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Title: Reborn!
Author: Akira Amano
Publisher: Viz Media (Shonen Jump Advanced)
Volume: Volume 16, “Ten Years Later” (ongoing, up to 30 in Japan), $9.99
Vintage: 2007 by Shueisha in Japan, July 2010 by Viz Media
Genre: Action, comedy, mafia, supernatural

Sawada Tsunayoshi is a rather below average junior high school student.  Bad with school, sports, and even girls, it’s quite a surprise when he discovers that he is the 10th generation boss of the Vongola family.  To prepare Tsuna to take over, the head of the 9th generation sent the toddler-like Reborn to prepare the young man to be a Mafia boss.  Two of Tsuna’s closest friends, Gokudera Hayato and Yamamoto Takeshi (pictured on the cover of this volume), are also two of Tsuna’s Guardians, wielders of the Vongola rings of power.  In a war over the rings, Tsuna has been fighting for his life and the right to be the next Vongola boss.  Volume 16 opens up with Tsuna’s victory, with some help from Lancia, in the Sky Battle against Xanxus.  Things go back to normal after the battle…until Reborn is shot by Lambo’s Ten-Year Bazooka (which switches your present self with your self ten years in the future, for five minutes), but isn’t replaced by his future self, and doesn’t return after five minutes.  Seeking answers, Tsuna tries to use the Bazooka on Lambo, but ends up getting hit himself…and wakes up in a coffin.  He is soon joined by Gokudera’s future self, who tries to give Tsuna some answers, but is quickly replaced by his time’s Gokudera.  Then both boys are attacked by a mysterious woman.  They are later taken to the Vongola hideout where they learn that the Millefiore family, under Byakuran, has been challenging the Vongola family for power, and making significant ground.  The Vongola family is in serious trouble, but as Tsuna and Gokudera try to fight off an attack with the help of the future versions of several Guardians, everyone is suddenly replaced by their younger selves.

This one really isn’t my cup of tea, but that’s about all that’s really wrong with it.  It’s amusing, fast-paced, filled with action, has interesting characters, and there’s plenty going on.  My favorite elements are the character relationships, specifically those between Tsuna and his Guardians and friends.  There’s deep friendships there, as well as respect and admiration.  It’s very obvious in both the dialog and the facial expressions how much they care for each other.  The agony, frustration, and concern on the older Gokudera’s face when he sees Tsuna alive again is intense.  The only thing that really bothers me in this volume, is that they’re in the future after things have gone to hell.  Sure they can protect what’s left, but what they change there won’t make a difference.  They have to go back to their own time and stop it from ever happening in the first place.  So really, it seems kind of meaningless.  However, to make up for that, many people from the past start appearing, so Tsuna now has to protect everyone’s past selves in a chaotic future.  Nice save, there.  It is a long running action series, and it also has a long running anime (up to 200 episodes and still going).  The anime is currently unlicensed, but streams (old episodes, and new) on Crunchyroll.

Kris
kristin@comicattack.net
@girlg33k_kris

Review copy provided by Viz Media.