FLOWER OF THE DEEP SLEEP: Volume 1

Teenager Yukki is easily excited, easily annoyed and capable of throwing a tantrum when things go wrong. But she's also coping with a psychic gift: the ability to dream the future. When she tries to prevent the bad things she dreams, however, the results are rarely good. For example, after she warns classmate Moriwake about the impending death of a beloved pet, Moriwake blames her for it when it occurs. Consequently, Moriwake torments Yukki as only another teenager could. When Yukki's sister falls into a coma-like "deep sleep," and Moriwake follows suit after asking for Yukki's assistance, the clairvoyant heroine recruits two other classmates to help her solve the mystery. Kazumi does a great job of switching between Yukki's ethereal, sometimes over-the-top dreams and her waking life, neatly undercutting any cloying aspects of the girl's "gift." The art, too, changes between worlds, always making it clear when Yukki is asleep, awake or in between. And it's easy to follow the action of the scenes for the most part, something that is all too rare in today's manga. The two male classmates who help Yukki are tough to tell apart, but their rapport with each other and their teasing of Yukki rings true and grounds the story. This should be a popular new series, and Kazumi is a star in the making. (Jan).