By Kiiro Yumi, based on the novel by Hiro Arikawa. Released in Japan as “Toshokan Sensou: Love & War” by Hakusensha, serialization ongoing in the magazine LaLa. Released in North America by Viz.

A lot of the titles coming out here these days are part of what I term ‘franchise’ titles. They’re based off of either a novel or a game. Then comes the manga, then the anime, then games based off the anime, then a 2nd manga… you know what I mean. Sometimes the influence can even go in the other direction. The anime ‘Durarara!!’ had a minor anime-only character who the novel’s author liked, so he wrote her into a later book.

Library Wars is a light novel series that ASCII Media Works released in their Dengeki Bunko line (where it won a Seiun Award, the Japanese equivalent of a Hugo). You’d expect that the manga would be released as a guy’s title in one of their media manga magazines, such as Dengeki Daioh. And you’d be right: there was a manga that ran in Dengeki Daioh for 2 volumes, called Library Wars: Spitfire!. It’s more of a guy’s take on the book. However, they also decided to cultivate a female audience by licensing a shoujo version of the series, to be put in Hakusensha’s LaLa, home of Vampire Knight and Ouran High School Host Club. This one is 4 volumes and counting, and still running today.

I’m reviewing Love & War, of course. And it’s excellent. I have not read the original novel that this is based on, though I imagine that early chapters are quite similar. But it’s well-paced, well-plotted, and with likeable yet flawed characters. The premise is that in the near future, Japan is attempting to censor anything considered offensive. To defend against these new laws, librarians have banded together to form a Defense Force, protecting books and saving them from the government. Given Japan is currently arguing about bans on ‘non-existent youth’ and sexualized art, this is not exactly an unimaginable premise.

Our heroine, Iku, is a spunky yet dense sort, who rushes ahead without thinking. Her immediate superior, Dojo, treats her like crap (something she notes over and over again). And we later meet another recruit who is perfect in every way, and treats Iku like crap as well. What makes this different from, say, Black Bird or Hit Gimmick? Well, for one, the premise, while serious, allows for more comedic situations. I know it’s a bit hypocritical, but I find jerk guys in shoujo far more tolerable if they’re funny. Second, the girl is strong and fights back. I had mentioned this in my review of Portrait of M&N;, but watching meek and shy girls get abused is far less fun then watching loud and violent girls get abused.

However, most importantly, the characters learn and change almost immediately. This is partly due to the fact that the plot is not seeing Iku and Dojo hook up, but rather seeing Iku become a good librarian soldier. Towards that end, we totally understand Dojo’s utter frustration with her, as she starts off as a horrible soldier, refusing orders and not thinking anything through. In the last chapter, though, we see her get humiliated enough to buckle down and try hard, and it shows.

Dojo too changes. It’s not mentioned in this volume, but it would appear that he notices that he’s been too hard on her in the first couple of chapters, not so much trying to correct her mistakes as crushing her spirits. Once she’s actually in the Defense Force, he’s much easier to deal with, offering just as much help and praise as critique. And her partner Tezuka, who is the ‘ideal soldier’ and wonders what on Earth Iku is even doing there, clearly needs to learn a few lessons about teamwork, as Dojo explains to him at the end.

There is a bit of romance here, but it’s actually secondary for once. Iku has a crush on her fantasy prince who rescued a book for her when she was younger. It’s pretty clear that was Dojo, and he blushes every time he thinks of it. She also starts to open up to him once he stops being the hardass drill sergeant, and I suspect her roommate from training will be playing matchmaker a bit. They’re a cute couple that don’t overwhelm the premise.

Really, this is simply an excellent first volume. Balancing character, futuristic plot, comedy (love that bear), and romance, it’s a perfect new series for Viz’s Shojo Beat line. Highly recommended, can’t wait for more.