Reign of the Seven Spellblades (Manga), Vol. 1

Reign of the Seven Spellblades Manga #1

by Sakae Esuno (Visual Art), Ruria Miyuki (Visual Art), Bokuto Uno

It’s springtime at Kimberly Magic Academy, and that means the arrival of a fresh crop of first-year students. Whether it’s the quiet and studious Oliver Horn or Nanao Hibiya, a samurai girl from a distant land, they come with wands and swords at their waists, ready to take their first steps on the road to magical mastery. However, beneath its brilliant facade of cherry blossoms, the academy hides countless dangers and dark secrets, ready to take the lives of the unprepared…!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Dark Academia, Young Adult

196 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2019

About the author

Japanese mangaka.

Reviews

[Enairolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

C’est un nouveau titre qui me tentait beaucoup. La couverture ainsi que le résumé me donnait vraiment envie de découvrir cette histoire. Sur le papier, ça avait l’air d’être une histoire qui est pleine de promesses. Et je n’ai pas été déçue le moins du monde. Sur plusieurs points ça m’a vraiment fait penser à Harry Potter. Je ne suis peut être pas la seule à l’avoir remarqué mais il y a vraiment des grosses vibes Poudlard, Harry Potter et j’en passe. C’est la première chose qui m’est venu à l’esprit pendant ma lecture.

Dans ce premier tome, le printemps marque l’arrivée de la nouvelle génération de sorciers dans l’éminente académie de magie de Kimberly. Vêtu d’une robe noire, chaque élève porte à la ceinture une baguette blanche ainsi qu’une épée. Chacun est nerveux à l’idée de devoir faire ses preuves… Pourtant, l’école accueille chaleureusement ses nouveaux venus sous les fleurs, les amitiés naissent et un incroyable défilé de créatures fantastiques est organisé ! Mais en vérité, cette académie est le théâtre de moult périls et le cursus n’offre aucune garantie de survie à ses élèves… Oliver Horn et ses camarades pourront-ils achever leur apprentissage indemnes ?

J’ai beaucoup aimé ce premier tome. Je trouve tout de même, que ce premier tome est assez introductif. On a un aperçu de cet univers qui a l’air vraiment passionnant. Mais ce n’est pas pour autant que ce premier tome n’en vaut pas la peine. Bien au contraire. Je pense, et j’espère surtout, que les prochains tomes nous en montrent encore plus, ça peut être tellement intéressant à voir. Comme je le dis plus haut, il y a vraiment une grosse vibe à la Harry Potter. Ça m’a vraiment fait penser à notre petit sorcier à lunettes. Ce n’est pas non plus un pur copié collé mais certains points y font vraiment penser. J’ai beaucoup aimé les différents personnages, j’ai hâte d’en découvrir encore plus sur eux. J’aime surtout Katie, je la trouve tellement mignonne et adorable!

C’est un premier tome que je trouve vraiment prometteur. J’ai vraiment hâte de découvrir la suite. L’univers a beaucoup de potentiel mais on ne le voit pas entièrement dans ce tome qui est très introductif selon moi. L’histoire, les personnages, l’univers, tout m’a vraiment plu mais j’attends tout de même d’apprendre plus d’informations. En tout cas, ce premier tome me donne vraiment envie d’avoir la suite entre les mains!

[The Book Dragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bunch of kids go to magic school to learn to use magic better but this knockoff Hogwarts has figured out how to solve the major flaw in D&D's wizard archetype by making these kids learn to use swords too. And somewhere in the world are six magic insta-win swords called spellblades.

Other than that, there's not much world building. There's also not a whole lot of character development yet either. We have Oliver: protagonist-kun, Guy: farmboy, Katie: magical PETA activist, Pete: nonmagic nerd, Michela: pushy rich girl, and Nanao: killer samurai girl. No idea what their motivations are or goals in life, not even if they like each other. The other thing is NOBODY IS QUESTIONING WHAT FORCED KATIE TO APPROACH THE TROLL! Seriously!? This is the only reason these six characters are 'friends' now.

A decent start, but nothing that really stands out. But the art is pretty at least.

This series has 8 volumes.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I...think...I liked this... It is undeniably, suspiciously similar to another popular series about a magical school where young sorcerers are trained... So I'm trying to sort out my feelings about that.

I liked the demi-human conflict in this book. It's pretty much a staple of high fantasy that different magical races can't all get along. Demi-humans have limited or no rights, depending on their race, and that is a major feature of this story. The book begins with new students arriving to the magical school for orientation where they see an enslaved troll. Some of the students argue that "it's just a troll," while one is adamant that demi-humans should have the same rights as everyone else and not be used for labor like animals. The troll goes berserk, though, so the kids have no choice but to destroy it. I did wonder, though, where all the adults were. Why was there no teacher or security guard at the front doors to the school? It didn't make sense.

