Kekkaishi, Vol. 5

by Yellow Tanabe

Book Overview

Students by day, demon hunters by night

By night, teenager Yoshimori Sumimura is a "kekkaishi"--a demon-hunter who specializes in creating magical barriers around his prey. By day, Yoshimori's got other demons to battle: an addiction to sweets and a seriously crotchety grandfather Yoshimori's pretty neighbor and childhood friend, Tokine Yukimura, is also a kekkaishi, but their families are feuding over who is the true practitioner...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1421504863
• ISBN13: 9781421504865
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Viz Media
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 14 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Enter Lord Uro

Yoshimori Sumimura has an interesting range of problems -- everything from a lying little brother to a local woodland deity. "Kekkaishi Volume 5" introduces a fascinating side to the kekkaishi duties and a sinister new enemy, but Yellow Tanabe briefly takes some time out to explore the daily life of the Sumimura family. Strange things are happening at Yoshimori's school -- specifically, food is vanishing. Donuts, pastries, chicken, eggs, shrimp, juice, etc. And he soon discovers who it is: a massive nature deity called Lord Uro, who turns up at the kekkaishis' houses whenever his bed needs repairing. Now it's Yoshimori's turn to use his powers in the magical otherworld of the gods... but there are dangers for a mortal who ventures in there. Then Toshimori tries to dissuade his buddies from visiting his house by claiming that his older brother is essentially a big sadistic ogre. Of course, Yoshimori is nothing of the sort. Hijinks ensue. And while Yoshimori and Tokine both try to work out the limits and nature of their powers, a new enemy enters Karasumori: a strange bespectacled man and his three ayakashi sidekicks. Unfortunately, the kids are unable to enclose the ayakashi because they can dissolve into a cloud of feathers -- and it will take all of their ingenuity, power and skill to stop them! Yellow Tanabe is clearly really getting into the "Kekkaishi" series -- Yoshimori's ambition has become to seal Karasumori forever, so that Tokine won't be endangered anymore. But in the process, he begins to delve into the big questions of the series: what Karasumori is, why it was made, and even the question of HOW it was made. No answers yet, but the fact that the questions are there -- and Yoshimori is tackling them -- is a good sign. In the meantime, Tanabe winds up a solid mix of action, humor (Lord Uro's love of doughnuts), and ventures into the supernatural world (the harrowing mission into the world of the gods to repair Lord Uro's weedy bed). There's some genuinely horrific moments woven into this story, such as poor Yoshimori getting lost in a dark void, unable to remember who he is or where he is. And our scruffy teen hero gets to show off all sides of his personality in this volume -- he gets to make big delicious cakes, does official ayakashi business, naps and uses all his skill at making barriers. Tokine also struggles with her powers, since she's more skilled than Yoshimori but also much weaker. As for Lord Uro... well, he's an endearing big ol' guy. He has a beaver tail, a bushy face, otter feet and fingers that magically grow for maximum doughnut storage. "Kekkaishi Volume 5" begins to delve into the secrets of Karasumori, but Yellow Tanabe never forgets to tell robust fantasy stories at the same time.