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Heaven!!: Volume 1    by Shizuru Seino Amazon.com order for
Heaven!!
by Shizuru Seino
Order:  USA  Can
TOKYOPOP, 2007 (2007)
Softcover
* *   Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto

Heaven!! has the mad-cap comedy usually found in shonen manga filled with fan-service. Shizuru Seino has put a shojo spin on it (sorry, girls, no fan-service for us) that will have readers laughing aloud.

Rinne has the ability to see spirits and uses her power to exorcise them by slapping them with a ritual paper fan called a harisen. To everyone else, though, it appears that she runs around school swinging a fan at thin air, which of course leads to others making fun of her. Uzaki, the class Yankee, while not Rinne's biggest fan after getting hit with her harisen, does do something nice for her: he saves her from being run over by a truck. Uzaki's act of kindness puts his body in a coma but releases his spirit. When Rinne agrees to help reunite both parts of Uzaki, they find that a horny god, Keiju, has taken over his body. Naturally, Uzaki wants his body back, but Keiju is having too much fun using it, so he banishes Uzaki's spirit into a stuffed pink monkey. Rinne takes the toy home and decides to give it a bath, which gives it the ability to move. Now, Uzaki is desperate to get out of his new body, but everyone likes the new Keiju better. Soon, it is up to Rinne to decide who, Uzaki or Keiju, gets to use Uzaki's body.

A lot of comedy manga is far-fetched, especially when combined with fantasy elements, and Heaven!! is no exception. However, it is this far-fetched-ness that makes it so funny and enjoyable. Seeing how Uzaki, the tough punk, reacts to his humbling new body is hysterical, and seeing how Keiju uses Uzaki makes the reader want to hit him with Rinne's harisen. Of course, there is the requisite love triangle. Rinne likes Uzaki, but she is not sure which one; Keiju likes Rinne, mainly because she is female; and Uzaki does not seem to like anyone, but there must be a reason he saved Rinne's life.

Shizuru Seino's artwork is typical shojo fare, but the story is what makes Heaven!! stand out. If you are looking for some end-of-summer fun, pick up Heaven!! for a good laugh (volume 2 come out in time for winter vacation).

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