Shaman King, Vol. 30 (Shaman King (Graphic Novels))

Gr 7 Up—This installment in the series contains the usual mix of shamans, spirits, and other fantastic characters. Yoh is one of the competitors in the Shaman Fight, a tournament that takes place every 500 years. The winner will become the Shaman King and have power over the future of humanity. His fiercest competition comes from Hao, who plans to win the battle (already referring to himself as "Future King") and then destroy mankind. Yoh and Hao belong to an enormous cast of heroes and villains found in the four-page character list at the beginning of this volume. While the ultimate goal is the determination of who will ultimately win the title, the main focus is the fighting among the competitors before the big event. In this volume, the competitors learn that the next round of the tournament will be held on the lost continent of Mu, an undersea holy land where the first Shaman King was crowned. Takei's black-and-white artwork is dynamic and engaging, especially notable for the use of irregularly shaped panels and for the excellent illustrations of deep-sea creatures like angler fish and giant sea spiders. This volume is a worthwhile purchase for fans of the earlier volumes or of the Shaman King anime.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library