APPLE BLACK

A boy with a magical gift may hold the power to break a cycle of vengeance.

Sano Bengote Tamashii, the son of a famous warlock, possesses the power of the extinct Black fruit that has magical properties. After growing up in a sequestered location, he is finally to attend Newgarth, the guild for young sorcerers located on Black Bottom Island. After being alone for so long, Sano’s interactions with classmates are comically awkward, and he always manages to say just the wrong thing. Though he struggles to find his way around his new school, he keeps a positive attitude. But rumors about Sano prevail. The continent of Eden is trapped in a cycle of vengeance as the power of the Black wanes: Could Sano truly be the one prophesied to bring salvation? Oguguo has created an intricate (and at times overly complex) first installment in a new manga series. The worldbuilding is not necessarily intuitive, but hopefully subsequent volumes will help clarify the complicated systems of magic and hierarchy. Manga fans seeking something different will have much to enjoy here, with humor and action displayed in equal measure. Main characters have light skin; many of the secondary characters read as Black or South Asian in the mix of color and (mostly) black-and-white illustrations.

An inventive series opener with promise.