There are just some genres that don’t go over well with some of us.
The genre in question for, say, X-Play, would be of course the WWII/Vietnam war games.
Shooters, strategy, and (heaven forbid) card battle games… if inhumanly possible for such a topic like WWII slash Vietnam.
Now for me it’s a different topic. It’s series like this. One guy, many girls, lots of strangeness.
I’m not a major fan of Ken Akamatsu (EXCEPT for AI Love You), and usually when I am confronted by a series like this I don’t think much of the male lead of said series. The male, who seems to be rather reluctant at times by the many beautiful females he is confronted with, is mostly a pain to read about.
Then, after seeing the “guy” in question concerning said series, I usually have words about how all these women could be so attached to this one insufferable male who isn’t all that bright (and sometimes not even all that either). This time, however, is different.

Meet Kazuki. He’s the youngest of this long line of sorcerers, however he doesn’t have a Harry Potter all powerful future ahead of him. No sir. Even if the actor who plays Harry Potter envisions a stereotypical deadly ending for Harry in Year VII? Kazuki will still be better off if he was Harry considering the situation he finds himself in. It seems he is a low rated magic user, capable of using his powers only seven times (not counting any plot driven bonus usages that might occur during the story) before he kicks the bucket and dies. Add to that his not so sterling looks and low self esteem and you have one character who would jump at a chance to be swarmed by multiple hotties. Yeah, doesn’t seem likely but just because his own powers are not exactly tops (and neither are his looks) it doesn’t mean his DNA isn’t good… in fact it’s very very very good! So good in fact it seems that, after awaking with amnesia, he finds himself besieged by three females who want his DNA.

PROBLEM - Just because they want him, doesn’t mean they want HIM! They want him to sire children on them, so that said children will be all powerful. It seems he isn’t going to be the popular Harry Potter type, he’ll be the seldomly mentioned Potter Senior who dies but sires that important Harry Potter type.
Yeah, that would make most sensible males rather reluctant if I do say so myself. Why? Well, given the scenario being hinted at that would mean, of course, once they get what they want from him they’ll leave him behind to rot afterwards. So, as you can see, he has a damn good reason to not jump into this, especially since death awaits him if he uses up too much power (seven really good uses).

So, then, what’s stopping him from filing a mystical restraining order to keep the DNA grubbing women away from his “magical tool”? Well, besides the fact he would actually be entranced by the idea if it wasn’t for the fact that they seemingly don’t have any interest in him (which blows since his life is hanging on a rather thin thread here), it seems that ONE of the trio has some history with him, from his memories, and these memories might point to one of these three actually being the right girl… as in being one who’ll actually LOVE him and not just his DNA.

Of course it can’t just be as simple as that since none of the trio plan to give him up without a fight.
So even if one of them has pure reasons for her feelings it’s not going to be easy since none of them plan to do the “noble” thing and step aside for true love… or perceived true love… something.
So begins the long long road of confusion, madness, and comedy as these three girls fight it out for the chance to obtain this one unremarkable man’s DNA in a way usually associated with XXX rated hentai porn series… because, well, they’re hot and bothered teens and I don’t see any of them making appointments at the local mystical “DNA” center. Anyway if he manages to live long enough to find out if one of these girls might be right for him then I’ll be surprised. Of course it’d suck if all three were wrong and he was being manipulated, however that’s usually not the ending of a series like this so you can expect some sort of happily ever after when it’s all said and done. Really. Unless they changed the rules in which case the schmuck is doomed. Nuff said, breakdown time.

Maburaho Breakdown the 1st
What’s Hot?
Yeah. Series like this has lots of fans. Lots of readers and lots of viewers.
Then again WWII and Vietnam era first person shooters also have lots of fans but that won’t compel me to rush out and start renting Medal of Honor games posthaste! As for this title? Somehow it seems like it’ll be your standard fare yet I have hope that (like this title) there’s room for differences and not the same-old-same-old routines. Anyway it’s three totally hot witch girls so where can you go wrong with that.

The girls are cute, their antics in this book somewhat passable, and despite the fact the male is beginning to wear on my nerves he’s not a complete loss… yet. Still, if I had to be straight on the judgment, I’d have to say that I will recommend this to people who like this sort of stuff. As for me? The jury is still out but I have some interest, enough to check it out and review it again in the coming months.
It has an interesting premises, and it has three cute (and somewhat interesting) female characters who might be the biggest draw of this read. The male character is abit of a stereotype in regards to the situation he’s stuck in, and his reactions to said situation, but yet there is abit of hope left for this cast. Some hope.
I hope (when Graphic Novel 2 comes out) I’ll be proven right and more reasons to read this surfaces.

What’s Not?
However that “hope” for the cast can quickly be squandered away if it continues to be something that you might have seen before, in other titles. I’d like to think the three females will grow character wise and become more interesting as the books pass, but if too much time passes and nothing happens to them character wise (or, worse, they degenerate into totally uninteresting characters) then that’s a bad thing.
As for the male lead of the title? I’d like to think the male lead will become a better character as time passes, and actually draw reader’s interest (my interest) towards him, but I’m worried that’ll never happen.
The ball is rolling, and things have begun, and I have hopes for this title. Hopes that hopefully won’t be dashed on the rocks of the same old, same old over time. But then again only time can tell.

Moments to Remember?
The usual fare is usually the most memorable. In this case it’s those wacky girls (trio) and their antics.
Usual fare for a title like this is female leads that draw the most attention, and that seems to be the case here.

What to Ignore?
You know what? If he keeps “remembering” about that one girl and how they promised from their youth to marry why don’t he just gets tough and marries her… of course there would be no fun in that since the series would wrap up then, but still. Anyway at least it’s different and he has a front runner already for possible matrimony (if that ever develops into something).

Overall?
I hope and pray the potential of this series is fulfilled, and it becomes more and more interesting as time goes on. If the series degrades further downwards and becomes less interesting then that can’t be a good thing. Oh, well, too soon to worry about it now. One can only hope for the best.
And since comedies about cute women who’ll do anything to get what they want is more fun than a video game about whacking nazis or the vietcong? I guess you can say that I’m giving my seal of approval for Maburaho. Check it out, and judge it for yourself.