Legend of Himiko: Sacred Fire

Containing the first four episodes of the 12-part TV series Himiko-den (itself based on a 1999 PlayStation game), Legend of Himiko: Sacred Fire opens with an invasion of the kingdom of Yamatai by neighboring Kune warriors hoping to capture the "sacred fire" of the power-giving Bokka. During the battle, Himiko, the baby daughter of the Bokka shrine guardians, is transported centuries into the future where--when we rejoin her--she has grown into a typical Japanese schoolgirl, albeit one who is unaware of her past, her destiny, or the origin of the pendant around her neck. On a visit to the site of the Bokka temple ruins, Himiko and classmate Kutani find themselves flung into the past, where they aid the forces of good (six candidates for becoming Yamatai's queen) who are fighting the forces of evil (General Shigara and a never-ending supply of undead soldiers). While the writing is not particularly sharp (there are far too many repetitions of some variation of the general lament that the "Bokka energy gets weaker and weaker every day"), the series is nicely drawn (and the disc includes a solid art gallery), making this a strong optional purchase for larger collections (with the understanding that two more volumes will be needed to complete the series). Aud: P. (R. Pitman)