Volume 2 of Hiro Mashima's RAVE MASTER
© Tokyopop

Mania Grade: A
Manga Series: Rave Master
Issue: Volume 2
Story and Art By: Hiro Mashima
Publisher: Tokyopop
Price: $9.99
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RAVE MASTER Volume 2

The second volume of Rave Master finds Haru Glory and his companion Plue landing on the southern shore of the Song Continent, near Hip Hop Town. Starving from the long raft ride, they immediately set out to find food. After quickly being tricked by a con man on the streets, Plue is kidnapped and disappears along with the con man on a motorcycle, only to be sold as a racing dog at the local track and casino. Plue’s species ambiguity is temporarily stuck on “dog” as he is forced to compete in the Battle Road Races by the reigning local Demon Card thug, Georco.

It isn’t long before Haru and Georco are deep in a ferocious battle. Like many other Demon Card associates, Georco possesses the power of a Dark Bring crystal. The power of his Dark Bring is to instantly change his body into smoke. In this form he can not only avoid Haru’s punches and sword attacks, but he can turn into a noxious gas – filling Haru’s lungs and choking him.

Haru narrowly escapes and dashes into the casino’s sportsbook area, hiding under one of the counters. He watches as Georco’s goons creep by and only then realizes that in his rush to escape, he has crawled between the legs of one of the counter’s denizens – his face inches from her panties. Surprisingly not angry, the young woman introduces herself as Elie and explains that she has a huge bet riding on the underdog (no pun intended) Plue, hoping to make enough money to pay Demon Card’s outrageous fee required to leave the town. As the race begins, Haru waits for a chance to grab Plue while Georco lies in wait for Haru to try. The start of their conclusive battle only minutes away as Plue fights for his life in the races, which are full of traps, including spears and explosive mines.

The volume continues through Haru’s fight with Georco and into an entirely separate adventure with the introduction of the “Silver-Claimer” Musica, who can magically manipulate silver into various tools and weapons with his hands. As the arc continues, Haru develops a close bond with each of his companions, especially the amnesia-stricken Elie. Along with Plue, they collectively form a small comedic guild with huge ambitions in their hearts.

The manga includes the recurring “Afterward” from the Author, Hiro Mashima, as well as caricatures, stats and short personal descriptions about him and his staff members. There is another mini-comic about the stationary sun/flower/? Nakajima’s babysitting antics and the Character Bios for the characters introduced in this volume. This volume also includes the first of Mashima’s “hidden puzzles” that he throws throughout many volumes of the Rave Master manga.

All of the action, plot and so much more than I could hope to summarize above fill the first three chapters (of nine total in this volume) and combine with Mashima’s constantly evolving artwork to fill an action-packed manga well worth the A+ grade.