Ranked #549

Omamori Himari (Manga)

Omamori Himari is yet another Shounen, Supernatural, Harem, Action, Ecchi, Romance (whoa! that’s a lot) with a story and concept that is the least bit original. Though there are plenty of great things to be found in this refreshing manga.

It’s about your average teenage boy named Yuuto Amakawa who is looked after by his childhood friend Rinko Kuzaki, ever since he lost his parents. Now where have I heard this set-up before? Well after turning 16, a strange girl named Himari Noihara appears before him and she later claims to be a spirit who has to protect him from demons and such. From that description you can tell that this will be a rather straightforward story, mixing both high school fun and demon slaying action. Though apart from the minor inconsistencies in the plot, there are plenty of developments like intense rivalries and Yuuto’s growth as an Amakawa descendant that make the story really exciting. Yet the whole idea of a girl (cat-girl no less) protecting some guy is a rather common concept nowadays but the protector, Himari is one of the most interesting manga characters I have come across in a while.

Himari is an attractive character and not because her of cat-girl trait but it’s more due to her striking & seductive attitude. Her manner of speech is another fascinating aspect of hers; though a lot of the things she says may leave you going “what the heck is she trying to say?” (Blame the hardworking translators ^_^) Sure there’s also Rinko but she’s a rather stale “tsundere” type and that’s not all as there are other cute girls that come into the picture to make this a fully-fledged harem. Then there’s our protagonist, Yuuto who is quite an unappealing guy at first but he does grow on you a bit, as he develops throughout the story’s progression.

Well I have read a lot of shounen ecchi manga but it is rare to come across one that looks this good. The artwork is nice and clean, with a lot of effort put into every panel and sure the character designs look rather generic, you can tell that without doubt the mangaka can draw his girls. The same can be said about the awesome action and hot romantic moments.

All in all Omamori Himari isn’t the best of its kind; however it does a great job entertaining those who read it. The harem aspect makes the story rather cliché and I had no problems predicting a few steps ahead but there are also a few surprises along the way. The demon slayer side of the story certainly gives this manga a bit of an edge, especially as we learn more about it. So you just have to think to yourself whether you would enjoy something with; hot harem romance and multifaceted connections between demons and demon slayers?

Note: May edit if necessary. ^_^ read more