MÄR, Vol. 2

Märchen Awakens Romance [メル] #2

by Nobuyuki Anzai

Fourteen-year-old Ginta's journey through the fantasy world of his dreams continues in this volume, where he must battle against the megalomaniacal machinations of the group known as the Chess Pieces!

The Chess Pieces have already tried to take over "Mär Heaven" once before, but they were foiled by a human visitor from Earth. Phantom, the fiendish leader of the Chess Pieces, used the living iron ball known as "Babbo" as a weapon. Now, Babbo has joined Ginta, but because he suffers from amnesia, he has no recollection of his past. However, the Chess Pieces are on the move again, and Ginta and Babbo are expected to make history repeat itself!

The battle against the Chess Pieces commences as the gang is enlisted by an ugly dog (who is not what he seems to be) to rescue a princess who's been frozen in ice. Ginta soon discovers that "Princess Snow" looks exactly like Koyuki, the girl from school he's long had a crush on! Can he be a hero in the face of this frozen beauty?

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Shonen, Young Adult, Magic, Humor

200 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

About the author

Nobuyuki Anzai (安西 信行 Anzai Nobuyuki?, born August 19, 1972) is a Japanese manga artist. He was an assistant of Kazuhiro Fujita.

Reviews

[Kenneth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good

[Mark L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a book that I have loved since my teenaged years and will likely never cease enjoying. The main character is a dreamer to put it simply, and a daydreamer to put it more specifically. I always very much related to Ginta, he spends all his days daydreaming of far-off and enchanted lands and is very much the epitomy of an idealist and just the sort of person I have always striven to become and stay. My writing allows this dream to stay alive due in large part, because it essentially is me doing exactly what I am sure any daydreaming kid with head set atop his desk or his chin enbedded in his hand staring off into the void through glazed eyes, has always looked to do. It allows me to bring what I see in my imagination and set it out for the rest of the world to see, in effect, it makes its power and influence as real as though the events written had taken place some time in the past. It is this dream, and the endless possibilities of the imagination spurring me foreward in hopes that, maybe, just maybe, I too can find a door to a world I thought had been merely my fantasy land.

I also greatly admire the the witty humor, grand adventure with the ultimate goal set at stopping the villains from taking over everything, and the pure and innocent romance that is all at the heart of the story and hopefully..in the hearts of my readers when some of my work finally makes it to the greatest journey any writer ever takes the publisher's cutting block. I do hope that my work is half as good as MAR.

[Brooke Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

We met Alviss in this one!!! He’s seriously one of my favorite characters in the whole story! Ginta’s still nicely balanced between being a badass and comic relief too. And Edward/Alan showed up! I forgot how the whole switching thing worked and it’s another of MÄR’s quirks.

Getting into more of the storyline, my excitement’s building! I want more already and I don’t have any more volumes to read! In my opinion, this is a fantastic series I wish got more attention. I know it’s older (2003 apparently), but I think it’s just so good!

[Brownie points to any of the anime fans out there who watched it on Toonami - aka anime Cartoon Network lol]

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

My nostalgia high has worn off a bit. At its heart it is still a simple, elegant story with some cringe. I’d compare this to DBZ because I can already see that it might turn into ‘power levels’ skyrocketing and becoming 1v1s between people of equal strength. I’ll see if I can find the rest at the library or something. The series looks to be about 15 volumes long according to Goodreads….I can do that.

[Ezekiel.Meafua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like it

[Kazu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madre mia, no me acordaba del tema de Ed, ha sido sorpresa total 🤣 Al leerlo otra vez me he dado cuenta que Alviss sigue siendo monino, pero Phantom es husbando total.

[Marianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you like Dragon Ball Z, and also fantasy trope of kid-pulled-in-from-modern-world, you'll almost certainly like this.

It was a bit all over and ridiculous for me. But someone will like it.

[Víctor Rosell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐️

En este volumen, Ginta continúa su participación en el torneo de MÄR, enfrentándose a desafíos cada vez más difíciles y conociendo nuevos personajes que se unen a su lucha. La trama se expande aún más, revelando secretos sobre el mundo de MÄR y sus habitantes. Destaca la evolución de los personajes y las emocionantes batallas que se libran con el ingenioso sistema de armas y magia.

[Fugo Feedback]

El #1 lo leí hace varios años pero se ve que nunca lo marqué (lo mismo que el #13). Ahora tengo hasta el #6 pero por lo que veo esta serie está bastante desordenada, así que iré actualizando y arreglando cuando suba/corrija la edición española.

[Fudz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Di volume ini diceritakan, ketika GINTA bertemu teman-teman yang ingin berjuang menyelamatkan MAR HEAVEN dari kekuasaan kerajaan CHESS yang jahat. DIsini petualangan mereka dimulai....