I didn't really feel like I connected to any of the main characters. They each have their own personality and background but I can't say I was very interested in any of them. I liked that one of them is in favor of demi-human rights, but she didn't seem to have a personality beyond stating her beliefs and then cowing when everyone argues against them. There is a samurai girl with amazing sword skills, but while she started off being a bloodthirsty warrior type, she randomly started crying in class and I...just didn't like that. She volunteered to fight in a duel demonstration, then cried about it while swinging her katana. I don't even understand...

I liked the second half of the book better, when we meet some of the instructors. There's a long-haired dude who teaches fencing, then there was an old lady teaching magic who said swords are useless, confusing everyone. After that was a young woman who was literally uncorking and enjoying a bottle of wine right in front of her classroom while complaining that it used to be legal to eat demi-human centaurs, but they were granted some rights so now it's not...to the horror of all.

I enjoyed certain things about this manga but certain things were too...um...familiar...if you know what I mean. You can't equate every single magical school with THAT ONE THING, but this one felt terribly similar. The appearance of the dining hall... A certain old lady teacher... A certain know-it-all student... A certain idiot-type student... I mean, it's almost like AU fanfiction... There's going to be an anime and I think I'd enjoy it. But I'm not sure if I want to invest any more money into this manga series... If I liked the characters more, maybe. But so far only the teachers were interesting and they only appeared on a handful of pages.

[Chantelle Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the story and the artwork that is presented here. It is paced well, the story feels fresh, and I feel eager to read the next tankōbon. I am excited to see how they further develop the characters that have been introduced so far, and how their "backstories" will come into play and add to the storyline.

I am betting that the artists/writers/creators who crafted this "story cartoon" have read and/or been influenced by Inuyasha (by Rumiko Takahashi), Attack on Titan (by Hajime Isayama), Naruto (Masashi Kishimoto), and most certainly by the godfather himself: Osamu Tezuka (‘∀’●)♡

One of the characters introduced early on really reminds me of Kikyo from Inuyasha.🫶 The fight scenes are quite reminiscent of both Attack on Titan & Naruto (which remains as probably my all-time favorite manga and anime series ever created).

Oh, and they have most definitely been influenced by the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. Another incredible author with a fantastic imagination and amazing talent (combined with research skills, as is necessary for any serious artist/writer/creator).

[Ashe Catlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This reminded me too much of Harry Potter, which I hate so there is that. You get the whole magical school and introduction of the tutors etc, the thing is it mentions spellblades twice in this. Once in the intro and then near the end and the whole thing had nothing to do with that, they were going to school get taunted by planets and then almost walked on, that's it. So the whole title is kind of irrelevant now as it doesn't play into the story.

You got a samurai who's supposed to add edge but none of the characters are interesting, one kept going on about how one of them was quiet but we don't really get to see him speak or interact. It's not terrible but I just didn't find myself engaging with this whatsoever, I'm sure a lot of people will love it, it just wasn't for me.

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's kind of a play on Harry Potter which is pretty obvious but I don't have a problem with it as long as they do a good job with it. So far the story drags you in and it is really well done. The art is amazingly well done and that only heightens the story. So sit back and enjoy, this series should be very good.

[Jasmine Wilkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great start and first volume to a series. Is defiantly giving me harry potter/ winx club vibes with the magical school and the students abilities. The art and world-building is incredible - Very excited to pick up volume 2 next month.

[Azbaqiyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot - 4 ⭐
Character - 4 ⭐
Writing Style - 4 ⭐
World Building - 5 ⭐
Art - 5 ⭐
Cover - 5 ⭐

Overall - 4.5 ⭐ / 5 ⭐

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got Harry Potter meets Zodiac Academy vibes in Manga style.

[Sesana]

Basically Hogwarts but with a samurai, and a gratuitous nude bathing scene in the second chapter.

[Yuiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Stas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I'm certainly curious about Oliver.
But not particularly invested.

[Sheepy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My curiosity is well and truly peaked, there are a few things that I really want to know about, horn mainly cause there is so much about the chracter that makes me wonder what is he up to

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very "Harry Potter meets ______ "(in my case, Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel.) Yet I still read the first three volumes in one sitting and am debating tracking down at least one more.

[huntërre thomässön · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forgettable and generic.

[Jeannette Michelsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this! It is very reminiscent of another magical school story. I absolutely fell in love with the characters right off the bat and can’t wait to see how the story progresses!

[Caroline Godin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Très bon commencement légèrement sadique!

[Juliette Sarrazin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75

[AP · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

Enjoyable so far, but it's HP with swords and if you were in doubt about that fact, when you see Instructor Gilchrist you know that woman is McGonagall incarnate! XD

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This title is about teens going to a magic school where they will learn the art of magic for the next seven years. There is also a legend about Spellblades that the mages can also use swords as wands. This is only touched on but is intriguing. The school also teaches bladecraft along with witchcraft due to a mage once being cut down by a knight and not being quick enough with their wand. The students are unique and likeable enough but it's a slow start. Nothing extraordinary or unique but fun.

[Sebastian [ not Michaelis ] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manga version of Harry Potter but with swords.