MANGA REVIEW | "RuriDragon" - Volume Two
A lot happens when you are a teenager. Puberty, parental rebellion, taste changes, and discovering and losing passion in certain things are all things we all go through when we exit the pre-teen world. So imagine also having to deal with supernatural powers at the same time as all of this. Hard, right? Perhaps this is why I have such a big soft spot for RuriDragon, which demonstrates almost all of these things in its second volume.
First, let’s focus on the dragon-y stuff. A new power appears within Ruri, as she starts flowing with electricity. After a chat with her mom, it’s revealed that dragons have the ability to call lightning. While it’s something it can be controlled easily, it nevertheless has its dangers. That’s why Mom’s always got a solution to her daughter’s issues, and this one requires some physical training.
And by “training”, I mean hitting a local Round One and taking it to the various sports activities. Throwing hoops, the batting cages, and even ping pong are some of the things Ruri does in order to train. But it’s also an excuse for the mom to show that she’s still a hell of a spring chicken, as she proves herself a true sports athlete. Of course, it’s all about powering up and letting the lightning loose when the time calls for it, and when it finally happens, well…Ruri’s no Raiden, that’s for sure!
Even with all the fantasy stuff RuriDragon throws in, these moments of mother/daughter bonding are captured in a relatable fashion. Parents only want what’s best for their kids, and will do everything they can to help them. Ruri has a mom who will certainly bend over backwards for her for anything, be it for something small like homework or something ginormous like her dragon issues. But she tackles it all just as a loving mother should, be it with words of encouragement or through some good old-fashioned physical training.
Things go back to semi-normal after the lightning stuff, as Ruri deals with Maeda, who for some reason doesn’t like the dragon girl. But fate (or a nosy teacher) keeps pushing the two together, with Ruri trying to figure out why her classmate can’t stand her. Even with them working on the Sports Day committee together (again, the teacher’s idea), there’s still a wall Maeda builds between her and Ruri. That’s when Ruri has enough and decides to use a big skill to figure out Maeda’s deal: the art of talking things over.
For a Shonen Jump series to use more words than actions is kind of refreshing. Normally, when two characters butt heads, it leads to a big fight that leads towards a newly-forged bond. But RuriDragon is different, as our dragon girl sits down with Maeda during lunch to figure out what the big deal is. While it’s not a lot to digest, what Maeda has to say to Ruri is both blunt and harsh. At the same time, it’s nice seeing someone who doesn’t beat around the bush and just call out the irks one may give another.
Maeda and Ruri don’t become buddies just yet though, and perhaps this is what the Sports Day prep stuff may be leading towards. For now, the two work alongside the rest of the committee to prep for the festival, which requires a lot of time and energy to make it happen. So much time and energy, in fact, that Ruri starts to worry about a planned meetup with her friends. Fortunately, even with everything the Gods of Mischief may throw at Ruri, our dragon teen sees just how much her friends mean to her, and vice versa.
RuriDragon is shaping itself into being a wonderful coming-of-age tale. Even if one were to take out the dragon stuff, this series would still be an endearing read. How the characters grow, how they take on conflicts, and even just dealing with teenage growing pains are all showcased with the utmost care and love. But thankfully, the dragon stuff is also delightfully entertaining, as Volume Two of RuriDragon shows off just how much of a spark this teenage girl has running in her soul.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
