magical girl incident vol 1 by zero akabane

Hiromi has grown up to become a dreaded corporate drone, not a superhero he wishes he could be. But one night, he finds himself stepping up to save a little girl from being attacked by a strange monster, and he transforms and had magical powers! But as he catches his reflection in a building, he’s transformed into a magical girl! Thankfully for him, his friend from work, who has been trying corporate drone work for fun, is actually secretly very wealthy and perhaps connected to some sort of military organization (don’t worry about it). He’s also determined to keep Hiromi’s secret and help him fight these terrible goo monsters that keep materializing.

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I am personally a sucker for magical girl stories because they were my introduction to manga, and I also love Shonen tropes, so this manga seems to blend the best of both! There were times I laughed out loud reading this story, and I really enjoyed some of the twists and turns Hiromi went through. The surprise ending definitely left me wanting volume two! Akabane's illustration combines some hallmarks of different manga styles. Characters can be cutesy and comical when necessary, but Hiromi's magical girl transformations are stylized and beautiful as they often are in shōjo manga.

Yen Press rates this for older teen. Hiromi and his coworkers sometimes go out for beers, and his friend's military cadre do carry assault-style weapons. There are also some heavier topics related to depression, anxiety, and suicide with the corporate drones.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 10-12

Publisher: Yen Press
Publication Date: May 23, 2023
ISBN: 9781975360368 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Magical Girl, Humor, Friendship, ​Yen Press