Man of Many Faces, Volume 1

More of CLAMP's earlier and lighter fare, this series is also set on the CLAMP school campus, but focuses on characters of a younger age than the Duklyon defenders. The hero is the man of 20 faces, a gentleman thief who also happens to be a third grader. He leaves a note announcing his next target before he strikes, wears a tuxedo while committing his crime, and always outwits the police. The story makes happy use of this familiar trope, having Akira steal absurd objects all to please the whims of his two moms. In the middle of one such escapade, Akira ducks into a window to hide from his pursuers, and meets Utako, a kindergatener from his school. They strike up a conversation, which quickly escalates into a flirtation, before Utako show more declares they are going steady. Although Akira seems floored at the announcement, he's not displeased, and eventually the two begin meeting regularly. The manga focuses more emphasis on this romantic relationship than the theft hijinks. While these pursuits provide a steady stream of jokes, along with the antics of the hotheaded high schooler who is set on catching the mysterious man, the story becomes more and more about the nature of love. Multiple panels are filled with lengthy conversations that are lofty in nature, almost philosophic, including one character (Akira's uncle) who is quite pedantic. These don't detract from the story, though, but add a touch of innocence and naivete. In fact, that describes the tone of the series as a whole. Joined with CLAMP's gorgeous art, this is a sweet book that will leave the reader feeling uplifted at the end. show less

This is an exceptionally cute early offering from Clamp. Focusing on child thief, Akira Ijyuin, we get a look at a very non-traditional household where the men do all the cooking and cleaning and Akira is raised by two demanding mothers. It is never explained what exactly happened to his father, only that he was the original "Man of Many Faces" thief and that he was quite charming. This story focuses on Akira's childhood romance with a young Utako, a millionaire's daughter. It is all very innocent and overall the story made me giggle in quite a few places.

This is set in Clamp's often used Clamp School universe so there is stuff here that carries over into their other series. I always find that kind of thing interesting. The artwork is show more very indicative of early Clamp which is appealing in a totally different way than their current work. My only complaint is in the fact that many of their characters resemble other characters they have done, whether it be here or in other series, particularly in the older works. But, when you've created as many manga as these women have I guess some overlap would have to be inevitable.

After reading this I was all set to run out and read volume 2, only to discover that it is OOP and copies are quite expensive (I just cannot justify spending $20, $40, or even $50 for a manga, it's just not happening). A bit disappointing but I'll hold out hope that I may one day have a chance to read the resolution. show less

I didn't know what I was getting into... but at least I had fun :p