A mysterious girl, Ai, is found wandering the streets of Shinjuku, Japan, and has only the tattered clothes on her back and tattered memories of who she is; and whoever she is, she isn't from Earth! She meets up with Ken, who takes her in and gives her a place to stay. Ai starts to become a monumental success in the record industry and learns more about her own past. Returning home at last she finds herself abducted!
Highlights
With Ai captured and hooked up to a bleeding machine that collects the blood of Angels, we now learn why she was captured and by whom. Back on Earth, or the Other Side as the citizens of Ai-land call it, Ken has set out with the intention of being sent to Ai-land with the Furies, a group who has fallen for the charm of Ai, in order to rescue her. With Ken arriving in Ai-Land, we see the full scope of diversity of the Dougen race, a race of creatures that exist alongside humans in Ai-land and until recently were subjugated under them. Along with the angelic types (like Ai): there are types based on any kind of fantasy creature from small Fox-looking ones, to colossal Octopi and Dragons, as well as Giants. Ai, meanwhile, has been handed over to the Fallen, a mysterious group of Dougan who are tall and resemble wood or bone, who live in a forest that is forbidden to all. Ai then escapes and learns more about the Fallen, discovering just how they came to be, in a truly horrific demonstration that makes one feel sorry for them even though they look like horrible monsters. She even learns how one of her friends, a winged Dougan named Fa’an who can turn into a vulture but has hinted at “falling”, became the way he is.
For an added bonus, the manga gives us a look at the Other Side during the year that Ai was in Ai-Land, set between the original trilogy and Volume 1 of this trilogy. We find Ken at a party of his friend who works at the record industry that Ai was once signed with when she was trying to figure out just who she was.
Overall
I had originally gotten into the whole Princess Ai series through the original trilogy that was released several years ago. Even though it is co-created by Courtney Love, not one of my favorite singers, it is still a good series. It is an interesting blend of fantasy, romance, and Rock. Such a mix is almost unheard of. And the fact that, though Ai is a princess, she isn’t the type to sit back, wait to be rescued, or give into fear. She can and will fight back. Be it with a tray or anything else that she can get her hands on.
One does not even need to read the first Princess Ai trilogy to be up to date with the story; this volume contains a summary of the first trilogy and Volume 1 of Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn. It is still worth getting the original trilogy and Volume 1 of the new trilogy not only for the very interesting story, nice art, and the beautiful songs put into this story, but to fully understand the journey of Ai and Ken.
ComicsOnline gives Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn 4.5 out of 5 Angel feathers.
