Manga Fans Unite! Desert Coral GN 1

Studio - ADVManga
Age - All Ages
By Wataru Muruyama
ADV Manga Staff
Translator - Tomoe Spencer
Lead Translator/Translator Supervisor - Javier Lopez
ADV Manga Translation Staff - Kay Bertrand, Amy Forsyth, Brendan Frayne & Eiko McGregor
Publishing Editor - Susan Itin
Assistant Editor - Margaret Scharold
Graphic Novel 1
(Yes, that's "coral" as in the stuff from the ocean, and not "corral" as in horse corral.)
Wasting away one's life dreaming is not a good thing, even if the dream happens to be a good one.
So good in fact that it might in fact be a real flesh and blood world.
But is it? That is the question posed as we meet one Naoto Saki.
It seems that he's got vivid daydreams of this strange desert world, but it is really dream -- or alternate reality? When he finds himself summoned into his "Dream world" and finds he can now experience all too real pain and bleed all too real blood? Looks like the lines between dream and reality have just been erased!
He hops back and forth between reality and dream, but his "dream" world seems to take all the time and we barely see his "real" life at all. Worst is that all he does in this new world is whine... and whine A LOT!
I don't know but somehow when I figure he'd be a reluctant hero I didn't think he'd be THAT reluctant!
And the cast of characters he's with are not exactly the most endearing or lovable cast I ever seen.
There's not much about them that really grabs you and makes you want to read their adventures... in fact unless this title gets a character infusion bounce next time out I'm going to have even less to say!
It has promise, and some possibilities, but for now I want to see more before I judge this world one way or another.
Desert Coral Breakdown the 1st
What's Hot? There's possibilities, and at times I see a good read in the making if only it went this way, or improves that way.
What's Not? With a VERY VERY reluctant hero, a cast that has yet to stand out and be unique, and a pacing that needs a bit of an umph we have promise, yet we have a large abyss that the title can fall into.
One way or another I'm hoping Graphic Novel 2 answers it all, and points to a direction.
Moments to Remember? It has moments, and promise that it can become a stronger read.
What to Ignore? Our so called hero seems to whine a great deal -- when he finally stops whining it gets good. The secondary cast has potential, but it also has the potential to turn readers off and drive them away.
And not enough is done about his "life" in the real world. He seems to want to escape too often for my taste, so there's no balance in that area at all.
Overall? I'm 50/50 here, and want to see more before I judge. Look, there is potential for this to become great and there's potential for this to become mediocre and a forgettable read. One way, or another, we're about to find out. But there is potential, and also appeal in some areas that might attract you. Give it a shot with an open mind, and see how it grabs you. That is, after all, the important thing right? How you react to it. So give it a shot and see what you think.