In the country of Savarin, about 20% of the population can perform magic. Seventeen-year-old Miel comes from a long line of sorcerers, and though the family has fallen a bit since the days when their services were sought after at the palace, they’re still very respectable. Miel doesn’t have much interest in improving her own skills, though, until she meets Prince Radian (also known as Radi), whose positive encouragement inspires her to develop her magic so that she might be hired by the palace and be of use to him.
Though part of me takes umbrage with the idea that Miel doesn’t get serious about magic until a boy comes along, I can’t deny that The Lapis Lazuli Crown is a cute story, particularly for a younger audience. The episodic adventures, the art, and Miel’s plight—she’s good at written exams but not so hot at practical magic—all remind me of another CMX series, The Palette of 12 Secret Colors, which is a compliment.
The one genuine complaint I have is in regards to the bonus story, “Daisy Romance.” The lead character, Hanagiku, looks exactly like Miel, and the two male characters bear more than a passing resemblance to Radi and his retainer, Sieg. This makes for some disconcerting reading at first.
The Lapis Lazuli Crown is two volumes long and is published in English by CMX. Volume two is due out in September.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.
20% of the population can use magic? It must be horribly depressing to be in the other 80%.
Heh. Yeah, that lowly group doesn’t appear in the book at all other than as shopkeeper bystanders to a sorcerous squabble. 🙂