Title: まぶらほ (Maburaho) Vol. 1
Artist: 宮下未紀 (Miki Miyashita)
Creator: 築地俊彦 (Toshihiko Tsukiji)
Book Size/Pages: B-6, 164pp., w/furigana
Original Serialization: Monthly Dragon Ace 5/03-9/03
Rating: 2/4
To Purchase

This manga is based off the anime rather than the other way around. I haven't seen the anime yet (the first DVD is currently in U.S. customs as I type), but like with all anime that I'm watching now, I won't watch anything until I've read the manga, even if the manga came afterwards.

Maburaho, in a nutshell, is a story about three girls chasing after one guy. The cover of the book features the three girls, 夕菜 (Yuuna), 玖里子 (Kuriko), and 凛 (Rin). The covers under the dust-jacket are the same except they're in shades of red rather than being in full color. It contains the first 6 chapters released and a bonus chapter at the end.

Like with most manga based off the anime, they assume that you know the story already so the manga usually doesn't fill in as much. I believe this is what's going on with this book as I didn't make heads or tails about the current situation with the main character, 和樹 (Kazuki). Each chapter introduces the characters though a situation rather than exposition. As a book by itself, I think this is a serious flaw. Hopefully the anime will clear things up.

1. かずき、もとにもどるの巻 (Chapter Where Kazuki Comes Back): Kazuki has a dream about a young girl who tells him she wants to be his future wife. He then wakes up to see three girls surrounding him, all of whom he doesn't. The doctor explains to him that he has memory loss and also that these three girls, Yuuna, Kuriko, and Rin all want him because he has this magical gene. Since they're magic user's also, their progeny will be a powerful magician. Disgusted at the thought, Kazuki storms out, but is followed by Yuuna and remembers that she's the girl from his dreams.

2. りん、せいふくをきるの巻 (Chapter Where Rin Wears a Uniform): Being the traditional swordswoman, she arrives to her first day of high school in that type of outfit. She gets ridiculed and so upperclasswomen Kuriko and Yuuna dress her up in a school uniform.

3. くりこ、いんぼうするの巻 (Chapter Where Kuriko Conspires): Trying to get Kazuki alone, Kuriko drags him into a supposed inter-club conflict. She gets him alone in a room, about to make the moves on him when the plan goes awry and she's interrupted by her "enemies" and also, Yuuna shows up.

4. ゆうな、たえがたきをたえるの巻 (Chapter Where Yuuna Bears the Unbearable): Rin and Kuriko tell Yuuna that she has to behave around Kazuki. First, she has to be a good cook. Second, she can't blow her top and use her magic whenever something "distracts" Kazuki. So she endures Kazuki going through various awkward situations without reaction. But at the end, she breaks down in front of Kazuki and they make up.

5. りん、すみをここあといつわるの巻 (Chapter Where Rin Disguises Charcoal as Cocoa): In cooking class, Rin tries to make chocolate cupcakes, but burns them. Being pested by questions of who she's going to give it to, she decides to give them Kazuki who really can't say no. He eats it, passes out, and wakes up later next to Yuuna. Yuuna thinks he's such a great guy for doing that, and so does Rin.

6. くりこ、ちょうごうをみするの巻 (Chapter Where Kuriko Bewitches a Potion): In an attempt to make a slave potion disguised as a lollipop, she adds Oolong tea instead of water which makes it a love potion instead. Rather than having Kazuki be her slave, he's now completely fallen in love with her and isn't afraid to show it. At the end, her plan is revealed by Yuuna and Rin.

Bonus. 三人娘、遅刻する？の巻 (Chapter Where the 3 Girls are Late?): A mini-chapter where it shows a single morning of each of the three girls.