Sometimes I stray from the series I usually follow, and I’ll randomly buy the first volume of a new series. Sometimes the random manga I end up reading are mildly interesting (Ray) and sometimes they are hilariously great (Cromartie High School).

I’m not sure what on earth prompted me to pre-order Tenryu: The Dragon Cycle, I think it was cheap (40% off), I knew that some people loved the author’s other title Fake (about two cops in love, I don’t really dig police procedural setttings so I’ve never picked it up), and since I like reading stories with an element of fantasy I thought it might work out.

But this was bad, I didn’t find the character designs very attractive, the personalities of the characters are cliched, and the way the characters learn about their past and attain mystical powers is utterly predictable. There are a couple moments of slapstick comedy that are faintly amusing, but not enough to carry the book. I’m really growing to hate the cheap paper and binding methods DC uses for the CMX titles. They just feel very unpleasant in my hand when I’m turning the pages.

This manga is going to end up getting donated to the friends of the public library book sale. Perhaps some good can come out of this manga if it brings in 50 cents for the library, because nothing good can be found between the covers of Tenryu: The Dragon Cycle.