HIKKATSU!
Yu Yagami
Go!Comi
Manga

Everyone has smacked their TV to get it to work or hip-checked a vending machine to retrieve that precious bag of Fritos, but Shota has decided that if he can just get it right, he can fix machines with his focused Repair Blow. In his world, apparently our future, the earth's magnetic core has been knocked out of whack and the periodic magnetic shifts cause machines of all kinds to go haywire without any warning. Adept mechanics are sought after, but can Shota really fix any machine without touching a tool?

Yes, our hero Shota might have a bit of a screw loose, and yes, his experiments tend to leave a trail of busted toasters and TVs behind him rather than newly functioning machines, but he will not let that phase him. His first forays into repair work attracts the attention of the lovely kick-butt Momoko, a slim girl raised by pigeons (who taught her special pigeon fighting moves) who has decided that Shota is the one she's going to marry. She takes everything he says as a proposal, despite the fact that Shota barely acknowledges she's alive, and starts to trail after him even as his "repairs" result in a string of angry customers.

The only one who really seems to get what's going on is Kanji, a slick con man off the street who sees Shota's well-intentioned karate as the perfect opportunity to run a successful scam. Shota just needs a partner with the charm and self-preservation instinct to cash in on his dealings.

The first volume of Hikkatsu! is all about introducing everyone, and involves everything from deliriously silly slapstick to one action-packed finale featuring Shota taking on a runaway bus. The second installment continues Shota's journey and gives us a glimpse into his logic --- and shows that despite the bizarre notion that a carefully-placed strike will fix everything from a computer to an injured person, he might actually be on to something.

There are a few serious moments common to any hero's quest, which is the basic plot of Hikkatsu!, but the perfectly timed comedy, from off-kilter dialogue to physical goofs, makes the whole trip a great deal of fun. There are a lot of quirky adventure manga, but the expert pacing and balance of wit and action make this one a keeper.

    --- Reviewed by Robin Brenner

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