Note: This is Volume 8 of a series, there are likely to be some spoilers in this review so please be aware. Hell, even the cast list is a spoiler due to the large amount of returning cast.
Why did I start reading?
What is it?
A series based around the idea of battle royals we enter out 5th chaotic struggle.
In this Volume, Snow White is called upon by one of the three sages for a job. This job is quickly thrown into chaos. As a few different factions try to get their hands on the magical girl Snow is trying to protect.
What are the characters like?
I don't know if my brain is just getting used to the fact that people die a lot in this series(If that's the case it only took 8 books lol) or I just didn't find someone I liked that much this time around. They were cool, entertaining and some had some really cool powers and ways to use them but I didn't really feel that attached. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want any of them to die but I had resigned myself do it with some and that was mainly because there was a large returning cast, you couldn't help but feel there was going to be a level of plot armour so if someone got in a fight with a series returner you could guess how it was going to go.
Anyone particularly cool?
Let's get newbies in first. Two of the new characters I enjoyed reading about were Michan the Dictionary and Dark Cuttie.
Michan the Dictionary had a really cool power. They could change what they were holding by changing a character in it's name. In English this doesn't really work so they have to keep in the Japanese. It's pretty fun just seeing how versatile the language is and Michan used the power to it's enth degree. She was fun to read about.
Dark Cutie was fun too. Her world view just seemed to revolve around the world being a big anime with her as the villain. Not true evil but the villain. Just an interesting character.
Now. The returners.
My good god Princess Deluge. As terrifying as it is I'm kind happy to see her going so off the rails. It's very much a natural reaction to the shit she had to go through in the last book and we haven't really been able to see lasting impact in a girl like this since the drastic change in Snow White, as as scary as it was to see her act like this it was completely understandable and pretty human.
Snow and Ripple are both back and now, after having much more time to hone their skills are both terrifying in their own ways.
What's the bad news?
This is kind of a two parter. Kind of. The other two part death games so far have continued the same situation. This one ended its current situation but opened the door to the next one and leaves you feeling a bit lost and unfulfilled.
Compared to the rest of the series it feels like this book looses steam a bit nearer the end. Girls split up, retreat, there was one really chaotic battle then it's all a bit all over the place from there on.
And the good news?
Great fights, cool new magical girls and a plot with so many evil schemers you don't know which way is up.
One of the strengths of Magical Girl Raising Project lately has been it's political climate. In the last book we were introduced to idea of the three sages, the head honchos of the magical girl world and now it's just been expanded on. Pifle, the magical girl I felt I could blame everything on just now seems so small in comparison to the other powers around her.
It's like how in anime where the enemies get stronger except the schemers get more shady.
Would you recommend?
Yes, not the strongest in the series but the plot is thickens and you won't want to miss out.