Manga Review: Fairy Tail Vol 1

Hey all, Dani here.

It is finally time that I start reviewing this amazingly wonderful series. Honestly, everyone, I can’t even begin to admit how many times this series has made me laugh, made me cry, made me hopeful, and more than anything, makes me dream of a better world. So if this review devolves into me just rambling and gushing about this series…well, sorry, not sorry. Okay, let’s just get started.

Summary

THE WICKED SIDE OF WIZARDRY

Celestial wizard Lucy wants to join the Fairy Tail, a club for the most powerful wizards. But instead, her ambitions land her in the clutches of a gang of unsavory pirates led by a devious magician. Her only hope is Natsu, a strange boy she happens to meet on her travels. Natsu’s not your typical hero, he gets motion sickness, eats like a pig, and his best friend is a talking cat. With friends like this, is Lucy better off with her enemies?

My Thoughts

Rating: 5 stars

I’ll be completely honest as I start this review…I watched the first season of Fairy Tail twice before I finally started picking up the manga. So I was already pretty familiar with the story that I was about to read. But I can also say that it was still such a joy to experience all over again.

I love watching as Lucy meets Natsu and Happy, and then seeing her explain wizard guilds to them, all the while talking about how she dreams of joining the coolest and best guild out there…Fairy Tail. But of course, at that point she doesn’t know that Natsu and Happy are part of that very guild.

From the beginning it is clear that the members of Fairy Tail are very defensive of their guild. But it is admirable to already see just how loyal they are to the ideals of the guild. And oh man, all the destruction that Natsu causes. He is such a powerful wizard, with a tendency to go so overboard, and that doesn’t even seem to phase him.

I also greatly enjoy that this first volume lays down so many plot threads that will develop and grow as the series progresses. The main one being Natsu’s hunt for Igneel. But with each new member of Fairy Tail that we are introduced to, more fascinating backstories and plot points are introduced. It is just so interesting.

I am so glad that I listened to my friends Brad and Rachel of Colorworld Books and finally gave this series a try. It has become one of my absolute favorite series, whether we are talking about the manga or the anime.

Fairy Tail is a series I will probably never stop talking about, now that I have become so entrenched in the fandom. There are a few books/shows/movies that I will always have on my recommendations list, and Fairy Tail hits that list for both manga and anime. So if you are looking to get into manga, give a volume or two a try, or if you’d prefer to watch something, there are nearly 300 episodes, so try out a couple episodes. Perhaps you’ll find that you enjoy this series as much as I do.

Where to Buy

You can pick up your own copy of this first volume from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-million, Book Depository, or your local indie bookstore or comic store.

Oh, and as a side note, Barnes & Noble is having a sale on Kodansha comics until October 30th. You can buy two and get the third one free, and since Fairy Tail is a Kodansha comic, you can stock up on them.