Legend of Chun Hyang by CLAMP

Legend of Chun Hyang
CLAMP

Complete in one volume

I love CLAMP. This is no secret to my friends and family -- I have entire shelves of CLAMP's works, some in the original Japanese. I can admire the drawings even if the meaning of the text escapes me.

CLAMP is a manga circle of five women, which has been together for twenty-five years now. They have written and illustrated manga for a variety genres and using a range of illustration styles. Although I usually know CLAMP's work when I see it, no single work can be said to capture their full range of storytelling or illustration skill. However, Chung Hyang, as it is only a single volume long, is a decent place for a new manga fan to start.

The story itself is based, rather loosely, on a Korean folk character. The introductory pages of each of the first two stories explain that the original Chun Hyang was a commoner who was betrothed to a nobleman, and that she remained true to him even once they were separated. She became a symbol for chastity. However, CLAMP's Chun Hyang is a far more action-oriented girl. This version of Chun Hyang is a burgeoning martial artist, the teen daughter of the town healer, and she has a strong sense of justice which regularly puts her in opposition to the town ruler and his 'idiot son.' After a goofy, yet mysterious and handsome stranger arrives in town, the conflict between Chun Hyang and the town authorities soon comes to a crisis.

The artwork is excellent, though not necessarily CLAMP's best (Try the currently running XXXholic or their more experimental Clover series for an idea of exactly what these ladies can do). Chun Hyang does have many markers of CLAMP's style: Chun Hyang herself has big eyes with thick lashes, slapstick panels with chibi characters are used to comedic effect, and the pages are well balanced, favoring strong lines and large areas of absolute black and white.

Although the Tokyopop release is 'complete,' in that there are no further volumes available in Japanese, the story does not have much of a denouement and hints of a larger, arcing story are threaded even into the final chapter. But as each chapter forms a complete episode, this is not a major complaint for me. Legend of Chun Hyang is one to borrow for the general manga fan, but one that CLAMP fans will want to buy, for without it no fan's collection could be complete.