CAFE KICHIJOUJI DE, Vol. 1
Yuki Miyamoto
DMP, 2005
ISBN: 1569709491
160 pages

Cafe Kichijouji is an ordinary neighborhood restaurant...except for the voodoo dolls in the kitchen, the sinister cafe cat lurking in the shadows, and the sometimes violent squabbles of its five mismatched employees. Based on a radio show, this hilarious romp features nonstop wackiness. From innocent-looking high-schooler Jun, who's known to hurl giant boulders when angry, to hapless Tokumi (who raises bad luck to an art form), the cafe staff rarely gets through the day without causing mayhem.

Meanwhile, the mysterious chef Minagawa is stirring up more than fine cuisine...how many chefs work from a cookbook embossed with alchemical symbols? When the chef takes a day off, an attempt to make his screaming scones unleashes a pumpkin-headed demon on the unsuspecting kitchen; oddly enough, that's not the weirdest thing ever to happen at Cafe Kichijouji.

CAFE KICHIJOUJI DE is a collection of short, funny tales with good-looking guys and lots of visual panache. Perfect for comic-strip lovers, and with no more serious purpose than laughs, it reads like outtakes from DMP's more serious ANTIQUE BAKERY. This series stands out for its style, wit and fast pace.

   --- Reviewed by Jennifer Webb

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