3x3 Eyes: Summoning of the Beast

Takada's latest stars Pai, a 14-year-old girl who houses a 300-year-old Sanjiyan in her body. The Sanjiyan, an ancient and mystical Tibetan people who posses a third eye, were mysteriously wiped out, and Pai is the sole survivor. Through the Sanjiyan, she has strange, magical powers, but she has no memory of her Sanjiyan past or that she is part Sanjiyan. In this tale, Pai experiences a rude awakening as her Sanjiyan unleashes itself and takes over her body. Its first act is to throw out Pai's school bag, which contains a precious amulet that has the power to control the Sanjiyan. It then proceeds to wreak havoc on the people of downtown Tokyo, tearing up pay phones, streetlights and mailboxes. When Pai wakes up, she finds her room full of these things but no memory of how they got there. The Sanjiyan awakening is due to its desire (and Pai's) to regain her memories. Pai's boyfriend, Yakumo, who's distressed because Pai doesn't remember loving him, facilitates much of the research in regaining Pai's memory. Takada's masterful story flows smoothly and fairly quickly while unraveling the mystery at an even pace. He focuses on and develops different facets of Pai's life: her third eye, the wakening being inside her, the history and mystery of her Sanjiyan and her involvement with and growing love for Yakumo. The startlingly cute b&w drawings of Pai and graphic frames of Yakumo getting chewed up and spit out will delight young readers. (Aug.)