Depressed teenager Hanasaki Ayumi is dragged into a magical realm.Ayumi is dissatisfied with her life when a letter from her estranged dad arrives, inviting her to meet up with him. Instead of finding her father at the waterfront, however, Ayumi is blasted off the pier by an explosion as a mysterious hooded figure looks on. When she wakes up, Ayumi finds herself in a strange place where some humans, known as saigami, have the supernatural ability to control a single element. In search of answers, Ayumi joins saigami Sean and Reyji on a journey to the city of Zaosz. On the way there, the trio are ambushed by incarnations-summoned creatures that have been consumed by magic-and during the ensuing fight, Ayumi discovers her powers as a fire saigami. Despite her lack of training, Ayumi must now take the saigami exam once they reach Zaosz-or face limited citizenship rights. To help her succeed, Sean suggests they take the exam as a team. Beautiful full-color pages are mixed with traditional grayscale manga panels. Ayumi is richly characterized through both the text and the usage of cracked lines over the artwork to represent her feelings of depression. The use of well-known manga tropes creates a nostalgic "greatest hits" album feel while still possessing enough creativity to be fresh and exciting. Names may cue characters' ethnicities.A taste of a fantastical world that manga lovers will adore. (Manga. 12-16)

Saigami is an action-packed adventure-­fantasy manga that features a trio of teens on a quest to master the innate powers they discover. Hanasaki Ayumi receives a mysterious letter from someone claiming to be her father, a man who abandoned her when she was still a child. While on her way to meet this stranger, she is accidentally teleported to a strange world where she meets Sean and Reyji. She learns about saigami, a special sect of people who are born with the ability to control certain elements. Together they set out to find how she got there and the secrets her arrival holds. Seny's engaging story will easily hold readers' interest, thanks in no small part to her skilled manga artwork. The characters are playful but serious when they need to be, and they mesh well together as a team. Saigami is a great introduction to the manga format for readers looking for a welcoming entry point, but long-time manga readers will also likely find plenty to enjoy.