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Jade of Bango: Volume 1    by Ae-Ju Yim & Jin-Ju Yim Amazon.com order for
Jade of Bango
by Ae-Ju Yim
Order:  USA  Can
TOKYOPOP, 2008 (2008)
Paperback
* *   Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto

Jade of Bango is one of the oddest yet funniest manhwas I have read in a while. The sister team of Ae-Ju and Jin-Ju Yim has created an outrageous tale full of laughs.

Lin Seonu thought she was an ordinary high school girl – that is until her sixteenth birthday. Starting that day, she begins to see spirits, and soon strange people show up at her door. One of them, In Mu, claims to be her future husband and Guardian, for she is the Saint of the Jade of Bango. At first, Lin is cool with having a husband, but things get awkward when In does not know how to behave like a normal human.

To complicate matters, Chunji Ho shows up, also claiming to be the Guardian of the Saint of the Jade of Bango. While Chunji clearly does not have the same powers as In, he is determined not to give up as the two start a silent war for Lin. Of course, there must also be bad guys (besides the spirits), and that role falls to two mysterious, busty cat-girls who are determined to get the Saint of the Jade of Bango.

The story of Jade of Bango is rather far-fetched, but it sure is fun. The heavily inked panels only emphasize the cuteness of the characters by bringing out their big eyes and long or crazy hair. However, the mild fanservice elevates this level of kawaii cuteness to a teen rather than kid's level.

While volume one of Jade of Bango is about twice as long as most manga volumes, it is a fun, quick, mindless read. Short chapters, filled with plenty of action, help the pages fly by, making the Yim sisters' manhwa a perfect read to unwind with after a long day.

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