Swan Book 11
- Posted by Rob Vollmar on December 26, 2007 at 7:23 am
- Category: Manga Reviews
- CREDITS: by Kyoko Ariyoshi; adaptation by Maya Lynn Perry
- PUBLISHER: DC/CMX Manga, $9.99 US
Review by Rob Vollmar
This volume of Swan continues the international ballet competition begun in volume ten that will, in fact, continue and, no doubt, conclude in volume twelve. With most of the characters already well-developed and the contour of these competitions well-established in earlier volumes, the plot through this section hinges around the introduction of the enigmatic German dancer Leonhardt von Christ and the effect his presence has on the various dancers in the competition.
At eleven volumes into the series, there is little here that feels unfamiliar. Ariyoshi seems well set into her formula of presenting Masumi, the lead character, with some competitive challenge one notch beyond that which she believed herself capable. After nearly suffering an emotional breakdown, she is somehow able to reach into the core of her person and pull out a performance that is technically less impressive than her rival, but possessing some unquantifiable emotive quality that wows the judges enough to hand her a surprising victory.
This one-note samba of a plot line, ever accompanied by sobbing and wailing, would no doubt become unbearably tedious in the hands of a lesser storyteller. What makes Swan one of the best shojo manga to be translated into English, then, is Ariyoshi’s unrelenting excellence in the execution of that story. Freed from elaborate plotting, she focuses her energies on costuming and experimental visual devices designed to suggest the singular qualities of the various ballet and dance styles employed by her players. As always, her layouts positively sing with imagination and amplify the visual impact of the often-wordless dance sequences.
Even with several continuity threads yet unresolved, I don’t get the impression that Swan is likely to veer into unexpected territory before its eventual conclusion. Personally, the process elements of the series (i.e., the dances themselves) that serve as vehicles for Ariyoshi’s stunning artwork are more than enough to sustain my enthusiasm and interest in Swan for as long as CMX continues to publish it. The soap opera plotlines, limited as they are, do little to diminish the undeniable virtuosity on display, even if they add little to its narrative substance. Whatever its weaknesses might be, Swan is one of the few shoujo manga available in English that earns every iota of its status as a classic of the form.

December 26, 2007 at 5:10 pm
[…] Disciple posts an overview of A.I. Love You. At Comics Worth Reading, Rob Vollmar reviews vol. 11 of Swan. Greg Hackmann finally cracks open Fruits Basket: Ultimate Edition at Anime on DVD and while he […]
December 26, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Agree with you entirely re the fabulousness of SWAN, Rob, but in fact the main storyline is due to take an unexpected turn quite soon… (well, “soon” in story time; in CMX’s terms, who knows?) - JennyN
December 28, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Jenny,
I look forward, then, to seeing the twists arise in upcoming volume but, in all honesty, you had me at “Swan”
December 30, 2007 at 4:36 pm
I FREAKING ADORE SWAN~!
December 30, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Mimi,
I second that emotion.
January 3, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I thought Swan was 22 volumes long? CMX isn’t planning to cancel it are they? Because I totally asked them and they said they’d keep publishing it…
January 3, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Sorry, 21 volumes…
January 3, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Erin,
Everything I’ve read suggests that CMX is committed to publishing the entire series in English. Was there something I said above that suggested otherwise?
R.
January 3, 2008 at 4:07 pm
You know what? I read your first sentence too fast “no doubt, conclude in volume twelve.” and skipped over that the competition would conclude… sorry!