Michel: The Pilot and the Prince, Vol. 1

This Pan-Asian anime (made for Korean television by Japanese and Chinese artists) follows the adventures of young Kim and her father, an inventor who transforms an airplane into a souped-up weapon to fight the notorious Black Hammers gang—all four of them (three brothers and the wicked Salome, their leader). When the Black Hammers kidnap the fairies who guard and maintain the Tree of Life on the island of Sitel, the adolescent human leader of the fairies, Michel (obviously modeled on The Little Prince), teams with Kim to save the tree and rescue the fairies. Rated 7-up, Michel is completely inoffensive, but if the anime vices are not present here, neither are the virtues: there is no humor and very little offbeat imagination, the pacing is sluggish, and the characters (especially the Black Hammers) are somewhat devoid of personality. Maybe the series will improve as it goes along (this initial volume compiles the first five episodes with English or subtitled-Korean audio options), but at this point it's not a necessary purchase. Aud: P. (P. Hall)