use a backup plan–transporting Kaguya to the Tainted World, the one the inhabitants call Earth, with the divine sword. Without the sword, the Umenouchi can’t officially take power, and as long as Kaguya’s alive, she’s a potential claimant for the throne.

This shounen manga by the creator of Spy X Family is loosely based on the classic Japanese fairy tale, “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.” It’s an earlier work being translated now because his current series is doing so well.

Various elements of the fairy tale are twisted. Instead of being a gentle, ladylike maiden, Kaguya is a spitfire. The elderly couple that finds her inside a “bamboo” (spaceship) is actually a pair of Imperial agents set up decades before for just such a mission. And the romantic swains of the tale become Umenouchi soldiers who want to capture Kaguya or kill her. (The translation calls them “pur-suitors” to give an idea of the Japanese pun.)

The people of the Tainted World are descended from the Pure World’s exiled criminals, political enemies and lunatics. Most of them are completely unaware of a civilization on the Moon and it’s considered a legend at best. This gives Kaguya some problems when she goes around naming herself the daughter of the Empress. (There’s a Sailor Moon reference, of course.)

While I can see some of Endo’s talent in this, the series feels much more stereotypically shounen than Spy X Family. Teen hero who’s brave and good-hearted, but kind of stupid and doesn’t think before she talks or acts. Quirky mini-boss squad of villains. Some stuff I’ll talk about under content note.

Good art, decent plotting, but the characters aren’t as memorable in this first volume, and it’s just not grabbing me like the later work.

Content note: Sword violence, fisticuffs, terrorist bombings. We don’t see anyone die on page. Kaguya is naked in the bath (soap, water and posing hide the important naughty bits.) Pur-suitor Gai fits the stereotype of the “effeminate” villain and isn’t exactly great representation for genderqueer people. Trainee Imperial guard Mikuni keeps hitting on Kaguya, who’s, again, fourteen. Slapstick violence ensues.

Fans of Endo’s current work may enjoy this best. Also recommended to those that like twisted versions of fairy tales.