Princess Resurrection 1

HAVE A NICE AFTERLIFEWerewolves, demons, monsters, vampires. All these ferocious creatures are afraid of the same thing: the beautiful Princess Hime, an awesome warrior who fights off the forces off evil with a chainsaw and a smile. Not only does she look great in a tiara, she has magical powers that allow her to raise the dead. She’s a girl on a mission, and with the help of her undead servant and a supercute robot, there’s no creature of darkness she can’t take down!

From Publishers Weekly

After undergoing a car accident, middle school student Hiro Hayorami sees visions of a beautiful girl dressed in gothic Lolita clothing; suddenly, Hiro is awake in the hospital morgue with only hazy memories that feel like a dream. But now he's in the servitude of the beautiful Hime (which means princess in Japanese) who saved him from the brink of death. He's hunted by enemies—Hime's siblings and a legion of werewolves, demons, monsters and vampires—but empowered with the ability of resurrection. Bound to her by blood, Hiro accepts his servitude in the underworld and a world of evil forces, chainsaw battles and mysteries left undiscovered. Fans of campy, over-the-top horror stories should enjoy Mitsunaga's vivid cast of monsters and demons, including the chainsaw-toting Hime. The character designs are far more solid than many in the gothic Lolita genre, but still sporting intricate costumes and suitably apathetic demeanors. (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up—After being hit by a truck in a not-so-accidental "accident," Hiro is resurrected as a servant to a princess blood warrior who periodically feeds him doses of her immortal enchanted blood. Both indebted and mysteriously drawn to Hime, Hiro becomes a willing servant to her and dies repeatedly (only to be resurrected each time) in attempts to save her. Together they fight a cadre of murderous monsters, including wrathful werewolves, homicidal invisible men, and legions of fish-men, as readers are granted glimpses into Hime's mysterious past. A fairly typical manga offering, Princess has a healthy dose of action, violence, comedy, and horror wrapped neatly into a semi-sociopathic, supernatural, chainsaw-wielding-goth-Lolita main character. Mitsunaga's art is sharp and distinct, utilizing clean lines as opposed to a more cartoonlike style. As an opening volume, there is still much to be ascertained about the main characters, which leaves them somewhat flat. Due to the violence and close-ups of buxom (though clothed) characters and panty shots, this would be best suited to older high school students. Heavy on action and light on substance, it's an optional purchase for most libraries.—Jennifer Feigelman, Goshen Public Library and Historical Society, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Hiro, a hit-and-run victim, is brought back to life by Princess Resurrection to fight in her battle for control over a supernatural kingdom. An assortment of monsters try to kill him as he defends his new mistress, but, of course, he’s essentially immortal. There’s humor here, and Mitsunaga’s art shines with vivid character and revealing gothic outfits. But splatter-filled action dominates, leaving little room for character development and emotion. Older manga devotees who like horror mixed with mild fan service will enjoy this, but the series needs more weight to draw a broad audience. Grades 10-12. --Robin Brenner

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