Arcana

Arcana
2 Volumes (Complete)
Scanslated by Hikaru No Go Translations and Eternal Blue
IRC Channel: #hng0-trans@irc.irchighway.net and #Eternal-Blue@irc.irchighway.net

Topic: Science-Fiction, Psychic, Comedy

Summary:
Inspector Murakami and Inspector Nakabayashi are two policemen on a case trying to hunt down a bomber who's targetting schools. They find out that a phone call was made to the schools before the explosions, warning them to evacuate. The call is traced to a young girl in a psychiatric ward, who has no memory of her name or any family. However she claims to be able to see spirits, who tell her where the bomber is going to strike next.

Murakami and Nakabayashi slowly begin to accept her "talent" with Murakami even beginning to fall for her, but who is she anyways and how can she do what she does? The two volumes explore her story as she meets various other people who can also interact with spirits.

Commentary:
This manga falls into two portions. The first portion involves the anonymous girl (who eventually becomes nicknamed "Maki") and the policemen, as they try to thwart various crimes. The second half of the series focuses more on who Maki is, and how she came about. In the process the second half introduces several new characters and a few plot twists.

I enjoyed the first portion of the story far more than the second portion, because the first half was merely a collection of short stories, whereas the second half attempted to wrap up the whole story in a hurried and haphazard fashion. Several questions are left unanswered and the entire conclusion seems rushed.

Rating: 5.5/10.0