Pandora: A Death Jr. Manga by HAI!

This is the story of how Pandora from the Death Jr. comics falls down a hole and uses her magical key to open a gateway to the future.  She appears in the future as a teenager only to find out that all her friends aren’t friends anymore.

Being a fan of Death Jr. and falling for the glossy art on the cover, I purchased this item on faith.  I should have known not to because of the announcement on the cover: “Based on the hit video game.”  I’m not saying that books about video games are all bad, but it’s rare that they get them right.

A few things bothered me about this tale:

• She’s using a time machine that also happens to age her the precise number of years she’s traveling into the future?

• Apparently teenagers in the future all talk like Snoop Dog and I quote:  "Yo the teach got pwned!” “Fo shizzle, dawg!”

• In the past, Death Jr. and Pandora are a couple.  In the future, Death Jr. is attached to this preppy girl in a school uniform.  The preppy chick says, “Stay away from that crazy goth chick.”  And Pandora says, “It takes one to know one.”  What does that even mean?  The preppy chick is clearly not goth and no goth chick would yell a comeback like that.

• Later on in the book, we find out that the preppy girl is an evil snake woman.  She says a phrase that I thought was outlawed because it had been over done in 1950’s cartoons.  “I’m gonna teach you meddling kids a lesson you won’t forget.”  Pandora responds by kicking her and saying, “Class dismissed.”

Moral of the story? Don’t be fooled by glossy art work and claims of cool darkness inside. This manga is not worth the ten bucks.

If you’re a glutton for punishment and still want to buy this manga, you can find it at Amazon.  My advice is to pass this one by and purchase more Death Jr. in comic format instead.