• Ran and the Gray World, Book 1
• written and illustrated by Aki Irie
• translated by Emi Louie-Nishikawa
• published by VIZ Media (2018)

I’m not a regular reader of much manga. That’s not for lack of interest; it’s really just a matter of overwhelming choice and my own inability to find a starting point. So it’s always a thrill when a new series starts up and I’m able to get in on the ground floor, so to speak.

Ran and the Gray World was first published in Japan in 2009 as Ran to Haiiro no Sekai and ran for 7 volumes and 51 chapters. VIZ Media acquired the English-language rights to the story, and this first volume includes the first 6 chapters of the story. (Future volumes will be published on a quarterly basis, with the second book currently scheduled for a February 19, 2019, release.)

The official synopsis for the book seems straightforward (and harmless) enough:

Ran Uruma can’t wait to grow up and become a sorceress like her mother, so with the help of a magical pair of sneakers, she transforms into an adult and sets off! Her father and older brother Jin try to keep her home safe, but Ran is determined to advance her powers and have adventures of her own!

But that’s really just the tip of the iceberg.

Ran Uruma lives with her father and older brother, and magic is par for the course in their family. They’re all sorcerers. Her mother (mostly absent because of reasons) is a powerful sorceress who floats in and out of her life, causing trouble in her wake. Even though Ran’s brother has serious “issues” with their mother and wants nothing to do with her, Ran basically deifies her mom and wants to be just like her. But, she’s just a kid and is forced to wait to come into her own, magically speaking.

The story that plays out in these first six chapters is standard enough: Ran’s mother comes for a quick visit, Ran develops an incurable case of wanderlust, Ran runs off to have adventures, Ran’s brother turns into a wolf to follow and protect her, Ran ends up in the penthouse suite of an eccentric prince who falls in love with her, adventures and hijinx ensue. You know, standard manga stuff.

But there’s the little issue of those magical sneakers. In transforming Ran, they also transform the story – from predictable and trope-y to . . . somewhat disturbing, if I’m being honest.

Let me explain.

The character of Ran Uruma is a weird mix of childlike innocence and sultry seductress. Her magical sneakers transform her from a brash 12-year-old middle school student to a busty young woman (with FABULOUS hair) who turns the head of every man around. Mentally, though, she’s still that innocent 12-year-old inside. Which makes the whole thing super creepy.

Think of Ran and the Gray World a bit like a cross between 13 Going on 30 and Kiki’s Delivery Service.

The story (this first volume, at least) doesn’t really sexualize the adult version of Ran, though it certainly sensualizes her. Aki Irie’s incredibly beautiful art makes a point to highlight grown Ran’s more . . . feminine features. Which, again, super creepy. Because Ran is 12.

In the hands of a male artist, this story would’ve derailed after two panels. I have no doubt. However, Aki Irie imbues the story – and Ran – with a humanity that makes the whole thing compelling somehow. I don’t know what’s coming, storywise, but I can absolutely see this becoming a journey of self-awareness and a commentary on the media’s fetishization of minors.

But it’s her art that will keep you turning the pages. It’s gorgeous in its detail, and both versions of Ran come to life and leap off the page. You can’t help but get swept up in Ran’s story and become invested in her fate.

I, for one, am along for the ride. Despite the somewhat unsettling premise, I’m all in for Volume 2.

(Disclosure: VIZ Media provided me with a review copy of this book. All opinions remain my own.)