Read or Dream

"May the power of paper be with you". That's the motto of the three paper-commanding sisters in manga Read Or Dream (R.O.D). That's right, paper is the weapon of choice for Michelle, Maggie and Anita, three aspiring detectives who use their mysterious ability to change the form of paper into anything they need to solve the unusual capers brought to them by desperate clients. They work together to make sure their book related cases get solved quick, that is, if the book doesn't get in the way!

Michelle and Maggie hardly seemed phased by phantom libraries that appear only every ten years or alien invasions as long as a book in harms way can be saved (and read). Anita on the other hand is oddly bitter about her older sisters' adoration of literature and doesn't appreciate their distraction. After all, if they don't buckle down and make some real money, they'll be left with nothing to eat but magazines. It's hard getting two biblio-maniacs to forget their books for a moment.

In R.O.D, each case is different and ranges from supernatural, to sci-fi, to touching and to down right silly. The art style is pretty, fairly detailed and the action scenes are well done. The paper sisters' differing personalities play off of each other making it charming and, at times, heartfelt. It's clear they care very much for one another and it adds a wonderful dimension to the manga.

This is a great comic for anyone who likes lighthearted adventure with the occasional meaningful twist. One of its best attributes is how funny it can be. Watching Michelle, Maggie and Anita butt heads really adds a comedic edge to their story. It makes you want to read on and on.