Ranked #301

Kobato. (Manga)

Please note that I haven't finished reading "Kobato" yet, because it is still in the process of publishing.

Kobato is one of those mangas that makes you smile. And I don't mean just any smile; the kind of smile that comes from seeing acts of kindness (and cuteness) that only our heroin, Kobato Hanato, could create.


Story:

Kobato Hanato is a mysterious girl who's mission is to fill up a bottle in order to grant her wish. The only problem is, the bottle can only be filled when she heals wounded hearts. With the help of her strange and foul-mouthed friend, a stuffed dog like thing name Ioryogi, she ventures off into a strange world that she doesn't seem to be familiar with.
I don't want to ruin anything for you, but I will tell you that the story raises a lot of questions. It does a good job of getting your interest at the beginning, and doesn't let up as it gets more in depth with the characters and Kobato herself.

Art:
It's CLAMP. So if you've read any of their mangas before, you know it's going to be just as lovely as the rest. Kobato is beautiful (and somewhat reminiscent of a long-haired Sakura) and Ioryogi somehow manages to be cute and scary all at the same time. As far as the art goes...this is another masterpiece.

Characters:
Kobato is perhaps the most lovable character I've come across in a long while. She's kind, ditzy, adorable, and strong. I find myself wanting to go and help someone after every chapter that I read. I also love how they manage to add some mystery behind what Ioryogi is and where he comes from. The character development is fantastic in general.
(P.S: be on the look out for characters for other CLAMP classic characters that make guest appearances)

Enjoyment/Overall:
In two words, to total it all up, I would describe it as "Heartwarming, and Mysterious." CLAMP manages to make Kobato's wounded heart healing interesting by adding in several major questions along the way. And I never find myself doubting that the story will reach a dead-end.
I highly recommend that if you are a fan of CLAMP, you should check this one out.
Thanks for reading!




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Hanato Kobato is a girl who is accompanied by a hot tempered little dog named Ioryogi-san. Her job is to fill a bottle with "fragments" of healed hearts from people she helps. Once the bottle is full she can have her wish granted (no one knows what it is yet). Soon, she runs into a woman named Sayaka and a man named Fujimoto who both run Yomogi nursery. Kobato soon realizes that Yomogi nursery may be in danger but continues her mission with the bottle. No one quite knows who she is or where she came from, but there are suspicions that she may be an angel because of the recent Wish crossover...
Kobato will not be released in english but there are three volumes currently available in japanese (the fourth volume will be released on Dec. 26 of this year). I think CLAMP may have another big crossover in store for us with kobato(like tsubasa to holic) as the series continues. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a CLAMP fanatic!!! read more