Amefurashi: The Rain Goddess by Atsushi Suzumi

Title: Amefurashi: The Rain Goddess
Mangaka: Atsushi Suzumi
Age Group: Teens
Series is: Completed with 2 volumes
Volume(s) Reviewing: 1
My Rating: 4/5

In an alternate universe, there lays a desert town. With rain rare to come, the town gives up offerings to the rain goddess who in return provides them the essential water. She lives in a grand magical tree with instead of leaves, have clouds.

Gimmy is a teen boy who runs a repair shop. The goddess once again asks for a doll from the town and it is his task now to create a new one for her.

His twin siblings, Mel and Mil, see how their older brother is stressing over the fact that he has to finish the doll so soon when there is so little time. They brilliantly decide to pretend to be dolls so Gimmy can complete his work in time. But instead, the goddess Sora takes them as her offering!

Gimmy is shocked when he found out and Sora refuses to give them back. Or else all the water she gave his town would evaporate! He has to somehow take back his brother and sister without angering Sora! But how?

Amefurashi: The Rain Goddess is a cute and light story with a mix of desert elements and magic. Gimmy is a boy who enjoys creating things. He is not afraid to speak his mind when he declared that he was going to take back his siblings. But of course, he knows that he should not be rash when the goddess can remove every bit of water from his village any time she wants.

I have a hate and love relationship with Sora's design. If you see the image above, she has this animal keeper outfit going on. It's her hair and hat that irks me. But at the same time, I find it quite interesting. Even though she is a powerful goddess, she is clueless about the world around her because she never left her tree before.

So far, the characters' personal lives have not been delved into yet and it appear it will not any time soon. Throughout, you find the two in funny and dire moments. Toward the end, Sora is threatened by another goddess who wants to take her tree so she can control her power! Left off at a cliffhanger, the second volume is yet to come. This is a great story to read under the sun, considering the desert and water factors!

Although this is not technically a shojo story, shojo fans can take a liking to the big-eyed and adorable characters within. Amefurashi: The Rain Goddess is a new series by the popular Venus vs. Virus mangaka that has action with quirks and innocent young girls that can fool you!

Review copy provided by Del Rey.