DNAngel, vol. 6

DNAngel volume 6 of 13 (ongoing)
Yukiru Sugisaki
Tokyopop, about 172 pp.

Daisuke has the hots for Riku but doesn't have the guts to tell her. His whole family follows him into the forests where they watch Daisuke and Riku on their little date. Everyone is tired of waiting for this young man to make his move. Will he finally tell her?

Wow, Daisuke. You blow your chance every time.

This volume starts out with Daisuke and Riku in the forest, where he has a chance to tell her his real feelings...and you can guess what happens. Nothing. The entire Niwa family shows up to spy on Daisuke. WTF? I mean, look, the series could have ended here at a nice 6 volumes, but no, we have to have Daisuke's family show up to make the story drag on for another 7 and counting volumes.

Well, Daisuke attempts to reveal his secret of being Dark to Riku, but guess who's there to halt the story? That's right, Daisuke's family! They drug her (yes, you read that right) so that she can be taken home and think the Dark/Daisuke transformation is a dream. Seriously, the plot needs to get moovin'.

In the middle of the book, we get a bonus story about Risa and Riku when they are little and how they lost a stuffed animal, but it seems out of place sitting in the middle of the book. There really isn't any significance to the story either, and feels like something that should be added to a fanbook instead to please the fans of the series.

Continuing on, we find out Daisuke's been chosen to be the lead in a school play. That's normally a good thing, right? Well not in this case. He's been chosen for the female lead. Because, you know, the girls are too busy to play in the play. And guess who the male lead is? Satoshi, Daiskue's rival. And did I mention this is a romance play?

Goodness, the series is really pulling out the shojo tropes.

Finally getting to the action part with Dark's thief antics, he's off to steal the 2nd Hand of Time. We're told a cute little fairytale, but that's only a diversion. Dark ends up meeting the girl in it who inhibits the treasure! We're left at the end of the book seeing her floating there.

Surprisingly, there is not much character development in this volume. Daisuke's attempt at any sort of romantic development is ruined by his annoying family's appearance. Riku hasn't changed at all, and she's still unsure of her feelings for Daisuke. Make up your mind, woman. You either like him or you don't. It's that easy.

The art is an improvement over the past two volumes. It's very good in some places, mainly the bonus chapter smack-dab in the middle of the book. But if you flip-through, you'll see lots of super-deformed, chibi, or stick-face shots.

The quality is the same as the other volumes.

Art: 4 because of improvement.
Characters: 2.5 Because of lack of development and growth.
Story: 3 Goodness, Daisuke's family needs to get a life.
Quality: 3.5

Total: 3.25, or a C-. The plot needs to star going somewhere and the characters need more depth.

Originally posted here.